EFFICIENCY & KNOWLEDGE: Every time Louisa brings me a soil test result to review or I go on a field trip I think of efficiency, and knowledge/education. Knowledge followed by efficiency usually produces more of everything we are trying to accomplish. Farming and ranching can be a lot of hard work performed during a lot of long hours. This can be used as a good “reason” not to pay attention to what amounts to the “life blood” of your business, your soil. But it really isn’t a good reason anymore. Since the early 70’s, there have been people, companies and publishers willing to provide education, advice and products to increase your efficiency in a sustainable way. [The standard advice of the day was, and still is, telling you to get bigger, use more N and more chemicals/drugs etc.] I am not “preaching to the converted”, as it is people who read this newsletter, whose farms I have visited and who send us tests that are not always being efficient or knowledgeable about their soils and management. Let’s put it in terms of “KACHING” [the good sound of the cash register] or “KLUNK” [the sound of lost profit].

The following are just a few of the “KLUNKS” I have observed over the last 30 some years: Not applying the missing major or trace minerals, even when marked “very low” or “too low to measure” on a soil test-Klunk! Not liming when pH’s are below 5 before field crops, fruits and vegetables are planted-Klunk! Spraying fruits or vegetables or any other crop repeatedly during the season with poisons and never adding any nutrition-Klunk! Watching a soil getter harder and harder to work, weed pressure increasing and yields peaking or going backwards, and not changing what they were doing-Klunk! Watching livestock decline in health, production and appearance and not investigating or changing what they were doing-Klunk! Going across a field performing only one operation such as cultivating, when some simple modifications would allow up to 2-3 more functions such as inter-seeding, foliar or side dressing could be performed-Klunk! Treating livestock with materials that require milk dumping when alternatives have been available since at least the 70’s-Klunk! Pulling calves and pushing pills when the real problem is a mineral deficiency/nutritional problem.-Klunk! Not inoculating legumes and then not even checking roots for nodules to see if they were fixing N-Klunk! Applying materials that may have been “OK” on someone else’s farm, but having no use/justification according to soil tests on theirs-Klunk! Assuming that plants/soils don’t depend heavily on biology in the soil to function-Klunk! Not offering free choice white, iodized salt or making livestock choose between lesser of evils [other products with salt added] in order to get enough salt in their system-Klunk! Applying N without a sugar or carbohydrate so bacteria will keep it from leaching-Klunk! The list goes on because of human nature. Time, money, fear of doing something different, lack of knowing or understanding are all factors.

The “KACHING” factors are mostly just the opposite of the above, but here are a few more: Changing to post emerge herbicides, then banding them only and cultivating and finally getting rid of them-Kaching! Inter-seeding a cover crop while the economic crop is being foliar fed, side dressed or cultivated-Kaching! Building up your calcium base saturation and then using ammonium sulfate, NKS Plus and/or vinegar to react with the calcium and create/release energy for plant growth and reproduction-Kaching! Holding that calcium in the upper soil strata by increasing the fungal activity.-Kaching! Setting up an injector on a pivot to use energy creating liquid formulas as you irrigate-Kaching! Using protein N such as fish alone or with other N, because as soon as your crop is stressed, it will take up the protein N and leave the nitrates alone-Kaching! Making your own compost tea-Kaching! Finding free mineral or organic wastes to compost, apply directly, or feed to your livestock-Kaching! [Melted ice cream and pretzel factory rejects are two recent ones I’ve seen. Although you can usually trust cows to choose wisely, they do have a sweet tooth and can act like kids in a candy shop!] Adding the suggested minerals and/or activators to soil that show the highest resonance-Kaching! [CSI has that info in your test file although we don’t send it as part of recommendations. You can call and ask if you need to choose between suggested inputs.] Keeping the open time between any type of plants in a field to 2-3 weeks so mycorrhizia can survive and prosper-Kaching! Handling crop residues and green manures correctly-Kaching! Reading and attending conferences or classes put on by sustainable folks-Kaching!

