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  • From: "waldenfarm" <waldenfarm AT bellsouth.net>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Albrecht mineral balance and other soils stuff
  • Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2010 13:43:12 -0400

Kathryn,
 
There is a good basic book based on Albrecht's work- "Hands On Agronomy" by Neal Kinsey & Charles Walters.- avail. from Acres. Kinsey is an ag consultant. There are anecdotes and such, but good basic stuff on mineral balancing.
 
The best I know, education wise, was Steve Rioch's "Soil Testing & Recommendations" course which incorporated Albrecht's work and some new info. He started Timberleaf Soil Testing Service and took 1 student a year (I took it in 1992). Bob Russo bought the company around 1995 and spent 3 or 4 months, 8 hours a day, working with and learning from Steve. I don't know if Bob teaches, but his soil test results print-out is an education in itself, and he offers free consulting if you have questions. He may know of some educational opportunities, too. Here's a link to their web page:
 
Bob & Valerie are exceptionally nice people. Tell them I sent you. We're friends (I taught in Steve's courses at Ohio U while they were there learning the biz.) The top photo on the "About our program" page is from my farm. They stopped for a few days on their way back to California.
 
Hope you find something.
 
Alex McGregor
Walden Farm
Southeast, TN
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, April 17, 2010 1:18 PM
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Albrecht mineral balance and other soils stuff

Hi Allan.  Sorry to hear about your spinach, but something else you said caught my eye.  I've been trying to read a lot about healthy soils, amendments, nutrient balancing, etc etc, and Albrecht's name sure shows up a lot.  But I haven't yet seen something that would give me a really good, "understand the theory then put it to work" explanation of his theories and practices.  Just tantalizing tidbits here and there.  There's also what seems to be a fairly comprehensive soils course, offered as a correspondence course, advertised in Acres USA.  I've been mulling that too.  I guess to you, or anyone, where would you point a wanna-be soils student, particularly interested in holistic, sustainable, long-term practices?  Something I can read and absorb a little at a time as I go about the year working on other things.  I get these individual pieces of soil science info, like finding an individual piece of a puzzle on the floor long after the puzzle was put away, and I wonder "Ok, what do I do with this?"  Time to get more serious about at least ID'ing good sources of info.  Any suggestions, anyone?
Kathryn Kerby
frogchorusfarm.com
Snohomish, WA



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