[Terrapreta] Pure Organics Vs. Biological Agriculture

[Sean K. Barry]

Hi Jon,

In open discussions, there is no such thing as "the wrong questions".

What is the relative effect on degrees BRIX of sugar vs. minerals?  My understanding is that the vast majority of it is because of sugar.  But, I do not actually know.  I suspect actual "sugar" content is measured in is percentage, while minerals are are measured in in ppm (parts per million).  There are at least several magnitudes of difference in the relative concentrations.   Vitamins and minerals are overdosed by 1000s of IU with micrograms of them.

Similarly, how does and increase in BRIX correspond with increases in sugar content and increases in mineral or nutrient content?
I know it is possible that BRIX can increase from increased sugar content alone.

Is it possible, for instance, that cows eat just as much GMO corn as other corn, which contains the same relative amounts of nutrients, but less sugar, so they do not get fat like borderline diabetic and insulin resistant Americans who eat too much sugar and get fat?

Any inferences made can always demand questions as to what is or is not the real cause and effect, right?

Regards,

SKB
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jon C. Frank<mailto:jon.frank at aglabs.com> 
  To: Terrapreta<mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org> 
  Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 1:00 PM
  Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Pure Organics Vs. Biological Agriculture


  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<http://www.highbrixgardens.com/general/carey_reams.html> 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<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<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<mailto:jon.frank at aglabs.com> 
      To: Terrapreta<mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org> 
      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<mailto:jon.frank at aglabs.com> 
          To: Terrapreta<mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org> 
          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<mailto:dyarrow at nycap.rr.com>
        www.championtrees.org<http://www.championtrees.org/>
        www.OnondagaLakePeaceFestival.org<http://www.onondagalakepeacefestival.org/>
        www.citizenre.com/dyarrow/<http://www.citizenre.com/dyarrow/>
        www.farmandfood.org<http://www.farmandfood.org/>
        www.SeaAgri.com<http://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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