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Re: bioponics, part three

David Yarrow wrote:
> 
> of minerals and microbes
> Bioponics meets Planters
> Missouri aquafarmer discovers huge benefits in trace elements
> by David Yarrow, December 1997, first draft
> part three of three
> 
> Testing Trace Elements
> 
> A friend of Tom's read about Planters 2 -- a trace element, rock dust
> fertilizer mined in Salida, Colorado -- growing superior crops, and
> suggested contacting U.S. Soils, the manufacturer. For Tom's first test of
> rockdust in his system, he was sent 20 pounds.
> 
> "Planters 2 is supposed to be micronutrients and substances that are
> essential, but not necessarily available, in common soil," Tom recalled.
> "Like chromium.  99% of the people in the U.S. are low in chromium.  We're
> chronically deficient in our diet, and don't have a lot in soil."
> 
> "Yes," I agreed. "I just read that in a list of facts from the American
> Diabetes Association."
> 
>  "For health purposes, I take trace nutrients myself," Tom continued.  "We
> use liquified seaweed extract in our fish tanks quarterly, in case there's
> any missing trace elements or nutrients.  Planters 2 seemed to be a good
> mineral supplement, so adding trace mineral elements seemed a logical
> extension of what we do.
> 
> "It just made good common sense," Tom admitted.  "From all the literature, I
> expected an increase in growth, and yield.  In plants and fish.  So we tried
> it, and measured the effects.  We tried to establish how much better growth
> was with Planters."
> 
> Beginning early in 1997, once a month Tom sprinkled four ounces of Planters
> 2 -- about a quarter cup -- into gravel beds in two of his four nodes.
> Periodic flushes with fish water washed it in, and bacteria in the beds took
> it up and fed it to the plants.
> 
> This very small amount -- hardly a handful -- is really quite generous,
> since this is trace element fertilizer.  The amount of chromium, cobalt,
> copper, selenium, vanadium, and iodine needed will fit in a thimble. Tom's
> system is completely closed and self contained, so any added substance stays
> in circulation.  None is lost to leaching beyond reach of roots -- unless
> it's harvested in the form of plants.
> 
> Precise production records in seven months of 1997 revealed 21% and 24%
> increases from the beds fed Planters.  Before becoming a Missouri
> aquafarmer, Tom was a top research engineer in lasers and computer systems
> for Southwest Bell.  His meticulous records and calculations neither lie nor
> exaggerate: lettuces, tomatoes and peppers all produced significantly more
> in both beds fed trace element fertilizer.
> 
>  Like everyone who tries rock powders, Tom sees more than bigger produce.
> "Plants are more robust," Tom said.  "Better color.  More resistant to
> fungus, blights, mildews, and rusts.  Tomatoes flower earlier and better.
> We noticed, too, that plants mature faster."   Tom said slowly, thinking
> carefully, choosing each word.  An added bonus is better flavor and keeping
> quality -- a premium to restaurant customers.  Earlier flowers improves
> overall efficiency, productivity and profitability.
> 
> "We are feeding the rockdust to bacteria, not direct to plants," Tom agreed.
> "Same thing we do with wastes from the fish -- ammonia and nitrites -- feed
> it to the bacteria, who do conversion for plant uptake."
> 
> Tom has no data yet of effects on fish, but early indications are more rapid
> weight gain and better survival.  His educated intuition suspects his fish,
> too, are healthier -- and tastier.  I pointed out this gray Colorado
> rockdust has been used to good effect as livestock and poultry feed.
> 
> Tom is so convinced by seven months of data, visible signs of greater system
> stability and vitality, and the simple sense of it, he is feeding Planters
> to his other two nodes.  He appreciates Planters' reputation, with a 50-year
> history of safe, successful use in agriculture as plant food and livestock
> feed supplement.
> 
> Geology -- Biology -- Ecology
> 
> I asked Tom what he believes Planters provides.
> 
> "Rockdust is a composite of glacial materials, or ancient sea bed
> materials," Tom offered, "that contain all the micronutrients, trace
> elements or nutrients that may or not be available."
> 
> I explained Planters come from a unique geological deposit that eludes
> classification.  This odd deposit is of uncertain, controversial origin, and
> may be sediments of ancient mineral springs, which means its minerals were
> dissolved in and charged by moving water.  As a mineral, it is called
> "Gypsiferous shale."
> 
> I pointed out that Planters, whatever its geological identity, has a high
> solubility compared to other rockdusts.  In Tom's Biooponics system, this is
> a decided advantage and desirable characteristic.  I asked if he has tried
> any other materials.
> 
> "I read up on powdered granite," Tom replied.  "You could put powdered
> granite in there, but I don't see what it would yield.  I stay away from
> clays because they float on the water surface, and I'm not sure it will do
> the tilapia good to filter that out."
> 
> S&S Aqua Farm believes their Bioponic approach to integrated food production
> is practical and worth emulating. At a time when "biotechnology" has come to
> mean DNA splicing, gene engineering and cloning big corporate labs -- all
> "hot button" controversies -- Tom and Paula have redefined this word as
> safe, sensible, human scale, sustainable, and user friendly.  However,
> their's is no turnkey system, or prepackaged, get-rich-quick scheme.  A
> great deal of skill and knowledge are required, and a modest investment in
> equipment.
> 
> To minimize "trial and error," and allow anyone to quickly start a
> successful system, Tom and Paula put what they learned in an information
> package to specify how to set up a system, whether for family food, or
> profitable business.
> 
> * System Mechanics
> * Background and Theory
> * Sample System Layouts
> * Materials and Equipment Specs
> * Suggested Suppliers
> * Detailed Drawings of equipment placement and water flow
> * Troubleshooting Guide
> * Resources and Information Sources
> To receive details via e-mail or snail mail, contact
> S&S Aqua Farm
> 8386 County Road 8820
> West Plains, MO  65775
>  417-256-5124snsaquasys@townsqr.com
> http://www.townsqr.com/snsaquasys/
> Other articles about S&S Aqua Farm:
> * Small Farm Today, June 1992
> * Back Home, Summer 1993
> * Missouri Conservationist, August 1993
> * The Growing Edge, John Smith, Vol 5 No 2, Winter 93-4
> 
> Remineralize the Earth
> Journal of Global Remineralization
> Joanna Campe, Editor
> 152 South Street, Northampton, MA  02080
> 413-586-; 413-336-6630 fax
> 
> U.S. Soils Mining & Manufacturing, Inc.
> P.O. Box O, Branson,  MO 65615
> 417-336-6666; 336-6630 fax
> 
> *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
> David Yarrow at TurtleEyeland
> P.O. Box 6034, Albany, NY 12206
> 518-458-8144
> dyarrow@igc.org
> http://www.danwinter.com/yarrow/
> http://www.danwinter.com/ChampionTrees/
> Eve, the earthworm sez: "If yer not forest, yer against us."
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