[Terrapreta] You Are What You Grow

[lou gold]

Lewis,

I believe that the question is focused on modern industrial agriculture.
Do you have doubts about its impact on soils? Do you know of any studies
that show this form of farming as having either a neutral effect or
improving soils?

lou

On 9/9/07, MMBTUPR at aol.com <MMBTUPR at aol.com> wrote:
>
>                to   Terrapreta List               from  Lewis L Smith
>
> On the issue of whether or not farming degrades the soil in the long run,
> I think we need more research, although I do recall enough of the "Dust
> Bowl" phenomenon of the 1930's to assure you all that sometimes it does, and
> does so badly, with some help from Mother Nature.
>
> I spent many years working on and off with the sugar industry in the
> Caribbean. A relative was a cane planter in Louisiana in the 19th Century
> who was forced to sell out, leaving my grandmother to be raised as a "de
> facto orphan" by other relatives in the North. [ She was pretty upset and
> would never go back or talk about it with my mother. ]
>
> So I do recall there are places where cane has been planted for several
> hundred years. In some the soil has been damaged. In others not. Moreover,
> the sugar industry  has much better and much older statistics than most
> other agro sectors. So it might be a good place to start.
>
> Cordially. ###
>
>
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