Joseph-
There is a myth, a very popular one, that all one needs is "more organic
matter" to turn any piece of ground into a fertile paradise.
Among others promoting the myth are the Rodale organic crowd,
Biodynamics, Permaculture, Fukuoka's fans, and Ingham's SoilFoodWeb. The
soilfoodweb organization has probably taken it to its furthest extreme,
and that's probably where you got the idea that all minerals are to be
found anywhere if you only go deep enough. I remember reading on their
web site that plants, especially trees, could send their roots hundreds
of feet deep and bring up minerals. Is this true? Perhaps some places.
Mostly tree roots, even from the largest trees, only go as deep as
bedrock. If there is no Selenium, Copper, or Zinc in that bedrock, they
aren't going to bring it up. It also seems unlikely that someone with
poor soil is going to plant a forest and wait around a few centuries for
the trees to grow up and bring the minerals.
Probably the main reason people like this "organic matter fixes all"
idea so much is because it's practically brainless. Despite how esoteric
and complicated some might like to pretend it is, how hard is it to
learn how to haul leaves, manure, etc, pile it up, and let it rot?
It's one thing to grow a few fruits and vegies and rely on that for 1/3
of your diet or less; a whole different thing to provide all of the
nutrients needed to raise healthy and reproducing children and animals.
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