permaculture

[Lawrence London <lfljvenaura@gmail.com>]

 *Steve Diver*
<https://www.facebook.com/steve.diver.52?__cft__[0]=AZVCbT0H2xjYaf8b-f6hIi2jEenCLKQPG1dNPqsB7NdxYuje5BQvRkuPe6sj2GianRfqeOo4Qu20an1XF5Mv4aKK5WyJaclyZB1CH3k2QI0hSsswZMiJ8TtzS2Co0_Nmk_kyw9mzpnR1pcwqEBmW7vyBVpjH6RG6JpwBh8GNcGSIkA&__tn__=-UC%2CP-R>
https://www.facebook.com/steve.diver.52/posts/3344214575658191
2htSpofensoreld
  ·
Wow, another great soils consultant has passed. RIP, Michael Astera, author
of The Ideal Soil--A Handbook for the New Agriculture. Michael was
instrumental in making Albrecht soil testing and fertility recommendations
-- with its otherwise arcane calculations -- readily accessible to farmers
and gardeners. Michael analyzed and wrote hundreds of soil fertility
reports. Soil mineral balancing using the Astera method elevated nutrient
dense food production. It became a hit with giant pumpkin growers. For many
years, Astera soil individual minerals and fertilizer blends through
soilminerals.dot.com
<http://soilminerals.dot.com/?fbclid=IwAR2GEiamWMZhSfxQqn5iXqVoaYHuclVwzyDEfjl7wfyMwHTy1OxHhCqH6PA>
His business partner,
Ann Diaz
<https://www.facebook.com/ann.diaz.9615?__cft__[0]=AZVCbT0H2xjYaf8b-f6hIi2jEenCLKQPG1dNPqsB7NdxYuje5BQvRkuPe6sj2GianRfqeOo4Qu20an1XF5Mv4aKK5WyJaclyZB1CH3k2QI0hSsswZMiJ8TtzS2Co0_Nmk_kyw9mzpnR1pcwqEBmW7vyBVpjH6RG6JpwBh8GNcGSIkA&__tn__=-]K-R>/Liz
Brown still sells their Agricola's 4-8-4 Complete Fertilizer.
For many years, Michael hosted a network of farmers, gardeners, and
consultants I participated with that trialed ideal soil recommendations on
nutrient dense crop production. Vegetables raised in mineralized soils were
sent for lab analysis and compared to the USDA Food Composition Tables.
These grassroots trials showed the Ideal Soil method produced superior
nutrient dense foods; see the graph by James Porterfield below. Michael was
adamant that Dr. William Albrecht was right, that healthy foods and healthy
people come from properly mineralized soils.

The conversation in comments:

Sharon Carson
<https://www.facebook.com/sharon.carson.180?comment_id=Y29tbWVudDozMzQ0MjE0NTc1NjU4MTkxXzMzNDQyMzcwMzU2NTU5NDU%3D&__cft__[0]=AZVCbT0H2xjYaf8b-f6hIi2jEenCLKQPG1dNPqsB7NdxYuje5BQvRkuPe6sj2GianRfqeOo4Qu20an1XF5Mv4aKK5WyJaclyZB1CH3k2QI0hSsswZMiJ8TtzS2Co0_Nmk_kyw9mzpnR1pcwqEBmW7vyBVpjH6RG6JpwBh8GNcGSIkA&__tn__=R]-R>
So where are these minerals mined ? I am not a fan of things being shipped
across the planet and poor folks can't afford bought in fertilizers .

