WHO’S RIGHT & WHO’S WRONG? As in any field of endeavor, there are different interpretations of the paradigm we call Sustainable Agriculture.Let’s discuss some of them.

We can go back to Rodale and his heavy emphasis on dolomite lime. He recommended it as a source of calcium and magnesium. Reams rejected its use based on the premise that the magnesium in dolomite had bad energy patterns, tended to compact soil & promote weed growth and was antagonistic toward nitrogen – releasing it from the soil. We know Reams premise is true since magnesium sulfate is used in a foliar spray to lower excessive nitrate levels in crops that are growing too rapidly and not starting to fruit. Also, veterinarians use Epsom Salts [magnesium sulfate] to treat nitrate poisoning in livestock.

Rudolph Steiner was way ahead of the game by talking about gathering and directing/applying energy in the 1920’s. Albrecht concentrated on the application and balancing of minerals according to CEC concepts.  Reams was a contemporary of Albrecht.  He also applied minerals and talked about plants growing from energy. Philip Callahan added to the energy theme with his work on paramagnetism.

Albrecht used CEC [we consider this a mining assay] type tests, while Reams used LaMotte [available/soluble nutrient] type tests. I suspect that Steiner and Reams were probably clairvoyant while Albrecht was probably a very good, intuitive scientist.

Bruce Tainio is a more recent scientist to enter the picture. His thoughts on major minerals appear to be different from Reams. I think he is both a good scientist as well as being somewhat clairvoyant, similar to Steiner and Reams. However, he does promote mineralization a la Albrecht and uses CEC tests and not Reams tests. This presents a problem for growers who listen to those seemingly opposing views. They become confused and are unsure or just follow one camp and ignore the other. I know this, because I get calls from growers seeking clarification!

There is no need to take sides. Steiner, Reams, & Callahan are all right about the concept of energy. Plants grow from energy, not fertilize, as Reams taught. Albrecht and the others are right about mineralization and mineral balance as applied to most soils. Sometimes, in very high CEC soils, it is more economical to concentrate on biological activation and application of in row or foliar nutrients rather than trying to balance the entire field. If you use both CEC and LaMotte tests as we do here at CSI, you get a broader, better picture and you can make better decisions as to how to proceed.

The biggest difference between Reams and Tainio is the handling of potassium {K}. Reams taught that by emphasizing calcium and phosphorous over nitrogen and potassium in the soil, you would get higher brix crops and better weed control. The basis for the emphasis was on soil availability. However, Tainio found that plants need large amounts of K to express all their potential, including higher brix. His emphasis is on amounts of K inplant tissues. He wants his growers to have CEC levels of K on the upper side of the suggested Albrecht range as well as have them moderate their N usage. He uses the tissue ratio of N:K as his indicator of good balance. When the ppm of N is higher than K, it means you can’t get high brix, manganese can become excessive to the exclusion of zinc, and you won’t achieve the right pH for optimum plant health and resistance. Tainio discovered that pH is reflective of the overall frequency of the plant with 6.4 being optimum. This is in line with Reams when he worked with soil andhuman health. He wanted his client’s soil and his patient’s urine and saliva pH’s to be close to 6.4.

Tainio foliar feeds K when necessary to correct problems or force a plant to do abnormal things such as having fruit buds and set occur on the trunks and inside branches rather than on the ends as is typical. His foliar feeds can also contain other major and minor minerals.

So I don’t think there really is a conflict in any of the above paradigms or teachings of the various people mentioned. However, there is conflict in the world of biodynamics. Greg Willis and others in the US, Australia & NZ directly challenge the original interpretations of Steiner as presented by the various gurus and the Dementer® society. Since Greg is, to put it mildly,outspoken in his views, there is much harangue between the sides. My opinion is that Steiner’s early, second and third generation followers did codify his teaching a little too much and they ignored his charge to keep working on discovering more. What is not in question is that using the energies identified by Steiner can produce dramatic affects. I have directly observed them in Australia and in the US. I think that a combination of both direct spray and broadcasting through field broadcasters/towers of Steiner energies is the optimum way to take advantage of the free energies. We use Greg Willis’s sprays in the towers we sell and install because of the way he prepares them and their demonstrated power to change matter. We also sell his field sprays.

