WELCOME TO 2005 & THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST AND BUSINESS IN 2004!

TESTING, & REACTING!: We have just returned from another great Acres USA conference. Yours truly created and chaired a two day Pre-class on subtle energies. We invited in some of the most innovative people that we know to share the teaching. They include Bruce Tainio, Bob Benson, Bob Karbowski [inventor of Veges Sound Machine], and Mark Shephard. About 50 students from all over the world attended. It was very exciting to have that many students in the first advanced class of its type at Acres. All the instructors made the point that the two steps needed for the advanced techniques to work best are MINERALIZATION & BIO-ACTIVATION. So please make sure you have at least begun the basics of replacing the missing common minerals, and hopefully using a broad spectrum mineral product that contains 60 or more elements such as Tenn. Brown if phosphate is needed or NKS Plus if sulfur and potassium are needed or other general mineralizing types.

NEW TEST OFFERING: We have always readily admitted that soil testing is inherently inaccurate, yet useful. All soil testing should be accompanied by tissue analysis, as the “proof is in the pudding”. CSI has arranged with Logan Labs to receive your samples, send reports to you and us, and bill us. We will compare your tissue results with your soil tests and recommend accordingly if you wish. Tissue tests are $35.00. Send to Logan Labs, 184 W. Main St., Russels Point, Ohio 43348. [1-888-494-7645] Please enclose note to send copy of results and bill to CSI. If you want recommendations from CSI, our $22.00 fee applies.

GRAZIER TIPS: Although it may not seem like it, everything in our newsletters applies to you. Mineralization, bio-activation and energy gathering/manipulation all apply to grazing. The impact may not be as visible as bushels in the bins, but grass production, consumption, gain and grade can all be affected by the three steps. Premium markets are there for the developing!

WHY FOLLOW OUR RECOMMENDATIONS? Most of you can get a crop if you just push the N and maybe throw in some soluble P and K. But that’s not sustainable and is usually “costly” in the long view. Besides, market forces are moving very rapidly. There are countries and people willing to pay for nutrient dense food grown under “clean” conditions. Organic holds sway in the marketplace right now, but that is just increasing the rate of the growth of the demand for new labels that will have to do with the nutrient dense and chemical free food. Capturing/controlling natural energies appears to be one of the best ways to achieve the above when accompanied by MINERALIZATION & BIO-ACTIVATION. But according to the tests you send us, many of you have mineral shortages like Boron, Zinc, Phosphorous & Sulfur and most of you have very low numbers on your LaMotte tests, even though your CEC shows some minerals to be there. This indicates that your soil biology is not active enough to release and transfer the minerals you have into your crops or forages. In the big picture then, many of you are not poised to answer the call for the higher quality food, let alone dealing with N prices going through the roof. We want you to share in the developing quality food markets. Financial incentives to those on the “right path” are also in the wind, no matter your saleable end product.

IMPORTANT ACTIVATORS: The following will tell you in detail why we “electronically/radionically” check a group of activators and tell you more about each one that we try. We check to see what materials are the best to replace your missing minerals and then start testing activators against your soil samples. We check a variety of sugars (sucrose, dextrose, fructose, a proprietary blend and molasses) because each soil is unique in the needs of its microbiology at that time. You have been feeding your microbes mostly “protein” in the form of raw N and failing to give them any “carbo’s” [sugars/starches]. The more you can add small amounts of carbo’s, soil or foliar, on a regular basis, the more your plants are going to use your natural and applied N for growth and production. Next we check to see if you need some new bacteria, fungi, and other organisms by comparing a sample of SP-1 to your soil. SP-1 is a quality, inexpensive compost tea with new, live organisms. We will start checking the new bacteria from Tainio as well. Next we try Liquid Bacteria and Soil Restore. Both are “homeopathic solutions” containing few if any actual microbes. Instead, they rely on energy patterns carried in the water to do their job. If Liquid Bacteria is recommended, it usually means you have some soil toxins that are preventing your bio-activation. If Soil Restore is recommended, your mycorrhizea are probably suppressed due to herbicide usage. Soil Restore has excellent research results showing increased colonization of roots by mycorrhizea, the most important channels to get phosphorous and other nutrients into your crop and increased crop response. Next we check Fish Agra, a cold processed fish hydrolysate. Fish Agra is one of the best microbe stimulators, particularly for fungal species that, again, have been destroyed by herbicides. If organic matter is low, we check humate or humic acid material which also promote fungal organism. Since the lack of fungal organisms has a great deal to do with weed patterns and leaching of calcium, it behooves you to consider Fish Agra on a broadcast basis as well as in the row. You also get the protein N which will not leach, but will be a major insurance against plant stress. DON’T IGNORE THE ACTIVATORS, AS IT WASTES YOUR TIME & MONEY IN THE CONVERSION PROCESS!

