read the information on this page to understand what you are looking for in
a soil test. Many inexpensive soil tests do
not give your enough information. Two labs that I have used are Logan Labs
and Int.AgLabs. Logan Labs standard soil test
uses a Mehlich3 test, which tells you the foundational minerals in your
soil, and is used to calculate CEC. AgLab tests us
a Morgan mild extractant solution, or LaMotte test, which tells you what is
available to the plant. The two types of tests
complement each other. More basic info here.
Logan Labs
184 W. Main Street
PO Box 1455
Russells Point Ohio 43348
Ph: 937-842-6100
Fax: 937-842-2433
www.loganlabs.com
Logan Labs is dedicated to the philosophies of Dr. William Albrecht and a
true base saturation soil testing methodology.
How to Read the Logan Labs Standard Soil Test (text file)
Consultants for high quality agricultural production:
* Advancing Eco-Agriculture
www.advancingecoag.com
4551 Parks West Road Middlefield, Ohio 44062 (consultants in other areas
also)
440-632-1012 or Toll Free: 855-44-ECOAG
info@advancingecoag.com
also quality natural and organic soil liquid amendments and fertilizers
* Agri Dynamics
PO Box 267
Martins Creek, PA 18063
610-250-9280
www.agri-dynamics.com
info@agri-dynamics.com
* AgriEnergy Resources,
Princeton, Illinois
Ph: 815-872-1190
Goals: to develop Renewable Farming systems and assist with their
implementation for healthier soils producing balanced,
high-nutrient-density plants resulting in healthier livestock and people.
Healthy Soils, Healthy Livestock, Healthy People, an interview with
Dean Craine
One of their consultants recommended using very carefully prepared foliar
sprays (based on leaf tissue analysis) on
pasture to improve not only the pasture (as evidenced by the high brix
levels of the grass), but also the health and
nutrition of the animals and hence the flavor and healthfulness of the meat
and dairy. He figures this is more economical
than trying to fine tune the minerals in the soil (which the foliars
gradually improve) or using mineral supplements for
the animals (which are only minerals and not the valuable mineral
containing nutritional compounds in the grass when it
gets all the minerals it needs in the foliar spray). This concept would
apply to other plants beside pasture grasses and
their influence on human health.
* Agri-Horticultural Consulting http://www.agri-synergy.com/ - Steve Diver
specializes in organic and sustainable
solutions to large- or small-scale farming operations, revegetation and
erosion control projects, and landscapes. 512-944
-8982, steved@ipa.ne
* Cropservices International, Inc. (CSI, Inc.)
1718 Madison SE
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49507-2518
Ph: 616-246-7933
Fax 616-246-6039
1-800-260-7933
drdirt@cropservicesintl.com
www.cropservicesintl.com
Consultant: Dr. Phil Wheeler
We integrate Albrecht, Reams, Callahan, and radionics.
* International Ag Labs, Inc.. headed by Dan Skow
800 W. Lake Ave.,
PO Box 788
Fairmont, Minnesota 56031
Tel: (507) 235-6909
Fax: (507) 235-9155
Email: info@aglabs.com
www.aglabs.com
Uses the Carey Reams BIOLOGICAL APPROACH TO AGRICULTURE
"The purpose of our Company is to make soil better as we grow quality crops
Laboratory testing (Morgan soil test), organic fertilizers and soil
amendments."
Advantages of Morgan (weak acid) Soil Test
* www.HighBrixGardens.com - Jon Franks - specializing in home gardens.
Part of International Ag Labs
Blog from a community garden that uses IAL testing - some interesting
reading.
* Midwestern Bio-Ag, Inc.
President, Gary Zimmer, author of "The Biological Farmer"
Bio-Ag of Michigan
Kinde, Michigan
1-888-825-9373 http://www.midwesternbioag.com/
A new consulting program to help you become a successful and profitable
biological farmer - Intro to Biological Farming
* Lancaster Agriculture Products
Naturally Interested In Your Future
NATURAL & ORGANIC PRODUCTS
60 North Ronks Road,
Ronks, Pennsylvania 17572 http://www.lancasterag.com/
E-mail: sales@lancasterag.com
Fax: 717-687-9355
Phone: 717-687-9222
* Kinsey’s Agricultural Services – Soil Fertility Consultants
President: Neal Kinsey, author of HANDS-ON AGRONOMY
www.kinseyag.com
We specialize in correcting soil fertility problems of farms, ranches,
vineyards, orchards, gardens and lawns... The
recommendations will utilize the proven principles of the Albrecht system
of soil fertility management.