There is also conflict over colloidal clay –soft rock phosphate – and reactive rock phosphate. Reactive rock phosphate is a geological form of phosphate. Since Reams used colloidal phosphate, some followers assume nothing else is good enough. One of the unique qualities of colloidal phosphate was that it could be layered over or under high calcium lime and they would react together electrochemically, something I observed on my own farm in the 70’s. Since calcium tends to move downward, this bonding and holdingscould be beneficial. Along comes Elaine Ingham and tells us the Calcium can be held in the soil by beneficial fungi and she has photo-micrographs to prove it.

Some proponents of colloidal phosphate claim that reactive rock will tie up with calcium and revert to hard rock phosphate like ortho phosphates.  This is patently false!  I consulted with John Slack of Agricultural Mineral Prospectors Inc. from Ontario, a well known geologist.  He was aware of the misconception but could not find the source of the misinformation with a literature search.  CSI has also talked to growers whose farms had Brown Sand [the old name for TN Brown] applied years ago, and they said they could still see the effects 25 years or more later.  Tenn. Brown is a reactive phosphate, with total P2O5 lower than Carolina Black Rock, but higher than colloidal. Tenn. Brown is a lot more available than colloidal ever was and it is a lot cleaner in terms of heavy metals. It comes down more to logistics and economics rather than philosophy anyway. With the Loncala colloidal phosphate mine closed down in FL, with high fuel costs and heavy metal contaminates an issue in Florida (and most western phosphate sources), Tenn. Brown is the best game in town for sustainable/organic growers. See Analysis on page 8. Please note that the farm price went up June 1 to $65/ton bulk, FOB TN, the first price rise since CSI found the pile on private property.

The last point of contention seems to be about Elaine Ingham and her supposed claim that you don’t need to remineralize, micro-organisms can do it all. This seems to fly in the face of the most basic premise all of the previous guru’s and paradigms, which is that minerals are the basis of life and that plants consume minerals. Reams talked about green plants gathering minerals from the atmosphere, but he also emphasized applying the minerals needed to the soil. Albrecht and Tainio start with minerals and Tainio also adds microbes and enzymes. Steiner emphasized the energies, but he loved sul-po-mag, a natural mineral source of sulfur, potassium and magnesium that is now marketed as K-Mag. (CSI brokers the organic version in semi lots.)

Hope all this doesn’t confuse you! My recommendation: Remineralize, bio-activate, and manipulate/stimulate with foliar sprays and energies from sprays, broadcasters/towers and Veges Sound Machines.

CALCIUM NITRATE: The dry product seems to have unique qualities in terms of making N available to plants when used at very low rates. For awhile, Louisa was including it in our N recommendations for non-organic growers at a rate of about 20 lbs an acre with 180 lbs of ammonium sulfate in the fall or spring. We have stopped doing that because some of you don’t have the product available and we don’t want to make our recommendations any harder to follow than necessary. However, we urge you to use it if possible. Fortunately, it appears that liquid calcium products made with calcium nitrate can still provide the unique release of both Ca and N. Regretfully, organic growers cannot use it. They can, however, use liquid calcium made from chelated calcium chloride as a foliar. Be aware that you aren’t supposed to use it on soil. Personally I think that rule to be patently absurd and totally un-scientific. Oh Well! You have to play by the rules of the game you’re in.

WEED CONTROL: Early weed control usually is more of problem than later control due to lack of shading and competition by an economic crop. This year seems to have had a real onslaught of later weeds such as giant foxtail and others, depending on the location and weather. One of the ways to deal with the early weed problem is with a Veges® Sound Machine. The unique frequency and method of delivery allow the sound to travel underground and stimulate seed germination. Playing a Veges® machine for about two weeks before last fitting or planting stimulates early germinating species to sprout NOW. Remove them with the least amount of tillage just before planting to avoid bringing up more seed from greater depths. Later weeds have to be attacked from a biological standpoint. Without proper digestion and assimilation of potassium, the ragweed types come into play to correct a problem as perceived by Mother Nature. In doing some recent trouble shooting for clients, a lack of the trace minerals zinc, manganese and boron seem to be a factor. As always, the best way to minimize the impact of early or late weeds is through corrective mineralization and bio-activation.

