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Summary
Credit: Summary prepared by Cassie Rauk
In this podcast, Paul and Helen Atthowe discuss Neal Kinsey's DVD Hands on Agronomy, available in the permies digital market here:
https://permies.com/wiki/193088/Neal-Kinsey-Hands-Agronomy-Workshop. The first half of the DVD focuses on basic soil science, much like you would learn if you are in a high quality Master Gardener program (like the one Paul was in a while back when Helen was his teacher). If you don't know the basics of soil chemistry or know anything about the soil sciences this is an important DVD to watch. You will also learn the proper way to take a soil test and if you do not take a soil test properly you might as well not take it at all.
Everything they discuss in the DVD is about growing a mono-crop. It goes so far as to outline techniques on how to make your
land homogeneous and change the chemistry of the soil to optimize the growing of one particular plant. But we can learn from the mono-crop techniques and apply them to a
polyculture system. Kinsey has the particular talent of whittling down a whole chapter of information into a zinger of a sentence. He also spends much more time on soil chemistry than on soil biology and things like
compost, manure and green manure. Which is something that Helen is really into.
The really exciting part of the DVD comes when they start discussing Dr. Albrecht's method of nutrient balances. This is also where the podcast takes a technical turn. Paul and Helen discuss the Albrecht's most important nutrients: Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, Sodium and exchangeable Hydrogen. The most important of which is Calcium, every other nutrient rides into plants on the pack of calcium. They also discuss cation exchange capacity at length. Cation exchange capacity is determined by the amount of clay and organic matter in the soil. The higher your cation exchange capacity the more parking spaces are open for nutrients to hang out. The nutrients still have to be there but a high capacity makes it easier for the
roots to take up the good stuff.
There is one thing to keep in mind, both Kinsey and Albrecht are Midwesterners and have tested the methods mostly on ag crops. Other people have had different results using Albrecht's methods in other areas of the country.
This DVD will show you
a technique for building soil but not
the technique. Helen does not necessarily agree with all of the techniques that are used in the Albrecht method but she cannot argue with the results. She has been working with Carl at Woodleaf Farm and his orchard is so vigorous that he does not have to spray for pest and diseases. Both
Sepp Holzer and Joel Salatin manage their soil sustainably without adding any amendments and inputs into the soil. Salatin has gone so far as to not bring any seed onto his property. If you design a polyculture system correctly and time it correctly your nutrient balance with be will be great. If you soil test comes back poorly you may need to redesign your system.
Paul's favorite line from the DVD: Rich soil is the foundation for good health.
Resources
Hands-On Agronomy DVD by Neal Kinsey
permies digital market
Amazon.com
Acres USA
Relevant Links
Helen Atthowe's Website
Helen Atthowe: goddess of the soil Thread at Permies
Podcast 012 - Helen Atthowe on Soil, Conifers, and Fukuoka
Podcast 015 - Helen Atthowe on Compost, Veganic permaculture, Native plants
Podcast 032 - Helen Atthowe on sustainability and efficiency
Podcast 033 - Helen Atthowe on soil
Relevant Threads
Wheaton labs
peasant PDC
Copper Cabin
Berm Sheds
The Story of Gert
2018 Appropriate Technology Course
Air/Humus Well
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This podcast was made possible thanks to:
Lisa Goodspeed
Keith Kuhnsman
thomas adams
Jocelyn Campbell
Julia Mason
Dominic Crolius
Josh Phillips
wade L
Suleiman ALAQEL
Ash Jackson is The Scrollbard
Jason Hower
Bill Crim
Full Name
Doug Barth
Miroslav Ultrama
James Tutor
David Ingraham