Finally we look at Agri-Gro®, perhaps the best enzymatic stimulant on the market. Agri-Gro® is bio-stimulant, nutrient availability enhancer, and soil “conditioner” with a twenty year history. It is unique product in that it is produced by live organisms, but contains none in the final product. Therefore it is effective even when mixed with farm chemicals on soil, foliage, or seed treatment. In recent tests out West and in Mexico, it out performed all other similar products. Louisa and I recently visited the plant in MO. If repeat sales and growth are any indication of performance and quality, Agri-Gro® is the one. Agri-Gro Ultra® is the organic version. If you see Agri-Gro® on your recommendations, it means you need a really good “jumpstart” to get bio-activity and nutrient availability going. It is very economical to use at 8 oz/acre as a direct seed treat, or a pint in row or 1-2 pints broadcast. Give it a try if your LaMotte #’s are low.

PROGRAMS THAT WORK: Two corn growers reported “best ever” corn in IL & MI. The Mich. grower was looking back 30 years! After installing a Tower 2 years ago and balancing his soil, he just added 95 #’s actual N [mostly ammonium sulfate] to produce 180 bu. corn. [The usual was 130-140]. He also reports that velvet leaf is basically gone! His Tower had special weed preps included. The IL grower reported 210 bu./acre with a Tower and 110 units of N. An Iowa grower reports 18 Brix Hay, no insects, using a Veges, Nitrozyme, and Agri-Cal as foliar. Tenn. Brown Phosphate and NKS Plus, our unique sulfur & potassium product, continue to dominate our truckload sales. NKS can literally blast open tight soils and totally change the water intake and structural characteristics. Excellent on high magnesium or sodic soils.

We continue to get repeat orders on the Animal Toddy and Vinegar w/Garlic & Yucca products. They are especially helpful in organic cow or goat dairies where they can be used as a drench for mastitis, sick calves or kids or worming. They are also doing well in weaned pigs. Pet owners seem to like them as well. You would pay about 4 times as much for ¼ the volume of Animal Toddy from a vet. For those who have a good source of local apple cider vinegar, you can still buy the Garlic & Yucca product and add your own vinegar.

TWO NEW LINES: In our attempt to service your needs across a wide variety of crops we are going to be representing two new lines of inputs. The first is a large series of very pure and powerful Rudolf Steiner type Energy Remedies [commonly known as Biodynamic] as mentioned in our Aug-04 letter from Agri-Synthesis®. We were first drawn to them when we tried an experiment on fungus on our Tall Garden Phlox. They had been hit very hard in 03 and I was trying to catch it early in 04. Of course I didn’t. So I just strayed 4 regular remedies followed by “Fungus Interruptus” by hand “in the yard” and not directly on the flowers. The advanced fungus stopped in place and never progressed. Later, the plants shot out new green leafs at the top. When you have fungus, at least three things are happening. The first is that the pH of your plant sap is below 6.4, the second is that there are dead cells or tissue present and thirdly, you don’t have enough silica forces in the atmosphere. The soil/earth/moisture forces are literally rising up from the earth. All remedies can go in drip or hydroponics as well.

From an economic standpoint, broadcasting the Steiner Agricultural Remedies with a Tower makes a lot of sense. So we are using Agri-Synthesis® remedies in all our new Tower installations. We also highly recommend that current tower owners have us make a set of new remedies when your yearly review is up or sooner if Soybean Rust or Wheat mold/fungus is a current or pending problem. The new remedies will be liquids in the same small vials and will require you to put in one set for fall winter and another for spring summer. New sets that include the summer and winter remedies are $150 and will last for at least 6-7 years. Freezing and thawing are OK. In addition, you may spray apply any of the remedies onto your soil or into the atmosphere of your vineyard, grove, orchard or field. With over 2 dozen specific remedies, you can have major control of all stages of growth from transplant seedlings to drying down or ripening or remedies for Frost Protection, etc. Now is the time to start “Steiner Energy Agriculture” with CSI. High value crop producers [organic commodities] can’t afford not to.