SPEAKING OF THE VEGES®: CSI has purchased the manufacturing and marketing rights to the Veges® Sound Machine. We have a large inventory of tape cassettes that can be used for house plants, patios, gardens, greenhouses or small field plot trials. We are offering them to you at $10.00 each plus $2.00 shipping. They make wonderful gifts to your friends and relatives who grow anything. [Legal stuff, I assume.] If you would like to buy in volume, we offer 10 @ $8.00 each with $5.00 total shipping. It is the cheapest, easiest way to see what a Veges® can do for you or impress your friends and relatives with how clever you are.

More importantly, we are offering a $100 discount to anyone purchasing a Veges® unit with or without a stand prior to Dec. 31, 06. We will have one set up at the Acres conf in St. Paul, MN.

WHAT WILL A VEGES® DO FOR ME? The other guys, who have a high frequency sound device, have been around longer so they have more exposure and market penetration. However, the Veges® offers distinct benefits. With the low frequency unit, you get sound penetration through the soil and roots, not just the open air. This increases nutrient up-take. You get penetration through trees and buildings of any nature, so there are no gaps in your coverage. You get a reasonably pleasant sound that is not harmful to livestock or humans. The unit comes with a solar panel for charging the battery and a timer for playing each day automatically. Of course you get the regular sound benefits of better foliar uptake when sprays are used with the device; Increase root and leaf uptake when the unit is automatically on morning and evening whether you foliar spray or not; Proven potential for raising brix and thereby creating potential insect and disease repulsion; Proven reduction in days to harvest; Proven increase in bean size and anything else desirable Mother Nature will give you when your plants have more minerals and energy to work with for the same amount of inputs/costs.

A Veges® machine can effect up to 100 Acres or more. It is not suitable for a one acre garden surrounded by neighbor’s homes. Use the tapes and a boom box for that.

EXPERIMENTING WITH FUNGUS: My old line Phlox flowers are doing better this year. I did mange to catch the fungus [looks like grey mold] earlier than usual. I have Greg Willis Fungus Interruptus [FI] Steiner product available, but always miss using it as early as I should. I grabbed my 3 gallon sprayer and filled it with water, then added a few good squirts of dish soap. After washing the plants with the early mold, I refilled the sprayer with water and dumped in a one lb. box of baking soda. Since it didn’t quite all dissolve, I think ¾ #/3 gal water would be better. Then I coated the plants and sprayed FI in the vicinity. The plants looked ghostly for a few days, but the majority of the fungus disappeared. I have the best blossoms ever and only a few spots came back. I sprayed FI again and the fungal growth stopped in its tracks. When used properly, with his regular Steiner sprays, I think I am bringing it under control. I have no fungus or disease on any other of a wide variety of plant and flowers. My Asiatic Lilies are 6 feet tall with stems as thick as your thumb and several Trumpet Lilies are 7 foot tall with huge flowers and a powerful, pleasant smell. I use the seasonal GW Agriculture sprays on the whole yard as well.

SANTA IS COMING: Our regular agricultural customers know we send out tokens of our appreciation at Christmas. This year, agricultural customers have a choice of 3 gifts to introduce you to some of our products and technology. First choice is a Veges tape. Second choice is a small packet of Tainio Bio-Caps that can really make plants JUMP! Third choice is a small sample set of Greg Willis’s powerful Steiner preps. They can be used on plants, animals or humans. Of course you have to let us know which one you want by phone, email or snail mail. If you want more than one of any item or want to try the other two offerings, you may send $12.00 each for any others you want to try. This is true even if you are not a purchaser qualifying for a gift. If you want more than a few, you will have to give us advanced notice and we will quote a volume price for 10 or more as we did on the Veges tapes above. Please contact Santa soon as he gets very busy toward Acres conference time = Dec.

HELP HAS FINALLY ARRIVED: My former partner in TNA, Ron Ward, is now on board as an independent consultant, working about 2 wks/month until next year when we hope he can be 4 wks/month. He will be trying to drag this old non-techie into the modern world of computers for orders and invoices, accounting, newsletters by email, and laptops with direct connections to the main office. While Louisa and I are on the road, the phones will be on call forwarded to Ron & Dorothy’s home office anytime he is not in the main office here in our home.

