The importance of healthy soil and the HUGE difference in makes in TASTE!
Much of what I've learned about health nutrition has come from my friend, Kathy. If not for her, I'm not sure I would have had food conversion” story. A few years ago she got me some apples from a guy named Jay, a crop consultant, who lives not far from us. These made the best applesauce I've ever tasted, and after I read about High Brix farming, I became interested in this farmer nearby who must know his stuff about the importance of healthy soil–if the apples tasted that good! Jay, author of Weeds and Why They Grow, agreed to answer a few questions.
1. How did you learn what you know about farming?
I learned a lot by talking with people who didn't go to a university, but mostly I learned from my Dad, I watched what he did. When I was a kid, my Dad's tomatoes tasted better than everyone else's, and when he did the same thing in our hay fields, the cows gave more milk.
2. What did you and your Dad do differently?
We used very little commercial fertilizer, and instead used rock phosphate, lime and manure, and a couple times commercial nitrogen, but we didn't seem to need much.
3. Why was that?
It was how we treated soil. Soil has tremendous potential to take nitrogen from the air, if all things are right.
4. My brother is interested in gardening without chemicals, how do you suggest he learn more?
Do a LOT of reading, and then watch the soil and crop's response, watch insect patterns. One year we had more insect damage on the weeds than on the raspberry plants, but we haven't been able to do that since. You'll never be completely weed-free, but if you get your soil healthy, you can get rid of most weeds.
5. Are you careful to eat only organic produce?
I don't worry so much about it being organic, but I do want it to have a high mineral content.
(I disagree with him there, because of all the junk that's sprayed on most conventional crops.)
6. Do you use the Brix meter to check for mineral content?
I use that or just check the sap ph, that's the quick way.
7. What about someone like me, how would I check the mineral content?
Taste will tell you.
8. Why do think more people don't know about the affect of soil quality on the taste AND nutrition of our food? Why isn't this knowledge from you, and others, put into practice all over the world?
We haven't made the connection between the soil and our health–if we want to do something about health care in this country, it starts with soil, not pharmaceuticals.
Thanks, Jay!
Are you a farmer or gardener? Please share in the comments below about what you've learned! (And be specific for those of us, like myself, who are dense in this area!) Please share…
- How to grow food without chemicals–what natural methods do you use for pests and fertilizer? Be sure to also tell where someone like myself would find what you recommend. (It's not too early to start thinking about next year's garden!)
- How to nurture the ground so you have healthy soil, and how you maintain that, so that it is A. more weed resistant, and B. higher in nutrients/mineral content…and therefore tastes better!
More you might like:
- For my local readers: Venmans Landscaping up in Rockford (North of Grand Rapids, MI) is a great resource–he knows all about this stuff and fixed me up with some all natural fertilizer and foliage food for my garden last spring!
- The Quest for Nutrient Dense Food: High Brix Farming Gardening
- Why we buy local, organic, sustainable food as much as possible. One more: Is organic worth it?
- Milk comes from cows, not beans
- How we treat the animals we eat–Oprah Lisa Ling missed something HUGE
Heather M says
Hi Kelly,
I really enjoyed this article! I do the companion planting as well. I am actually experimenting with that more this year:). But, I did need to ammend my soil this year.
For anyone who lives in Oakland County, MI there is a feed store/garden center named “Uncle Luke’s” in Troy located at Auburn and Livernois and I love it, they are so incredibly helpful. If you have questions/concerns about the soil he can definately help. They work with MSU in testing the soil. I can bring a sample in next spring and they test it right on the spot, should be interesting. Apparently these little tester kits in the store that you have to shake up are worthless.
Kelly says
Hi Sabine, I didn’t know you were in Germany – how neat to hear from someone so far away. I love the internet. 🙂
Thanks for the link to the info online – what a great resource!
I’d love to hear your opposing view on low carbs, it’s OK to disagree, then we can each learn more. 🙂 But do me a favor and hop over to one of the low-carb posts at this link and comment there if you feel moved to. (https://kellythekitchenkop.com/2008/09/all-about-dieting-losing-weight.html)
Happy Monday!
Kelly
Sabine says
I have to give a big bunch of credits to Steve Solomon and his https://soilandhealth.org/ library, there are tons of classic books about an organic approach to gardening/farming and organic food and all online for free.
Most of the books isn’t available in german or out of print.
If you care about your food you have also to care about the soil.
And so I learned that weeds aren’t bad but the guardians of the soil.
(there are a lot of weeds that make wonderful salads too).
And I learned another kind of gardening: with nature, not against it.
It’s great to have my own organic food in my garden.
And I love your blog but I don’t agree about low-carbs 😉
Warm regards from Germany, Sabine
Anonymous says
“…if we want to do something about health care in this country, it starts with soil, not pharmaceuticals.”
You can put that on a t-shirt! http://www.cafepress.com
And others can buy it, too.
Kelly the Kitchen Kop says
Freedom First (Sorry, I can’t remember your name now, it’s been a while since you’ve commented here – you moved, right? And I can’t keep everyone straight some days!),
If you make the t-shirt, I’ll buy it! 🙂
Shauna,
Yes, I think that’s what he meant. You know how tomatoes from Meijer are SO blah sometimes compared to some beauties from the farm market or garden? Our taste buds even know which foods are best!
Hey McKenzie!
Great scoop on companion planting!! I’ll be googling more on that before spring gets here!
Kelly
Anonymous says
Companion planting is a good way to grow healthy plants naturally – it is especially effective for insect control. For example, plant basil around tomatoes. You can find lots of information if you google “companion planting” or check out a book at your local library.
I think it is also important to have your soil tested (check with your university extension office or a commercial garden center). You can prevent a lot of problems by starting out with rich, well balanced soil.
McKenzie
Michigan Mom2three says
We are taking out the large lower deck this year to put in a *real* vegetable garden! I’ve been doing the Square Foot Gardening for 3 years now, and while it’s been nice, I’m ready to take the plunge with a real garden. I’m planning to work with a logal group “Agriculture and Alive” to get my soil amended. They also help people get started with organic gardening. I’ve heard there are going to be some classes this winter/spring, but don’t know details yet. So, I don’t have book suggestions yet – I’m still looking for some myself!
What did he mean by “taste will tell”?????? That’s a very vague statement. I’m assuming he meant that if it tastes good, and full of flavor, it would be full of minerals? If so, that makes sense….. I bought some organic sweet potatoes (paid out the nose for them though!), and they were the sweetest, best flavored sweet potatoes I’ve *ever* had. They were almost a dessert! I bought some more from Horrock’s (not organic), and while good – they didn’t taste NEARLY as good.
Shauna
FreedomFirst says
“…if we want to do something about health care in this country, it starts with soil, not pharmaceuticals.”
Truer words were never spoken! I wish I could put this on a shirt and wear it every time I go to the grocery store. That way I wouldn’t have to explain to skeptical “you’re so stingy” faces why I refuse to give money to pharmaceutical research. They are only making the problem worse, not better. If they pulled their toxic chemicals off the market and out of our environment, many of the diseases they pretend to be curing would disappear.