I came across this book by *chance*. The title intrigued me. It was written in 1893 by a chemist. His mineral fertiliser was so effective that the chemical fertiliser monopoly shut him & his books down- as they always do. This book is free to read as a PDF & I spent all yesterday reading it. Phenomenal!!
Here is a brief summary:
Manure is a poor replacement for *stone fertilising*. Yes crops will grow on depleted soil with added manure, but yields are lower, weaker & prone to disease & bugs.
Point made that mountainous land remains fertile year after year as rain from the mountains replenishes the soil with minerals regularly.
Removing rocks from farmland is criminal.
Evergreens grow well on soil-poor mountains!!
Experiments in Europe proved great yields even growing the SAME crops for 4 years in a row, unheard of for manure or chemicals- they yield poorer crops over time.
To make your own, heat rocks on a fire or whatever for half an hour then throw them in water. They are easily broken up with a hammer. Need to be ground fine.
Granite, porphyry & gneiss are best but all will do.
#### **** Add lime as well.**** (needed for bones, egg shells...)
-- lime AKA calcium, also similar-- called carbonate, sulphate of lime, limestone, gypsum.... Research needed.
Gypsum: Chemically known as “calcium sulfate dihydrate,” gypsum contains calcium, sulfur bound to oxygen, and water. Gypsum is an abundant mineral and takes forms including alabaster—a material used in decoration and construction as far back as ancient Egypt. The White Sands National Monument in New Mexico is the world’s largest gypsum dunefield.
This non-toxic mineral can be helpful to humans, animals, plant life, and the environment. While the majority of gypsum produced in North America is used to manufacture gypsum board or building plasters, gypsum is used in many other ways.
* Important: plants, trees, etc get their Nitrogen from the air- as much as they need!!!! Air is 80% Nitrogen!! (this needs more research)
Trees are disease-free & immune to frost & drought!!
Gardens smell LOVELY, not like manure does!!
Farmer after farmer showed fields full of barley, cabbage, wheat, corn, potato, etc. that had thrived in the drought,
despite NOT being watered!!!!!!!! Minerals kept the soil moist. Local farmers toured the neighbouring farms & understood the results they were seeing.
Worth a read.
http://soilandhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/01aglibrary/010173.hensel.pdf
Here is a brief summary:
Manure is a poor replacement for *stone fertilising*. Yes crops will grow on depleted soil with added manure, but yields are lower, weaker & prone to disease & bugs.
Point made that mountainous land remains fertile year after year as rain from the mountains replenishes the soil with minerals regularly.
Removing rocks from farmland is criminal.
Evergreens grow well on soil-poor mountains!!
Experiments in Europe proved great yields even growing the SAME crops for 4 years in a row, unheard of for manure or chemicals- they yield poorer crops over time.
To make your own, heat rocks on a fire or whatever for half an hour then throw them in water. They are easily broken up with a hammer. Need to be ground fine.
Granite, porphyry & gneiss are best but all will do.
#### **** Add lime as well.**** (needed for bones, egg shells...)
-- lime AKA calcium, also similar-- called carbonate, sulphate of lime, limestone, gypsum.... Research needed.
Gypsum: Chemically known as “calcium sulfate dihydrate,” gypsum contains calcium, sulfur bound to oxygen, and water. Gypsum is an abundant mineral and takes forms including alabaster—a material used in decoration and construction as far back as ancient Egypt. The White Sands National Monument in New Mexico is the world’s largest gypsum dunefield.
This non-toxic mineral can be helpful to humans, animals, plant life, and the environment. While the majority of gypsum produced in North America is used to manufacture gypsum board or building plasters, gypsum is used in many other ways.
* Important: plants, trees, etc get their Nitrogen from the air- as much as they need!!!! Air is 80% Nitrogen!! (this needs more research)
Trees are disease-free & immune to frost & drought!!
Gardens smell LOVELY, not like manure does!!
Farmer after farmer showed fields full of barley, cabbage, wheat, corn, potato, etc. that had thrived in the drought,
despite NOT being watered!!!!!!!! Minerals kept the soil moist. Local farmers toured the neighbouring farms & understood the results they were seeing.
Worth a read.
http://soilandhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/01aglibrary/010173.hensel.pdf