NEW WEBSITE LOOK: www.cropservicesintl.com. Please fill out the “join us” completely and send in. Let us know you want newsletters continued via email (preferred – save a tree) or snail mail.

TAINIO PRODUCT PRICING: Some Tainio product prices went up and some went down. We have prices of their complete line available separately, and the ones we have on our main price list will be upgraded on Jan 07 pricing/mailing.

WE NEED YOUR OPINION: Combining Tenn Brown Phos, our NKS Plus sulfur and potassium product (see last page) and a carbon source such as compost has produced some dramatic crop responses because the combination contains all the major minerals including N from compost and 30-40 trace minerals as well as well as major nutrients. CSI is consideringblending that type of product in Indiana IF there is a request from you our customers. The product we are considering would be very unique in several ways. First, it would be a unique prill that would be dustless and flowablethrough any kind of planter. Second, it would be the only combination of TN Brown, NKS Plus, a High N Chicken Compost and special additives available in the greater Mid-west, South and East in the dustless, prill form with a NOP Organic status. Thirdly, it would be unique in having some Tainio bacteria incorporated in the product as well.  50# bags or totes only.

Due to the nature of the compost we intend to use [a high N to Carbon ratio], the NOP true designation would be limited use organic. This rule is applied because of the fear of bacterial carryover from the composted chicken manure when applied to a situation where the material could come in direct contact with food such as tomatoes or strawberries. The 9 month rule also applies, so you could use our proposed fertilizer on any crop with prior planning, such as applying in the fall. Using in the row or broadcast for corn, beans, small grains, etc. would have NO limitations.

Please get back to us immediately if you have any interest in an Organic Prilled Fertilizer!  We would need to get ready for next spring in terms of production, pricing, bagging, labeling, etc.

TAX HELP: As usual, CSI is offering you a chance to park funds with us if it fits your tax year and tax needs. You can pre-purchase materials in 06 for use in 07. Just write your check at the end of Dec. and mail so that we receive it in 07. If you pre-pay for more than you end up using, we just return the difference. Call if you have any questions.

FALL PROGRAMS: Grower experience shows that handling fall crop residue biologically gives an amazing response the nest spring.  Fish, bacteria, sugar & biologicals should be applied to all crop residue [when standing or knocked down] and then partially worked in.

REWARD PROGRAM: CSI continues to offer an RCI Timeshare Vacation Package to those spending around $10,000 or more with us in the calendar year. You and your family or friends get your pick of any fully equipped condo (sleeps 2-8, depending on unit) in any location throughout the world that is listed in the RCI catalogue that we send to you. The condo can be lake front, ocean front, mountains, etc. All you have to do is get there. The lodging is free, you are responsible for all other expenses. One week has already been awarded to an organic farm owner in IA for 06.

RADIONICS CLASS: Ron, Louisa and I will be teaching a 3 day Agricultural Radionics Class on Dec 4-6, just prior to the Acres Conf. on Dec. 7-9 for $495 each. We’ll have ads in Acres for Sept-Nov. We also have ads Aug-Nov offering to buy used or new/unused Radionic Devices for our students to acquire for class use. We insist that there be one device for each two students in the class as it is a HANDS ON class. Call for more details or if you have devices for sale or loan.

CALENDER: CSI will have an Aussie here the first week of Oct. learning how to set up his own LaMotte and CEC labs down under.  Ron will have a booth at the CSA Conf. in Tustin, MI Nov 10-12.  Radionic Class and Acres as above. Ron may be at Tainio’s 07 conf. on Feb 8, 9. Ron & I may both be at UMOC in La Crosse on Feb 23-25, 07 or Louisa & I may be in New Zealand running seminars in late Feb. on both the North & South Islands.