2004 FIELD REPORTS: 1.”Fish Agra is something else! I planted seeds on 4/15 & they sprouted on 4/19!” 2. “We replaced the minerals you recommended and boy, did it make a difference. Now we want to add the activating materials you also recommended.” 3. “The garlic & yucca AFS gave a half day response in calves with pneumonia or shipping fever type symptoms and the cows got over mastitis without having to dump milk.” [Note: Product was “drenched” in both cases at about 3 times the label rate and diluted about 1-4 in water.] 4. “Corn looks great on the home farm where the “tower” is operating. It may do at least 200 bu/acre. I can see the energy coming from the tower. Our health and the cattle’s health sure seem better. Corn where we added the Tenn. Brown Phos and NKS plus sulfur is a tall, late season hybrid at 30,000 population. It is 10 feet tall with ears at 5 feet!’’ 5.”This is one of the best crops I’ve ever seen on the farm.” [Corn on good mineral balanced soil.] 6.”We have 24 vs. 11 set under the potatoes, one foot taller plants and 2/3 greater root mass! [Using blend of natural phosphate, NKS Plus sulfur, a humate and a microbe package against a standard fertilizer check.] 7. “The growth response of our grass to the blend [same as above] is amazing.”! 8. “The previously “cloddy” soil just fell away from the onions where the NKS Plus was applied. 9. “The alfalfa yield tripled over the previous cutting and the protein went off the chart where we set up the Veges Sound Machine.” 10. “I’m enjoying the reactive rock phosphate [Tenn. Brown]. Volunteer clover started germinating. Now I can add some new high quality seed and know it will germinate. I plan on using a program of alternating lime and Tenn Brown over the next few years”

Dr. WHEELER’S VINEGAR with Garlic & Yucca Animal Supplement: As you can see, the original garlic and yucca product now has organic, apple cider vinegar as the main ingredient. The manufacturer is using the vinegar as the only extracting liquid to get the “goodies” out of the garlic pulp, thereby eliminating any water in the product. NOW YOU ARE GETTING 100% ACTIVE INGREDIENTS & THE PRICE IS LESS! Thirty gallon drums are now only $21.30/gal FOB. Feeding rate for dairy is 2-3 ounces/head/day. New “Horse” formula/label is also available. There is no other liquid herbal type supplement like this on the market today that offers so much. The selenium effect on health and production alone is worth the cost. Then consider feed conversion, mucus reduction, manure quality etc. Available in one to 50 gallon containers. TRY IT, your animals will like you for it! Info sheets on “horse version” and Dr. Wheeler’s Mineral Toddy for a complete spectrum of all trace minerals are included.

HOLDING CALCIUM: Soils with low clay content are like a sieve when it comes to holding minerals. Elaine Ingram has photo micrographs showing calcium ions being held by fungal strands instead of the usual clay micelles. If your farming light soils, the use of fish as a N source should be a given as well as the use of humates or humic acid and hopefully some compost tea. Nitrates and boron will go right out the “bottom” right along with about everything else without humus, bacterial and fungal organisms.

WHAT TO DO THIS FALL: Residue management is crucial as well as mineral additions to cover the deficiencies identified by soil tests. Use C-4-1-1 [Fish Agra with additional carbohydrates] and SP-1 [a pre-made compost tea] for breaking down residue. Apply Tenn Brown Phos for immediate and long term phosphorous needs. You won’t discourage your mycorrhizea as you would with high number, treated phosphates. Use NKS Plus for replacing the missing sulfur in an oxidized, highly reactive form. Your nitrogen efficiency will dramatically increase, the real protein and quality of your feed/forages will improve and your excess magnesium will be knocked off the colloid much faster than using gypsum or elemental sulfur. Apply ammonium sulfate for longer season growth and winter hardiness to open or cropped land. Even legumes will benefit from 100 #/acre.

