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permaculture - Re: [permaculture] Farming as a permaculture system. Re: [SANET-MG] yield of conventional vs organic farms

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Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <venaurafarm@bellsouth.net>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] Farming as a permaculture system. Re: [SANET-MG] yield of conventional vs organic farms
  • Date: Thu, 07 Jun 2012 23:16:12 -0400

On 6/7/2012 10:38 PM, Gasper Family Farm wrote:
Are we not facing a peak in the supply of mined phosphate? This is one of if
not they key yield and plant health limiting nutrient; and also the hardest
one to get outside the mine. Other than the mandatory recycling of
phosphorus from humanure, are their any other permanent solutions for
sourcing phosphorous for the farm (on a broad acre scale)?

Pete

On 05/11/2012 07:54 PM, Lawrence F. London, Jr. wrote:
It should seek to
reduce off farm inputs. Natural, mined phosphate and other minerals will
likely be needed from time to time as crops deplete levels of nutrients
needed for healthy livestock and plant production. If enough acreage is
available the other major nutrients can for the most part be generated
on site and later recycled.

Buy your rock or colloidal phosphate now, from any existing dealers, Fertrell and others, while you can. The best American rock phosphate, Carolina Black is no longer being sold as ground raw ore as Fertrell was used to buying to put in their blends. Door got slammed in the faces of the natural-organic-sustainable farming community by the new owner of the mine near Bath, NC. They only sell phosphoric acid for synthetic fertilizer blends, miscellaneous industry uses (great metal cleaner and de-rusting agent) and soft drinks. Natural mined phosphate comes from Florida, Tennessee, Idaho and possibly other States. Get what you can while you can and apply it on your land for long term use. This is a better product than bone meal. Compost what you can in order to recycle phosphorous, reduce erosion on land, cycle water and nutrients between systems and farm and garden sites on property, reduce or eliminate off site migration of nutrients, especially phosphorous.

I do not know about any peak situation in phosphate production. I have heard that is exists underground all along the eastern US coast in great quantity; just need to mine it to get it out, if environmental permits can be had. It also comes from Morocco which may have the best in the world or is equal to the NC Black Rock Phosphate (an old standby component of Fertrell fertilizer blends for many years, excellent products.

Such are the times we live in.

LL




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