HUMAN HEALTH SECTION

A large percentage of cases of personal bankruptcy in the US result from large medical bills. In July of this year a study was announced that showed most hospital patients receive one wrong medicine or dose EVERY DAY they’re in the hospital. Statistics also indicate that Doctors and the medical system behind them are the THIRD leading cause of death in the US. Something is very wrong with this picture. Those who read my Acres USA article on paradigms know that powerful money and political forces stole the medical paradigm in the first half of the 20^th century and the same forces are still at work today. However, we, the potential patients, also bear responsibility. We could talk about the Doctor as God issue, the bad food choices and lack of exercise issue, the lack of scientific education and understanding issue, and the fix me I’m sick attitude of many of Americans.

Each of us has a responsibility to stay as healthy as we can. There are lots of books out on medical self-help or first aid that can stop the need to go see a Doctor for little things. There are lots of books on Yoga and a zillion other methods of exercising. There are diet books, CDs and tapes about anything you need to know! But being busy people, we either don’t go the doctor for something serious or go late and make correcting the problem more difficult and time consuming. We also tend to go to the standard medical system if the insurance covers us. This just adds to the overall cost of the entire system. Informed consumers have learned when to go an alternative health or wellness person, whether or not it is covered by insurance. City folks may have more choices, but I have found some very good alternative practitioners in the far reaches of the US and foreign countries.

Some of the ways to avoid Dr. visits for minor infections, whether it be from small cuts, pokes, hangnails, sinus, throat or ear are as follows: I find that direct pressure on these areas can cause blood to flow to the area and bring more white cell [good guys] to the area to take out the infection. I also use silver topically, followed by Tea Tree Oil which carries the silver into the tissue and can affect both bacteria and fungus. Tea Tree Oil was used extensively by Aussie troops in WW II as it is anti bacterial, viral and fungal. Silver can also be taken internally according to directions on the product. Following up with zinc spray or lozenges for throats is very helpful. Homeopathic or colloidal silver are available in the marketplace. You can buy Tea Tree Oil in any health food store.

As reported in Acres, a British study suggests that the dietary changes of the last 50 years can be linked to the common mind problems of our day such as depression, hyperactivity, attention deficit, etc. It points to everything that’s wrong with our food, from sugar to pesticides to lack of minerals and vitamins to wrong kinds of fats. The monetary and social costs of these conditions is staggering, so a great responsibility falls to farmers to do theright thing. As usual, the powers to be are the biggest problem as they want farmers and consumers hooked on their fertilizers, pesticides, animal and human drugs, food additives, junk food and cigarettes. This is followed by being hooked on insurance, doctors, hospitals and sickness care. Raising, buying and consuming grass fed meat, milk, and butter is important as well as growing your own nutrient dense food!

CSI continues to offer the Waiora’s Natural Cellular Defense drops because so many people have a wide variety of toxins in their tissues. All the research points to toxins as being a major cause of some of our major diseases.  In other words, we are much like our soils. We need cleansing of toxins, remineralization and establishing of good microflora in our digestive systems. Tainio’s Flora Genesis is the perfect microbial product to support and replenish the gut!

CSI continues to offer the BioPro cell phone protective chips. The latest Swedish study shows that heavy cell phone users had a 240 % increased risk for malignant tumors on the side of the head the phone was used. Then there is the latest picture/demonstration on the web of an egg being cooked when placed between two broadcasting cell phones. Your phone is communicating with a tower [broadcasting] all the time it is on, so please don’t let anyone in your family or circle of friends – especially younger folk – use a cell phone without a chip.  The most recent research on cell functioning shows that minute amounts of electromagnetic current can regulate [help or hinder] the gene that moves new cell into the proper repair site.  Healing can be speeded up or slowed down from these currents.  This can be related back to radionics and Steiner broadcasting towers as proof that subtle energies can regulate [change] gene expression as well as condense energy into matter.  It also shows that having a “bad” gene for a known disease or condition does not mean you will get that disease or condition even though the previous generation or a sibling did.

Mental outlook and attitude continues to be a major factor as to whether the assaults on our bodies by the external and internal influences mentioned really manifest into a disease or condition.  Again, there are lots of paths to achieve a healthy mind and body, but you have to follow one or more of the paths in order to receive any results.

Page 8 of this newsletter shows the assortment of minerals contained in our Tennessee Brown Phosphate and our Natural Potassium Sulfate Plus products.

Best Wishes and Good Harvesting.  Phil, Louisa & Ron