SOYBEAN RUST IS COMING!: Now is the time to set up your equipment with two saddle tanks so you can spray the standard Steiner Agricultural remedies out the front and the “Fungus Interruptus” out the back at planting. TANKS CAN NEVER HAVE BEEN USED FOR CHEMICALS. This set up is also perfect for every pass across the field to hopefully do at least 3 things at once. {Till, Plant, Sidedress, Cultivate, Foliar Feed, Broadcast Inter-seeding, Harvest, Residue Treat, etc.} Now is also the time to consider the field instruments for checking sap for Brix, pH and Electrical Conductivity. If your sap pH is below 6.4, and Phakopsora pachyrhizi or melbomiae {That’s Soybean Rust to You Partner} are in the area, you may get hit hard.

The second new line is from Tainio Technology from Cheney, WA. After working with Bruce Tainio in the Acres pre-class, he asked us to distribute his product line. Bruce is a brilliant scientist and inventor. Although he has a rather extensive line of products, his forte is definitely powerful microbes that work. He and his products and programs have an excellent reputation through out the West Coast and out into the mid-west. Getting new biology down under perennial vineyards, orchards, etc. has always been a problem. His capsules of microbes can be inserted to the right depth at the drip line and colonize the entire root zone. The Tainio line also includes seed treatments, root dips, in row mixes, enzymes etc. For those who like “recipes”, Tainio Technologies has season long protocols on growing everything from Apples to Zucchini. If you have reasonable balance, partial activation and reasonable organic matter, you may be able to move to Tainio’s bacterial systems, their food supply, foliar feeding and eliminate chemicals.

Because of the amount of product and literature in each line, the complete line is not on our price list. If you have a serious interest in either or both of the lines, please call to discuss your needs.

SCHEDULING TRIPS: Due to an increased interest in Towers, Veges Sound Machines and Soil Testing in the upper Mid-West and Central Canada, we expect to make a major trip to that area in June/July. Please make your service and product wishes known as soon as possible by note or phone so that we can plan the trip efficiently. Remember that Towers must be prepaid, received, remedies prepared in our lab and map locations dowsed before a visit is appropriate.

GROW YOUR OWN NITROGEN: AC Greenfix is an annual legume in the chickling vetch family that can be pre, inter or post seeded for about an 8-10 week growth period and an average of 80-100 lbs/a N production. Up to 80 % of the N is fixed above ground and up to 85 % is available for the next crop when incorporated on a timely basis. Cost effective N!

DECREASE YOUR WATER COSTS: Some of our products like Aqua-Hold just slip under your radar. Aqua Hold can totally change the water holding capacity of your soil by increasing the non-leaching carbon. Aqua Hold is a special bacterial formulation that converts ordinary table sugar into polysaccharides or monster hydrocarbon chains. If you left the mixture in your tank too long, it would get very “snotty”, something you want in the soil, not in your tank. The late Dr. Fred Wood tried it in the AZ desert, and observed polysaccharides at about 20 foot down. Wouldn’t you like your roots seeking moisture and minerals down that deep?

SUMMER SCHEDULE: Having become an official “senior citizen” in 04 and also having become thoroughly addicted to house boating, CSI’s main office will usually close on Friday during the May thru Sept season. Call toll free as usual and leave a message and then try the cell phone # given on the recorder for either the boat or our road phone. We will try to service your needs on Fridays, but expect most orders to be processed 1st thing on Monday.

TRAVEL: I expect to be in Australia in mid-March. Also expect to be at Northern Michigan Small Farm Conference on Jan 29, Tainio Technologie’s two day conf .in Spokane, WA Feb. 10,11 and American Grass Fed Conf. in Clay City, IN on March 4-6. Hopefully, June, July & Aug. will be installation trips for Towers, Veges Machines, crop inspections, etc.

Good Luck & Good Growing in 05! Dr. Phil & Louisa