Why is it Impossible to Know Nature?
Scientists think they can understand nature. That is the stand they take. Because they are convinced that they can understand nature, they are committed to investigating nature and putting it to use. But I think an understanding of nature lies beyond the reach of human intelligence.
Toward a “do-nothing” farming as proposed by Masanobu Fukuoka in his book: “The One-Straw Revolution”
The usual way to go about developing a method is to ask “How about trying this?” or “How about trying that?” bringing in a variety of techniques one upon the other. This is modern agriculture and it only results in making the farmer busier.
Soil CARBON means WATER to me!! Do you want more SOIL or less? More CARBON or less? More WATER or less? Part 2
Most conventional agricultural practices include one or more – or all – of the above. Over the last 50 to 100 years, soil organic carbon levels in many areas have fallen by about 3%. This represents the LOSS of the ability to store around 504,000 litres of water per hectare.
Soil CARBON means WATER to me!! Do you want more SOIL or less? More CARBON or less? More WATER or less? Part 1
Water storage in soil depends on many factors, including rainfall, soil depth, soil texture and the clay minerals present. We cannot control rainfall or soil type. But we certainly CAN influence the capacity of the soil to store water.
Twelve Good Reasons to Improve Soil Health – Part 3 of 3
Crop-crippling pest infestation and disease occurs when there is a lack of biodiversity. A mono-crop grown in soil without a healthy biology is extremely vulnerable to massive pest infestation because it is a concentrated food source with no protective ecology.
Twelve Good Reasons to Improve Soil Health – Part 2 of 3
The organic substances produced by biological nutrient cycling (e.g., clay and humus) have an ionic charge that holds nutrients in soil. When there is little organic matter in soil, nutrients are easily leached out by rapidly moving water.
Twelve Good Reasons to Improve Soil Health – Part 1 of 3
Soil health is defined by its ability to perform essential ecosystem functions such as: nutrient cycling, water filtration, and habitat provision for plants and animals. Some properties that determine soil health include texture, depth, density, water infiltration and holding capacity, amount of organic matter, nutrient holding capacity (CEC) and respiration.
What is Natural Food?
Is it food which contains no artificial chemicals or additives? Is it wild food as found in nature? Is it cultivated food as grown by farmers? Let’s take a look at what Masanobu Fukuoka has to say when comparing an egg laid by one of his native hens running free compared to the egg laid by a hen cooped up on a typical farm.
The Importance of Eating Well When on the Move
When you’re home, you are master of your domain. You control what comes into the kitchen and what lands on your children’s plates. But what happens when you’re not at home – when you’re traveling, fighting traffic, waiting at the airport, running late or stuck at the mall and your child is starving?
Super Nutrition for Revitalised Soils
It has been recently demonstrated that soils man- aged organically, revitalised by a range of natural minerals and enriched with organic matter have pro- vided vegetable produce with superb flavour and rich in health promoting mineral nutrients.
The Importance of Producing Nutrient Dense Foods and the Value to the Grower and the Consumer – Part 2
The hand-held Brix meter was originally designed for farmers to measure nutrient levels of their produce and when to harvest crops. This precision instrument (refractometer) has a drop or two of the sap (juice) of the produce placed on the glass and held up to the light to read the Brix scale of zero to 32, the higher the Brix reading, the higher the nutrient levels.
The Importance of Producing Nutrient Dense Foods and the Value to the Grower and the Consumer – Part 1
A handy tool that every farmer interested in nutrient density and maximising production and quality is the refractometer, also known as a brix meter. The refractometer is a precision device used to measure the brix, mineral sugar content of saps and liquids.
Refractive Index of Crop Juices
Within a given species of plant, this adds up to a sweeter tasting, more minerally nutritious food with lower nitrate and water content, lower freezing point, and better storage attributes.
Weeds As Messengers – Part 4
This is a big subject, where we are just starting to experiment. Specific weeds come up for specific crops. For example in potatoes, Apple of Peru (Nicandra physalodes), Thornapple (Datura Stramonium) and Redroot (amaranthus) like areas where the soils have been loosened and mounded.
Weeds As Messengers – Part 3
If land is left uncovered due to land clearing or drought, certain weed species will rush in to cover the land. If it has had bush cleared then you will attract the phosphorus type plants.
Weeds As Messengers – Part 2
Often weeds are seen as a problem rather than beneficial to the land. Many weeds and herbs are known to be mineral accumulators and are very important to the ongoing health of the soil.
Weeds As Messengers – Part 1
Biodynamic, organic and biological agriculture look at weeds as messengers. What message are they giving us and how can we act on the message? Killing the messenger is not an option! The farmer needs to go back into the history of the area/paddock/land and look at the symptoms presenting and work towards longer term solutions.
Are You About to Use a Weedicide?
Important points to consider when choosing to use a chemical hopefully as a last resort. Last week I was speaking with a farmer who was farming without chemicals but said that regrettably he had to use glyphosate recently.
Is there a Link Between Our Modern Day Diet and the Decline of Good Health and Increase in Debilitating Diseases?
Use of lead pipes and lead cooking vessels is given as one reason for the decline of ancient Rome. Just as the Romans were largely unaware of the insidious effects of lead in their food, wine and water the general population is unaware of the damage of a modern day diet.
Have You Heard of the Dentist Weston A. Price?
Some years ago he carried out some private studies on teeth and diet which revealed some basic facts, firstly the importance of a natural, nutrient rich diet. In 1999 a Weston A. Price organization was formed to spread the results of his findings…
“You Are What You Eat”
You’ve probably often heard the saying “You are what you eat” If this is true it follows then that the food that we eat matters. Therefore the way our food is grown also matters a lot and even more so in the near future.
Have You Been Refused Dental Treatment Lately?
Have you been refused dental treatment lately? Maybe it’s not your fault either. If you are suffering gum disease as a result of a diabetes one periodontist at least is refusing to treat his patients as he knows that it is only band aid treatment.
The Brain is Involved in Everything You Do – How You Think, Feel, Act
No matter who you are you work better when your brain works better. The brain is involved in everything you do – how you think, feel, act. The brain is the most complicated organ in the universe.
Grazing Management is Another Tool for Maintaining Soil Nutrients
Grazing management is another tool for maintaining soil nutrients is managing the landscape with livestock. Managing grazing can increase the health of a landscape enormously.