Ann Diaz
<https://www.facebook.com/ann.diaz.9615?comment_id=Y29tbWVudDozMzQ0MjE0NTc1NjU4MTkxXzMzNDQ1NDQ4NjU2MjUxNjI%3D&__cft__[0]=AZVCbT0H2xjYaf8b-f6hIi2jEenCLKQPG1dNPqsB7NdxYuje5BQvRkuPe6sj2GianRfqeOo4Qu20an1XF5Mv4aKK5WyJaclyZB1CH3k2QI0hSsswZMiJ8TtzS2Co0_Nmk_kyw9mzpnR1pcwqEBmW7vyBVpjH6RG6JpwBh8GNcGSIkA&__tn__=R]-R>
Sharon Carson
<https://www.facebook.com/sharon.carson.180?__cft__[0]=AZVCbT0H2xjYaf8b-f6hIi2jEenCLKQPG1dNPqsB7NdxYuje5BQvRkuPe6sj2GianRfqeOo4Qu20an1XF5Mv4aKK5WyJaclyZB1CH3k2QI0hSsswZMiJ8TtzS2Co0_Nmk_kyw9mzpnR1pcwqEBmW7vyBVpjH6RG6JpwBh8GNcGSIkA&__tn__=R]-R>
We ship from Louisiana. We do gather our amendments from afar. Too much of
something in one area and shared in another for better food quality is the
service we provided. We only sale Agricolas 4-8-4. With God’s help we will
provide individual amendments soon.
- Ann Diaz
<https://www.facebook.com/ann.diaz.9615?comment_id=Y29tbWVudDozMzQ0MjE0NTc1NjU4MTkxXzMzNDQ1NDgzMzg5NTgxNDg%3D&__cft__[0]=AZVCbT0H2xjYaf8b-f6hIi2jEenCLKQPG1dNPqsB7NdxYuje5BQvRkuPe6sj2GianRfqeOo4Qu20an1XF5Mv4aKK5WyJaclyZB1CH3k2QI0hSsswZMiJ8TtzS2Co0_Nmk_kyw9mzpnR1pcwqEBmW7vyBVpjH6RG6JpwBh8GNcGSIkA&__tn__=R]-R>
He just went through a devastating hurricane there. I believe the aftermath
was more than he could bear. Please send that area prayer and support.
400.000 without electricity. Nothing too foreign to us, but way too often.
He was a trooper.
-
Ann Diaz
<https://www.facebook.com/ann.diaz.9615?comment_id=Y29tbWVudDozMzQ0MjE0NTc1NjU4MTkxXzMzNDQ1NTM1MzIyOTA5NjI%3D&__cft__[0]=AZVCbT0H2xjYaf8b-f6hIi2jEenCLKQPG1dNPqsB7NdxYuje5BQvRkuPe6sj2GianRfqeOo4Qu20an1XF5Mv4aKK5WyJaclyZB1CH3k2QI0hSsswZMiJ8TtzS2Co0_Nmk_kyw9mzpnR1pcwqEBmW7vyBVpjH6RG6JpwBh8GNcGSIkA&__tn__=R]-R>
Sharon we are all about farming locally. The encouragemwnt was locally as
much as possible and exact, minute amounts for the major and minor
deficiencies. A mineral supplement if you will. He believed in all the
aspects of intelligent gardening. His expertise was minerals. They were his
life . [image: 🙏]
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Avant Geared
<https://www.facebook.com/avant.geared.58?comment_id=Y29tbWVudDozMzQ0MjE0NTc1NjU4MTkxXzMzNDQ1NjI2ODIyOTAwNDc%3D&__cft__[0]=AZVCbT0H2xjYaf8b-f6hIi2jEenCLKQPG1dNPqsB7NdxYuje5BQvRkuPe6sj2GianRfqeOo4Qu20an1XF5Mv4aKK5WyJaclyZB1CH3k2QI0hSsswZMiJ8TtzS2Co0_Nmk_kyw9mzpnR1pcwqEBmW7vyBVpjH6RG6JpwBh8GNcGSIkA&__tn__=R]-R>
Ann Diaz Can I still buy Michael's book? I would very much like to have it
in my library. I read many of his posts to Sanet and BDNow and in
conversations with others. He was one of the most important people every to
be involved in natural agriculture. His work with nutrient dense farming is
so important as is mineral balancing which he constantly emphasized. I am a
big proponent of using rock dusts, phosphate, potash, trace minerals and
various quarry dusts. He always took issue with me not being precise enough
in my selection and application quantity of the free dusts from local
quarries (I used hundreds of tons on 6 acres and it has worked out very
well). Anyway I would like to buy a copy of his book and hope it is still
available (new or used). Lawrence London lfljvenaura@gmail.com 919 448 8556.
-

