Re: dirt

[Guest guest]

Carmen, I'm no expert on this, I'm not even a true

farmer (yet), just a small-scale gardener, but one

aspect that occurrs to me that would make it important

to keep enough nutrients in the soil, so that

something is left behind after the plants take what

they need, is that the microclimate of the soil is

vital to plant health and continuity of soil health.

Influencing that microclimate are bacteria, fungi,

insects, worms, etc., which are essential to keeping

the soil texture good and the nutrients available for

use. Those critters need certain basic components in

the soil in order to survive. An example is that

often earthworms can be attracted back to soil simply

by topdressing with minerals that are deficient. The

worms in turn contribute aeration, organic matter in

the form of castings, and other benefits which make

growing plants on that soil for human or animal

consumption a more fruitful effort. The soil does not

exist for the sole purpose of being a reservoir of

nutrients for the plants we wish to eat, to be

refilled after each crop. In order to grow a

health-giving product, the soil itself must remain in

a consistently healthy state. The soil must be living

in order to sustain " higher " life, and the soil cannot

live without certain components in steady supply.

Thus, perhaps rotating crops so that a wider range of

nutrients are depleted than if just one crop was grown

there, may hasten the depletion of the soil.

IMHO! I hope those more knowledgable will correct me

if necessary.

Aubin

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[Guest guest]

Hi Aubin,

Thanks for the reply, which of course makes wonderful sense. I'm certainly

no expert myself and just a small time hobby gardener. The gist of the

previous posts seems to be suggesting we shouldn't rotate crops. I would

think regardless of whether or not we rotate crops, the soil still needs to

be taken care of.

You've obviously thought much more about soil than I. Thanks for helping to

open my mind.

Carmen

<<<< Thus, perhaps rotating crops so that a wider range of

nutrients are depleted than if just one crop was grown

there, may hasten the depletion of the soil.

Aubin >>>>

[Guest guest]

> What's the point in leaving nutrients in the soil anyway?

Hi Carmen:

When you grow a crop that you take off the farm you are removing some

soil fertility from the farm. When the soil fertility is exhausted

you need to either replace it or move to another farm. Since soil

fertility has been declining, I guess we may only be putting part of

it back.

> Isn't the idea behind growing food is so we can get nutrients

> for our bodies from the soil that the plants extract for us?

No Carmen, it certainly isn't. The idea behind growing food is to

make money. Almost no food is grown to maximize nutritional quality.

The farmers that do so are very few and far between. Agricultural

colleges that tell us what to do have no interest in maximizing the

nutritional quality of food, they are interested in maximizing the

dollar amout of the grants they receive. If you say you grow food for

nutrition, which expert's advice do you follow?

> I can certainly understand replenishing the soil, but purposely

> not rotating crops in order to keep nutrients in the soil?

> What for? I don't follow this line of logic. What am I missing here?

There are those that claim rotating crops is better for the soil.

Chi

[Guest guest]

--- Carmen <ctn@...> wrote:

> I would

> think regardless of whether or not we rotate crops,

> the soil still needs to

> be taken care of.

Absolutely. I have rotated my garden in the past, but

have been rethinking it lately. I have an aunt who

has a huge garden and she very rarely rotates anything

- most things have been in the same spot for years.

Her garden is outrageously lush and free of disease,

and her produce delicious. She actively replenishes

the soil with composted vegetation and horse and

chicken manure, but I don't know if she has ever

applied mineral amendments like rock dust or lime. I

should ask.

Aubin

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