permaculture

["Charles de Matas" <cdematas@hotmail.com>]

I have to agree with LL's comments on this.  Organic gardeners are the ones 
using rock powders in best ways.  They should be given preference in the use 
of these resources.  Here in Trinidad dust from limestone crushers is used 
to make concrete blocks when it could be used much more beneficially to 
amend soils.  There is a tremendous waste of these resources.
 No system of "agriculture", even organic, is perfectly sustainable. One 
cannot prevent soil erosion completely.  If mulch and compost materials are 
brought in from another site we are depleting that site.  Mulch or compost 
material grown on site will not remedy the mineral deficiencies of the soil 
on the same site.  Availabilty of phosphorus is very often a limiting factor 
in tropical soils.  The developed countries use much more than their fair 
share of the world's resources.
  Certainly we need to recycle phosphorus and other minerals as much as 
possible, and prevent soil erosion.  But I think it is harsh to criticize 
the use of rock dusts by persons who are trying to practice sound 
environmental practices in their crop production.

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