[Terrapreta] Pure Organics Vs. Biological Agriculture

[Jon C. Frank]

Sean,

Aahhh now you are asking the right questions.

A refractometer measures the bend or refraction of light as it passes
through liquid.  A refractometer, as used in agriculture, is calibrated
using cane sugar or sucrose.  Liqht is refracted from dissolved sugars,
dissolved minerals, and covelant bonds.  In other words a refractometer
measures dissolved solids.

Since a refractometer is calibrated with sucrose many people mistakenly
believe that a brix reading is only a measure of the sugar content of plant
juices.  This is untrue.  The refractometer reading is a reading of the sum
total of all dissolved solids.  This includes sugars, minerals, and various
other dissolved solids.

A plant does more than just make sugars.  Whenever it makes carbohydrates it
combines minerals with the carbohydrates.  This leads to a cardinal rule
first postulated by Dr. Reams who gave the following rule.

"An increase in brix is an increase in plant sugars and mineral density."

Now lets see if that is true.

Look at the nutritional differences and the brix readings between green
beans I bought at the store and the beans I grew at:
http://www.highbrixgardens.com/foods/quest.html

When brix went up by 2 points the dry matter doubled.

High brix foods contain greater nutrition.  That means more minerals and
greater spectrum of minerals.  This leads to greater health.

See this link for a detailed article on the subject:
http://www.highbrixgardens.com/highbrix/digestion.html

The question for thi list is does emulating terra preta via charcoal and/or
biochar lead to greater nutrient density/health?  I believe it does but not
automatically.  Other things need to be working right in order to achieve
high nutrient density.

Jon


  -----Original Message-----
  From: terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org
[mailto:terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org]On Behalf Of Sean K. Barry
  Sent: Friday, September 14, 2007 9:10 PM
  To: Terrapreta; Jon C. Frank
  Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Pure Organics Vs. Biological Agriculture


  Hi Jon et. al.,

  Brix is a measure of sugar content, right?  Why is high brix the
yardstick?  I know high brix wine grapes sell for more per ton and make more
alcohol in the wine.  So, I know "high brix" crops line farmers pockets
faster and/or better.  But, what does "high brix" do for foods in general
and what does it do for animal and human health?

  Regards,

  SKB
    ----- Original Message -----
    From: Jon C. Frank
    To: Terrapreta
    Sent: Friday, September 14, 2007 4:17 PM
    Subject: [Terrapreta] Pure Organics Vs. Biological Agriculture


    David,

    I agree with the point of your post.

    My point was that soils must have electrolytes or plants stop growing
and that the selective addition of commercial fertilizers can be very
beneficial to plant growth.  In other words if soil conductivity only has 50
microSiemens of conductance per centimeter plant growth is virtually
stopped.  Nutrient flow is at a stand still.

    If you start with a typical dead soil that has been farmed hard with the
industrial model and then add rock minerals, sea solids, microbial
inoculant, and biochar that doesn't mean you get a great crop.  A run down
soil does not respond the same way as a healthy soil.  The low level of soil
bacteria cannot create enough energy fast enough to digest residue, digest
rock powders (including limestone) and have adequate nutrients available for
crop growth.  In this situation if commercial fertilizers or fairly soluble
organic fertilizers such as liquid fish are not used the farmer will not get
a crop. Period.

    Just putting broad spectrum rock minerals, biochar, and sea solids will
not automatically make high brix.  You cannot get high brix without adequate
available calcium, adequate available phosphates, and active soil biology
(which really needs the calcium to get going in the first place).  Many
people involved with trace minerals miss this point and consequently the
brix readings are only so so.  Trace minerals cannot substitute for calcium.

    Jon
      -----Original Message-----
      From: terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org
[mailto:terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org]On Behalf Of David Yarrow
      Sent: Friday, September 14, 2007 2:26 PM
      To: Terrapreta
      Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Pure Organics Vs. Biological Agriculture


        ----- Original Message -----
        From: Jon C. Frank
        To: Terrapreta
        Sent: Friday, September 14, 2007 12:53 PM
        Subject: [Terrapreta] Pure Organics Vs. Biological Agriculture
        a question for you.  Do you use salt on food when cooking or at the
table?  I am sure most people do.  Why?  It adds electrolytes which are
needed both in the human body and in soil.  Too much is bad.  Too little is
equally bad.  Commercial fertilizers add electrolytes in the soil.  If the
soil runs out of energy (electrolytes and available nutrients) plant growth
stops and yields bottom out.
      salt is added to food when cooking or eating as a flavor enhancer.
this because the foods themselves are deficient in the full supply of
minerals needed to have full flavor.  and this is partly because the soils
we grow our foods in are also deficient in the full supply of minerals
required, and partly because we have inbred our food plants to have more
water and sugar, and survive in weaker soils.

      flavor is imparted to taste bud sensors in our mouth by the
minerals -- the electrolytes that carry the electric and magnetic charges
that make biology react.  lower mineral content means weaker flavor.  and
unbalanced mineral supplies means bad flavor.

      adding rock powders and/or full spectrum sea minerals to soils
routinely produces foods with more flavor, as rated by blind consumer taste
tests.  also yield crops with higher nutrient density, and higher overall
crop density (eg. more weight per volume).  also longer storage life.  and
enhanced resistance to fungus and bacteria.  also, consumers and animals
routinely eat less of these remineralized foods to feel satisfied.

      the sea is the ultimate and original seasoning.  for example, MSG -- a
classic flavor enhancer -- was originally extracted from seaweed -- kelps,
in particular.  later, chemistry figured out how to artificially synthesize
it.

      adding sodium chloride to food -- refined table salt -- is a bad idea,
as it adds only two elements, not the full range of minerals, trace elements
and pico-elements that make food truly and fully satisfying.  in fact, table
salt makes food toxic by skewing the balance of all minerals.  but you'll
seldom read the god's honest truth that sodium chloride is a major
contributor to heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, cancer......

      my personal strategy is to soak biochar in a dilute solution of sea
water before adding it to soil, or inoculating it wirh micro-organisms.
once the charcoal is saturated with water and full spectrum, balanced
minerals and trace elements, it can be added to soil safely without
retarding plant growth, and is an enhanced substrate for microbial
popultations to grow rapidly.

      David Yarrow
      "If yer not forest, yer against us."
      Turtle EyeLand Sanctuary
      44 Gilligan Road, East Greenbush, NY 12061
      dyarrow at nycap.rr.com
      www.championtrees.org
      www.OnondagaLakePeaceFestival.org
      www.citizenre.com/dyarrow/
      www.farmandfood.org
      www.SeaAgri.com

      "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times,
      if one only remembers to turn on the light."
      -Albus Dumbledore
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