* The Real Food Campaign - realfoodcampaign.org - Started by Dan
Kittredge, is working to educate growers and consumers,
and develop standards for nutrient dense foods. It has morphed into the
Bionutrient Food Association http://bionutrient.org/
* GoBeyondOrganic.com, Clearwater, Florida - another consultant claiming
high quality, pest free techniques http://www.gobeyondorganic.com/
* Beyond Organix (BYO)™ BeyondOrganix.com X
Beyond Organix is an association of grower-members who are committed to a
food quality standard defined by high natural
flavor and nutrient density...
We nurture a living soil because we have experienced that a healthy,
biologically active soil produces plants and crops
that consistently taste good, tests high in brix and suffers less from the
stresses that bring on insects and cause
disease.
Beyond Organix
P.O. Box 5594
Fresno, CA 93755
Dr. Arden Anderson
ardenandersen@earthlink.net
P: 559.222.2580
C: 574.370.4551
F: 559.248.9448
Soil Foodweb, Inc. - Website of Dr. Elaine Ingham, soil life guru, who is
reluctant to acknowledge that soil
remineralization may be needed.
"To grow healthy, productive plants you need healthy, productive soil. It
is the organisms in the soil that provide the
food plants need, in the form they need, when they need it.
At Soil Foodweb, we measure the quality and quantity of these vital
organisms and provide guidance in how to build your
soil so your soil can build your plants." See also their Soil Foodweb
Approach
Brix Testing to reveal the best produce
The Brix meter is a small refractometer that is used to evaluate the
quality of produce and the health of growing plants.
It measures the content of solids in plant juices - sugars, minerals, etc.
To produce fruits and vegetables with excellent
Brix readings, the soil must be well balanced in minerals, organic matter,
and microorganisms. Well-made compost teas and
foliar sprays are often applied to the plant to provide needed nutrients.
(See Sources (below) and Gardening for Maximum
Nutrition) It is disappointing to measure the Brix readings on typical
organic (or non-organic) produce, as they are
rarely in the excellent range. There is much room for improvement in this
expanding market!
Perfect Blend Organic Fertilizers - www.perfect-blend.com
For their story see The Symphony of Soil (below) and also The Path to High
Brix
Unfortunately now yet available in NW Ohio, but here is a mail order
source: http://www.organickingdom.com/gp003.html
The Symphony of Soil, - Story of a new type of organic fertilizer (a
special way of processing manures to maximize it's
ABC Organics http://abcorganics.com/ (in California)
Our mission is to support agricultural and horticultural activities with
high quality organic based ingredients that
support soil and plant health.
The first video on this webpage http://photonicwater.com/media.html is an
interview with Joe Johnson of ABCOrganics on
raising brix of strawberries with use of structured water.
Refractometer sources - Be sure you get 0-32% Brix range, not 0-100%,
which will be hard to read accurately Brix Chart
Pike Agri-Lab Supplies - call them for a catalogue
866-745-3247 (toll-free) http://www.pikeagri.com/
Or inquire of Charlie Downer at chardowner@yahoo.com - National Industrial
Supply. He has Chinese Westovers with quite
good optics, a two year guarantee, and at rock bottom prices - find them on
Ebay:
National Industrial Supply
2767 Maricopa Street
Torrance, CA 90503
Phone: 310.748.6858
Fax: 310.833.7306
Another source:
If you need a great 0-32 brix refractometer, please contact me. I have
RHB32-ATC brix meters available for purchase for
$45.
Luke Lemmers
2141 Staghorn Dr
Shakopee, MN 55379
952-239-2042
luke@cutfill.com
Agriculture Solutions has a variety of refractometers - A Maine company. Be
sure to get the 0-23 brix range.