A Soil History from 2004
In 2004 after
buying this farm of ‘prime’ agricultural land a test of its red volcanic soil revealed :-
pH of 7.1 – far too high being that it
was winter (Aug), cause - high sodium
and high magnesium
Potassium
0.5 meq/100 - far too low
Phosphate
200 ppm – too high, from repeated excessive mindless
fertilizer applications
Organic
Carbon 1.5% -
far too low
Iron
27 ppm – far too low
Sulphur
13 ppm – too low
Sodium 0.7 meq/100 - too high, probably
the result of irrigating with saline creek water.
Magnesium
6.3 meq/100 – too high but is normal in the area.
Ca
to Mag ratio 2.4 – too low, not enough calcium and
too much magnesium
Manganese
Zinc and Copper OK
Boron
OK but must have been recently applied as high pH usually makes it unavailable.
Summer of 2004
saw the spreading, per acre, of
10 tonnes of volcanic rock dust – to
supply long term potassium and most of the 85 or so other trace elements not
checked for in a regular soil test.
4
tonnes of cow manure – to supply potassium and organic carbon
5 Kgs of Iron
Sulphate – to remedy the iron deficiency.
1.5
tonnes of Gypsum – to remedy the calcium and sulphur deficiencies
2005 saw the
spreading, per acre, of
5 tonnes of cow manure – to supply potassium and organic carbon
4
tonnes of cow manure – to supply potassium and organic carbon
75 Kg of potassium sulphate – not getting enough potassium from the cow manure plus the sulphur will attach to the magnesium and allow it to leach away and further lower the pH.
75 Kg of potassium sulphate – again
after 50 mm of rain washed in the last lot.
2007 saw the application per acre of
80 Kg of potassium sulphate - in March
5 Litres of Zinc (chelated). Encourages bigger leaves, bananas are powered by the sun.
5 Litres of Molybdenum (chelated). Molyb is part of the enzyme that transfers air nitrogen to the soil.
5 Litres of Manganese (chelated). Enormously important as a reproduction stimulant.
There are several ways of testing for phosphate in a soil test, it was noted that in recent tests that while the benchmark Colwell method showed high levels, the other methods indicated a deficiency. Three rows of bananas were selected and 40 Kg of Soft Rock Phospate was applied. A few weeks after rain had washed that in a new soil test showed that:-
Owner
will bring these soils back to pristine fertility no matter what it costs. Many
years of degradation from bad practice cannot be fixed in one year, it may take
5 years. Bear in mind that these remedial actions are being given to what is
some of the ‘very best’ soil in Cooloola.
The crucial factor that determines if fruit shall
be of the highest quality is that it be gathered when ripe and about to fall
from the tree. Normally
these days that just never happens, not even close. Fruit from this farm is, it requires constant monitoring and protection from birds,
possums and flying foxes.
From
this you might realise that GOOD food is
not cheap to produce.
It follows too that CHEAP food most
certainly won’t be good food
as each cost cutting measure greatly diminishes quality. No one would dream of
trying to run their car on any old combustible liquid yet our bodies are
expected to function flawlessly forever on a myriad of substandard substances
loosely or spuriously labelled ‘food’.