Lyons, Wisconsin
Six years ago, 2001, I started gardening for the sake of improving my ailing health. I was determined to garden organically for the sake of food purity. Setting out with little knowledge and almost zero experience I had two very disappointing years of only fair yield and relentless insect attack.
Disillusioned, I then read up on some organic pest control approaches. Armed with a little non-toxic ammo I achieved less damaged produce. However it cost extra money and time and did not improve yield.
Spencer Brook Farm, Concord, MA
10/23/07
Tomatoes in full bloom and lush growth going through third flowering/fruiting cycle in MA. growing on soil that was last year not much more than low pH sand and gravel. A mix of rock powders was used to bring the plants to this state. Locally available granite schist, highly paramagnetic blacksand, high trace element spectrum summa minerals as well as high calcium lime and colloidal soft rock phosphate. None of the traditional fungus or wilt diseases struck or hornworms as can be easily seen by the lush growth and numerous fruiting cycles. Tomatoes grown on nearby soil were struck down by black wilt by mid August.
Click to enlarge images
Julie Rawson
Founder and Manager, Many Hands Organic Farm CSA, Barre, Massachusetts
Executive Director, Northeast Farming Association (NOFA)
After success with some small scale testing with Ashfield Stone last year, we applied Suma Minerals this year (2007).
I have had over the top harvests of sugar snap peas. Last week we harvested over 200 pounds of peas from about 420 row feet of plants that rose to 8 or 9 feet in height. The leaves on things like chard, beets, flat leaf parsley are stronger and more turgid than I have known them to be. There are many fewer old and ratty looking beet leaves than in the past. The cut flowers have more brightness to their hues than in the past. The petunias in the flower boxes are magnificent. Three days in a row when I woke up this week I woke up with a new sense of physical power that I have never felt before. I figure it is from eating the vegetables that we are growing here. Good stuff!
Soil Remineralization Research Forum in Scotland Sponsored by Scottish EPA is Now Online!
Written by sophat sam
Soil Remineralization Research Forum in Scotland Sponsored by Scottish EPA is Now Online!
Dr. Robin Szmidt of Active Compost Ltd is coordinator for the new Soil Remineralization Research Forum in Scotland. Sponsored by the Scottish Environment Agency (SEPA) the forum: promotes and develops membership by industry bodies, communities, and the public sector; assists the development and delivery of robust remineralization research; supports advisory activities in the sector; facilitates further funding for the generic development of remineralization; liaises with like-minded groups to develop Scottish, UK and international programs. You can read Co-Utilization of Rockdust, Mineral Fines and Compost: Working Towards Integrated Resource Recycling and Use by Robin A.K. Szmidt & John Ferguson, 2004, of Active Compost Limited and SEPA here. Contact the new forum by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Organic Farming in Kathmandu
Winrock International's recent work in Kathmandu is helping farmers go organic and expand their market. The organization, which encourages environmentally sustainable economic development around the world, encourages local farmers to enrich their soil with rock dust.
Geologists from Brazil Produce Natural Fertilizer
Written by sophat sam
Geologists from Brazil Produce Natural Fertilizer
RockAll is the first and only company in Brazil to produce natural fertilizers made of minerals found in rocks. Established by Prudêncio Rodrigues de Castro Júnior and José Carlos Alves Ferreira, the company is based in the the mid-western Brazilian state of Mato Grosso and the fertilizer is now ready for the international market.
Ellen Landauer's blog entry discusses the importance of organically grown vegetables and remineralization as a step towards healthier foods. Her writing focuses on fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue syndrome and other health related issues.
Two of the leading Organic Certification bodies, namely OF&G (Organic Farmers and Growers) and SOPA (Scottish Organic Producers Association) have approved SEER Rockdust for use by their members. This means that such benefits as increased yield, pest and drought resistance, improved flavor and higher nutritional benefit can now be realised on a professional basis by the organic movement.
Dan Kittredge & Andrew Harley Present to the Biomass Coordinating Committee of ACORE
Written by sophat sam
(From Left) Dan Kittredge, Executive Director of Remineralize the Earth; Bill Holmberg, Chairman of the BCC at ACORE; and Andrew Harley, Remineralization Research Scientist
On March 5th, Executive Director Dan Kittredge and Scientific Consultant Andrew Harley attended the annual meeting of the Biomass Coordinating Committee (BCC) of ACORE, the American Council on Renewable Energy. They were speakers presenting as part of a project in Nevada run by the department of prisons that will test tree growth for biomass production. The project is experimenting with a patented process of seedling starting called RPM and soil amendments including remineralization and Bio-char. The remineralization presentation was well received and many contacts were made for RTE with ACORE and other members of the BCC. Long time remineralization ally Bill Holmberg, chairman of the BCC is seen here with Andrew and Dan.