QUANTUM AGRICULTURE CLASS: Yours truly will be moderating and presenting in a new type of Acres USA pre-conference class to be held on Tuesday and Wednesday Dec 7-8, 04. This years Acres USA convention will be on Dec. 9,10,11 in Minneapolis/St Paul, MN. The main presenters at the pre-class will be Dr. Bruce Tanio of Washington, Bob Benson of Minn., Bob Karbowski of MN, yours truly and a specialist on Bio-dynamics as yet unnamed. This will be the first time that most of you will get a chance to hear and meet these renowned agricultural specialists. Bruce is an electronics expert known for the pH as frequency concept, the inventor of an electronic broadcasting tower and the inventor of the Concerto unit which I use in my house to “modulate” the 60 cycle frequencies, and more. Bob Benson is a master radionics operator who uses Dr. Tanio’s technology along with his agricultural and radionic knowledge to solve soil, water and crop problems that others would walk away from. Bob is also blending the natural phosphate, NKS Plus and humate out west. Bob Karbowski is the inventor of the Veges Sound Machine. I will be lecturing on the nature of reality, quantum physics and its application to modern agricultural. All the pre-class presenters will also be making presentations during the regular conf. DON’T MISS IT!

VEGES SOUND MACHINE UPDATE: Although the Veges will stand on its own and produce results just by being played, we have always suggested foliar feeding be used during some of the play periods. Now, CSI is offering Veges Boost, a frequency programmed liquid that will enhance the effects of the sound from the Veges unit. Application rate is one pint/acre. Call for pricing and sizes.

GROW YOUR OWN NITROGEN: CSI has started handling AC Greenfix, an annual legume capable of fixing 80-100 lbs N in 8-10 weeks. The plant is drought tolerant, moisture efficient, disease and insect resistant and tolerant over a wide variety of soils and climates. It is a variety of chickling vetch, also known as grass pea or grassy peavine. Majority of N is in upper plant, so it must be incorporated on a timely basis to achieve optimum results.

BIODYNAMIC/HOMEOPATHIC UPDATE: Greg Willis, an agricultural consultant and energy agricultural expert has created a line of “Agricultural Remedies” based on Rudolf Steiner energies and homeopathic methods. CSI has decided to offer his new line of “Agricultural Care Products” in homeopathic form. This new line will allow any grower to tap into the powerful energies identified by Steiner without the usual time consuming stirring, multiple, separate applications or the very limited shelf life of only a few hours. Now you can keep the Remedies on hand, mix in clean water and spray at appropriate times to achieve the rapid results you’re looking for. The Remedies offer “manipulative” enhancement when you need it. Remedies include: Standard Spring and Fall, ground and atmospheric sprays with 12 “preps” in each; Transplant, Ripening, and Pruning Formulas; Field Drying, Dormancy, Frost Preventative and Fungal Formulas; and Compost Invigorators. In other words, you can make the soil and plant do what you want when you want. Fungal Disease Control may be the biggest benefit for some of you in high value crops.

WE NEED DEALERS!! CSI has grown constantly since we started in 1993. Now it’s your turn to help service the rapidly expanding number of growers who are interested in sustainable, organic, or quantum agriculture. We stock very little here at our home office, as we drop ship almost everything from our suppliers. The same drop shipping would apply to you as a dealer. Your task would simply be to let growers know in your area that you are willing to help them get started by having THEM send in tests, apply the missing minerals and activators and actively monitoring and manipulating their crops during the season. CSI is always here to do the testing, provide recommendations and answer agronomic questions, so you will be able to feel comfortable in helping others while you “learn and earn” more yourself. It can be very rewarding to see others turn their farms around. The best way to get started is to call us and plan on going to Acres in Dec.

TRAVEL: Louisa & I plan on attending the Alabama Grazefest on Sept. 11-12 in Montgomery, Alabama at the Garrett Coliseum. It is sponsored by the US Grass Fed society. Call them at 256 845-3009. We have two extra tickets we will offer to anyone willing to “give us a break” at the booth. We may be invited to New Zealand this fall, but still pending.

We continue to advise people who have serious health problems to contact us about Eniva, use the services of a homeopath/naturopath or other recommended alternative practitioner. SeaSilver is making a comeback after being “victimized” by the FDA. The legal drug culture and allopathic medicine are breaking families and ruining the economy. New studies, which include nursing home statistics, show doctors, hospitals and allopathic medicine to be the leading cause of death in the US. [See four part series at Mercola.com]

FOR SALE: One of our clients offers a “like brand new”, still in the box HOT HOUSE unit at half price. We have used one of the Far Infrared units for four years and love it. Call CSI.