Friday, May 5, 2017

Man-Made Fertilizer Destroys the Soil - Creation Methods Will Build It Up Again.
Parallels to the Means of Grace versus Circus Clown Ministries?

Gabe and Paul Brown have a Facebook page
and a website - Brown's Ranch.

Gabe Brown and his son Paul:

Our ranch is located just east of Bismarck, ND. Shelly and I purchased the ranch from Shelly’s parents in 1991 and have grown the operation to 5000 acres of owned and leased land. Son, Paul, returned to the ranch after graduation from North Dakota State University and became a partner in the operation. Daughter, Kelly, lives and works in Fargo, ND and returns home to help whenever possible.

We believe in and practice Holistic Management, a part of which is farming and ranching in nature’s image. We strive to solve problems in a natural and sustainable way. Improving soil health is a priority and no-till farming has been practiced since 1993. A diverse cropping strategy, which includes cover and companion crops are used. We have now elimnated the use of synthetic fertilizers, fungicides, and pesticides. We use minimal herbicide and are striving to eliminate it. We do not use GMOs or glyphosate. Our ever evolving grazing strategy allows most of our pastures a recovery period of over 360 days. These strategies have allowed the health of the soil, the mineral and water cycles to greatly improve. In other words, the natural resources have benefited. This results in increased production, profit and a higher quality of life for us. We are moving towards sustainability for not only ours but future generations as well.

These Borage flowers are used in salads.
Also called Bee Bread, this plant increases the total number
of beneficial insects in the area.

Yesterday I talked with someone about fertilizer versus soil amendments. Rosarians seldom - if ever - use man-made chemical fertilizers, because these manufactured powders hurt the soil and pollute the water table.

Many soil amendments can be bought at gardening centers:

Mushroom compost
Peat Humus
Composted Manures
Peat Moss
Top Soil (not quite my version, but OK to use)
Wood mulches (but avoid the dyed ones)

These products will become part of the soil over time and enhance the growth of soil creatures.

Earthworms sweeten, tunnel, mix,
and add nutrition to the soil.
Agricultural chemicals repel and kill them.

Natural mulches, placed around plants, include:

Newspapers and cardboard
Grasses (though prone to re-establish their reign over soil)
Leaves
Pine needles
Pulled, broadleaf weeds
Compost from the home-made compost pile

I consider mulching to be composting on the spot, since compost is a mixture of soil, organic material, and soil creatures that come up from the soil to reduce the pile to the finest amendment of all - rich, earthwormy, compost. If you need a hobby and strenuous exercise, I highly recommend composting. I decided to compost on the spot, simply by covering lawn with cardboard and shredded wood mulch (or pine needles).

This is where one can compare God's Creation methods and man's destructive whims. The Creation soil amendments do not need to be taken to a lab and measured. They become part of the soil and improve fertility, increasing production by providing an ideal environment for the soil creatures.

Man's destructive whims:

Kill most of insects and the spiders, when less than 1% of insects are pests. Beneficial insects do a better job of handling the pests.
Reduce the organic portion of soil, which is essential for its health.
Destroy soil through soil and wind erosion.
Pollute the water table with pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers.
Sicken animals with various forms of toxins and rob them of the healthy nutrition of soil free of toxins.

Yale's main campus, featuring Harkness Tower,
Yale Law and Sterling Library in the background.

From Yale -

Why It’s Time to Stop Punishing Our Soils with Fertilizers

Researcher Rick Haney travels the U.S. preaching the benefits of healthy soils. In a Yale Environment 360 interview, he talks about the folly of pursuing ever-greater crop yields using fertilizers and other chemicals and how farmland can by restored through natural methods.

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Results of toxin-free gardening -