Re: Jeavons was Re: People poisoning themselves

[Guest guest]

Sandy wrote:What about fish emulsion is that ok as fertilizer?

I have had a hard time trying to explain this, typed heaps and then decided I'm

not explaining it properly.

Most gardening experts would probably say that Fish emulsion is an excellent

product. Jeavons doesn't use any products like this. He advocates feeding the

soil by growing compost crops. SORRY, just checked the idex of the book and

located the section on building the bed and he does allow ferrtilizers...organic

fertilizers are better then chemical ones because they break down slower.

However, " each gardener should strive to use less and less fertilizer brought in

from outside his or her own garden area. "

" ...We farm as we eat. For example, if we consume food that has been grown

using methods that inadvertently deplete the soil in the growing process, then

we are responsible for depleting the soil. If, instead, we raise or request

food grown in ways that heal the Earth, then we are healing the Earth and its

soils. Our daily food choices will make the difference. We can choose to

sustain ourselves while increasing the planet's viability. In the bargain we

preserve resources, breathe cleaner air, enjoy good exercise, and eat pure food.

" ...Current agricultural practices reportedly destroy approximately 6 pounds of

soil for each pound of food produced. United States croplands are losing

topsoil about 18 times faster than the soil formation rate......This happens

when the humus (cured organic matter) in the soil is used up and not replaced,

when cropping patterns are used that tend to deplete the soil's structure, and

when minerals are removed from the soil more rapidly than they are replaced.

" ....up to 6 billion microbial life-forms can live in one 5-gram amount of cured

compost, about the size of a quarter. Life makes more life....

" ....be sure to grow sustainable soil fertility crops as part of your garden.

We need to grow crops that feed the soil as well as ourselves. "

So, he doesn't bring in anything from other soils because that would deplete

those soils further. Does this make sense? I hope this is still in context cos

it's a great book IMO. Hopefully it will get some good use in the next few

months as I attempt to follow it's principles. And guess which crops are the

most carbonaceous (best for compost)? The listed examples are grains, of

course! Corn, millet, wheat, oats, barley, cereal rye, and amaranth. I

suppose I am trying to figure out which one will be the least harmful to me. I

have learned a little about phytates and a little about gluten. I'm still

confused. There's so much information saying that we need all these minerals

from grains (yeah right) and yet I tend to believe the other information saying

that the minerals either aren't absorbed properly or if they are then they muck

up the levels of other minerals. Case in point -calcium. Grains have a high

phosphorous content. When phosphorus is high in the blood, it can pull calcium

from the bones. A diet high in phosphorus has the same effect as a calcium

deficiency. Great.

It certainly sounds easier to me to stick with meat and veg. But from what I've

read today I need to up the level of veg because you need more calcium when you

eat meat. I'm looking at making mineral rich herbal vinegar. Why is this all

too hard?! I think I am making this too hard....

Re: Re: People poisoning themselves

On Sunday, June 12, 2005, at 09:50 PM, wrote:

> I think the Jeavons philosophy fits in well with this because he

> advocates growing your own compost, improving the soil without

> bringing in any oth!

> er fertilizers etc because a healthy soil is the basis of all else.

What about fish emulsion is that ok as fertilizer?

Sandty

[Guest guest]

,

<A diet high in phosphorus has the same effect as a calcium deficiency.

Great.

This may be true with regard to the phosphorus from grains, but it has not

proved true, for me, with regard to meat. My diet is basically meat and fat

with a few eggs (more phosphorus) and vegetable juices. That's it. My pH

saliva level show an extremely high alkaline reading and at the age of 66 I

have new enamel (shiny white) covering up exposed yellow dentin and changing

one darkened tooth to white. My fingernails are very tough as well. So, I

think that statement depends very much on the source of phosphorus.

http://www.taichi4seniors.com

[Guest guest]

:

>And guess which crops are the most carbonaceous (best for compost)? The listed

examples are grains, of course!

For a home gardener though, the best bet is a worm bin. Just take all

your garbage (and I mean ALL your garbage, except maybe bones.

Bones are ok if you can grind them) and put it in your worm bin.

You will have some wonderful compost, very concentrated. And

it's very easy.

In a sense when you do that you ARE taking stuff from some

other part of the planet (unless you grow your own food)

but face it, everyone has garbage! You can compost pet poop

too in a worm bin. Human poop too, but that gets into

too many social complications!

> Corn, millet, wheat, oats, barley, cereal rye, and amaranth. I suppose I am

trying to figure out which one will be the least harmful to me. I have learned

a little about phytates and a little about gluten. I'm still confused. There's

so much information saying that we need all these minerals from grains (yeah

right) and yet I tend to believe the other information saying that the minerals

either aren't absorbed properly or if they are then they muck up the levels of

other minerals. Case in point -calcium. Grains have a high phosphorous

content. When phosphorus is high in the blood, it can pull calcium from the

bones. A diet high in phosphorus has the same effect as a calcium deficiency.

Great.

Grains are not a great choice for minerals. The people who

say that tend to be vegetarian-oriented or otherwise

anti meat. In the past, our ancestors at a lot of calcium

in the form of bones, scales, whole bugs etc. That is still

true in Asia, where they fry, say, a whole shrimp, head and

all, and make the head crunchy so it eats like a potato chip

(or like fried trout tail, if you know what I mean).

>It certainly sounds easier to me to stick with meat and veg. But from what

I've read today I need to up the level of veg because you need more calcium when

you eat meat. I'm looking at making mineral rich herbal vinegar. Why is this

all too hard?! I think I am making this too hard....

Baked fish bones sure are good! So are oven-fried dried anchovies,

(not to be confused with the canned type). Fried dried anchovies

(FDA for short :-) ) are just great snacks, and are served as

bar snacks in parts of Asia. They are FULL of minerals

and dried small fish are considered the premium animal

feed supplement for that reason.

Heidi Jean