Tim Miller
<https://www.facebook.com/TimMillerKyleTexas?comment_id=Y29tbWVudDozMzQ0MjE0NTc1NjU4MTkxXzMzNDQyNjMyMTU2NTMzMjc%3D&__cft__[0]=AZVCbT0H2xjYaf8b-f6hIi2jEenCLKQPG1dNPqsB7NdxYuje5BQvRkuPe6sj2GianRfqeOo4Qu20an1XF5Mv4aKK5WyJaclyZB1CH3k2QI0hSsswZMiJ8TtzS2Co0_Nmk_kyw9mzpnR1pcwqEBmW7vyBVpjH6RG6JpwBh8GNcGSIkA&__tn__=R]-R>
Who are the next wave of trained soil scientists that will be stepping to
the plate for the certified organic community?
-
Steve Diver
<https://www.facebook.com/steve.diver.52?comment_id=Y29tbWVudDozMzQ0MjE0NTc1NjU4MTkxXzMzNDQyOTI1MzU2NTAzOTU%3D&__cft__[0]=AZVCbT0H2xjYaf8b-f6hIi2jEenCLKQPG1dNPqsB7NdxYuje5BQvRkuPe6sj2GianRfqeOo4Qu20an1XF5Mv4aKK5WyJaclyZB1CH3k2QI0hSsswZMiJ8TtzS2Co0_Nmk_kyw9mzpnR1pcwqEBmW7vyBVpjH6RG6JpwBh8GNcGSIkA&__tn__=R]-R>
Plenty of folks, but naturally there is a difference between "soil
scientists" at land-grant universities and "soil consultants" who
understand the Albrecht/Reams/Tiedjens tradition and how to work with
practicing farmers. When I gave my big Soil Mineralization lecture at TOFGA
2018, the Texas A&M soil fertility specialist put down Albrecht in a
classic misunderstood context, and then left early whereas he could have
bothered to stay for my next lecture and learned something. How many times
have you experienced that priesthood syndrome?

[image: 118740843_3344193565660292_9027358309944231391_n.jpg]
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[image: 118846031_3344194962326819_3453980766954063125_o.jpg]
[image: 118884203_3344195268993455_786060262408139041_n.jpg]
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Comments about the above chart:
Steve Diver <https://www.facebook.com/steve.diver.52?__tn__=-UC*F>
2tSplohnsorhedi
  ·
Jim Porterfield, Ideal Soil Consultant, has run several field trials which
analyzed the mineral composition of vegetables raised with mineralized
soils and then charted the results against the USDA Food Averages (USDA
Handbooks and USDA Food Composition Database)
2 Comments
Comments
Jesse Sherer
<https://www.facebook.com/trapezoidal?comment_id=Y29tbWVudDozMzQ0MTk1NDM4OTkzNDM4XzMzNDQzNzg1ODU2NDE3OTA%3D&__tn__=R*F>
What do you figure the protein deficit is attributable to?
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Steve Diver
<https://www.facebook.com/steve.diver.52?comment_id=Y29tbWVudDozMzQ0MTk1NDM4OTkzNDM4XzMzNDQzOTIzMTU2NDA0MTc%3D&__tn__=R*F>
Jesse Sherer
<https://www.facebook.com/trapezoidal?__tn__=R*F> it’s super interactive
and hard to say, but N levels and complexation is a factor. Also these
responses vary widely. The point here is a solid trend across many samples
that show improved mineral nutrient density including protein and Brix.

[image: 118777567_3344195635660085_6897417099625301333_n.jpg]
Steve Diver <https://www.facebook.com/steve.diver.52?__tn__=-UC*F>
tS2ponsohrnegid
  ·
The Intelligent Gardener by Steve Solomon, is a direct copy of the Astera
method. Solomon and Astera had originally teamed up to co-write a book but
their partnership "fell through". Solomon, a garden writer, has perhaps
reached more people through this approach which is what he said all along
-- to make this knowledge more widely accessible.

Grow Abundant Gardens and the Organic Calc fertility recommendations
calculator, are a related spin-off of the Astera method.

-- 
Lawrence F. London, Jr.
lfljvenaura@gmail.com
Avant Geared
walnut and oak serving and kitchen cutting boards
https://sites.google.com/site/avantgeared
<https://sites.google.com/site/avantgeared/avant-geared-products/woodworking>
https://www.instagram.com/avantgeared/?hl=en