A farmers stand against monsanto.

[grassfarmer]

Try taking a look at his website.

http://brownsranch.us/?id=1

Who said anything about taking all the crops off?
That's only what you do with the unsustainable
conventional model. Growing crops that fix nitrogen,
grazing crops on site with cattle all create and return
nutrients to the soil. These are all part of Gabe's
strategy.
I guess none are as blind as those who don't want to
see.

[wd9]

Yes, pretty website. I'm sure it helps with sales, which
is what it is all about. Certainly nothing about actually
replacing nutrients. Please point out where on the site
you are referring to that i refuse to see.

Crops do fix nitrogen. We went over that already. Crop
every second year or only grow legumes.

But that does not address the others. And only half the
answer for N.

Tom, mining is mining. Whether from 4 feet down or 6
inches.

Jump start is a great example of paying for phosphate
twice. Once to mine it with acidity, once to replace it.
Acidity only works so far too. Soil equilibrium is
complex.

If we didn't take anything off the land, then it would be
healthy. If we take energy off, we need to replace it.

http://soil.gsfc.nasa.gov/index.php?section=74 explains
how long it takes to make an inch of soil - but only if
nothing is removed.

[wd9]

So i asked Gabe the question directly here is his reply:


Brown's Ranch Brian, Great question. The answer lies in the
miracle of a properly functioning mineral cycle. This occurs
when we have a healthy ecosystem. By this I mean we have the
combination of soil biology along with root exudates from a very
diverse plant community and very diverse insect and animal
communities all working to insure a properly functioning mineral
cycle. We have shown that this mineral cycle is actually taking
organic forms of these nutrients and converting them to
inorganic (plant available) forms. Tests done on our soils by
Dr. Rick Haney, ARS Temple, Texas have proven this. Now, it is
true that when we export produce from our land we are exporting
nutrients however, there is no way for me to know how much of
these nutrients occur in the soils on our ranch.

For you see, a proper functioning mineral cycle is able to cycle
organic minerals that are for example, in the case of
phosphorus, currently "tied up" as rock phosphate. We have not
used any synthetic fertilizers on our home unit since 2008 and
yet current tests show that nutrient levels in the top 24" are
increasing despite our "exporting" grains and meat. Our soils
are alive, our management just needs to allow it to function
properly.

[ColevilleH2S]

In an organic system, unless the human
feces and urine are put back on the soil
in which the food is harvested from,
there is no cycle. Only mining and
export.

[TOM4CWB]

coleville,

Many Municipalities are doing exactly that.

Toilet to table: Human waste serves as cheap, effective
fertilizer
By Bob Shaw
bshaw@pioneerpress.com
Posted: 01/13/2013 12:01:00 AM CST
Updated: 01/22/2013 11:44:46 AM CST

http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_22367291/fr
om-your-toilet-your-dining-table

East of Edmonton we applied this for years... was a
very good source of nutrients.

Cheers!

[wd9]

I've asked Mr Brown how this cycle works.
So far no reply.

[wd9]

And we've been having a great
conversation on facebook. Sharing ideas
and thoughts.

[FarmRanger]

<i>"The answer lies in the miracle of a properly
functioning mineral cycle."</i> 
Having a healthy soil ecosystem isn't really any
more of a miracle than life itself is a miracle.  
Where reality and the organic gospel really start
to part ways is when they say that using crop
protection products and fertilizers will destroy soil
ecosystems.  Mr. Brown has correctly figured out
that a lack of diversity in crop rotations and  
excessive tillage will reduce productivity of soils.  
This is true regardless of whether they're farmed
"organic" or not.   

Its really not rocket science after that: The only
way you can remove crops while maintaining soil
nutrient levels is to either add back those nutrients
yourself, or farm downwind from an active
volcano. ;-)