permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <venaurafarm@bellsouth.net>]

On 11/12/2011 7:14 PM, John D'hondt wrote:
> There are quite a few nitrogens in humic acid which might account partly for
> the fertility it imbues but to me the structure of the molecule has always

Humus is a molecule? Is this it:

https://plus.google.com/photos/103323666932740258290/albums/5674323837311144993

(load all text in both the two lines about into the url dialog box in 
your browser)

> made me think of a soil hormone, of something with a messenger function.
> john
>
> > > In soil science, humus refers to any organic matter that has
> > > reached a point of stability, where it will break down no further
> > > and might, if conditions do not change, remain as it is for
> > > centuries, if not millennia.
> >
> > The meaning of the term humus has changed over time.  To jumble together
> > several interpretations of the term in the Wikipedia definition doesn’t do
> > justice to any of them. Nor does it bring us any closer to what humus
> > actually is.
> >
> > In my book, humus is a living organism that is in constant
> > transformation - that never stops to break down, to transform and to
> > rebuild itself.  It is the dynamic interface between the organic and the
> > non-organic, the place where life on this planet constantly renews itself.