Mac:
Read "Mainline Farming for Century 21" by Dr. Dan Skow & Charles
Walters Jr. This is a well written, scientific book. It does not settle for
tip-toeing beyond the conventional, it answers what the farmer wants to
know, while demolishing the mythology on which toxic rescue chemistry has
been built. The scientific system cannot function without HONEST units of
measurement that have equal intervals and an absolute zero. "Mainline
Farming" teaches how to measure fertility down to the atomic level and
project forward bins and bushels with brix high enough to confer immunity to
fungal, bacterial and insect attack and to ward off weeds.
At Pandol Farms, consultant Darin Moon cut fertilizer and chemical
and his quality and yield improved significantly. Chip Struckmeyer changed
his farming practice to concentrate on the health of his soil. His wheat
yields increased from 55 sacks per acre to 80 sacks. This is not a small
farmer working high-value crops. He farms more than 1000 acres of wheat,
rice, and small grains north of Yuba City in California. These are just a
couple of examples of sustainable agriculture in action. In recent tests in
scientifically replicated experiments, Dr. Craig Kolodge of the Cooperative
Extension, Santa Clara County (in first year trials) found that
organically grown tomatoes were statistically firmer than those fertilized
conventionally. The next issue of California Farmer will have a great article
on biological farming. Bob Bugg a UC Entomologist has been doing some
fascinating work on cover crops and trap crops for problem insects. His new
BIOS project is helping 27 growers reduce their chemical inputs by at least
20% by using orchard management practices there is about 900 acres in this
project. For more info call CAFF 916-756-8518. (Darin Moon 208-678-2610).
I could go on and on. I'd be more than happy to send you the latest
with full statistical analysis. There are actually land grant colleges who
have started to put some science into these testimonials!
Holly Dumont
Staff Research Associate