Time for a big change
The time is coming when it will be viable to grow all food organically and biodynamically. With the rising cost of fertilizers, it suddenly makes sense to change how you grow food. Now it makes complete sense because it has become the only way farmers will survive. Luckily there are already thousands of successful Biodynamic and Organic farmers that ‘normal’ farmers can learn from.
Interestingly the high cost of fuel is also fast-tracking the use of electric cars and bicycles. Some good things coming out of the death and destruction going on in Ukraine at the moment.
I watched an amazing documentary a year ago about three families that were all seriously ill who changed their food from ‘industrial’ (Roundup GMO) to organic and got better. The same applies to cars. If we all drive much smaller engine cars that are powered by green energy produced electricity then the environment will improve and so will our own health.
For the hundreds of farmers who cannot afford to buy fertilizer anymore, it is possible to convert your farm to organic or biodynamic. This will help you financially, spiritually and physically. Make the change, be born again, and make the world a better place.
I used a lot of chicken manure in my vegetable garden years ago. It made the soil so black and crumbly. Even if you can’t go organic straight away, using animal manures, after they have been composted will work very well.
I had friends who were Biodynamic farmers and they swore by it. The proof was in the pudding. They had a small amount of pest damage with their fruit which was a small hassle seeing how delicious their fruit was.
What did people use before modern fertilizers?
Guano (Spanish from Quechua: wanu) is the accumulated excrement of seabirds and bats. As a manure, guano is a highly effective fertilizer due to its exceptionally high content of nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium: key nutrients essential for plant growth. Guano was also, to a lesser extent, sought for the production of gunpowder and other explosive materials.
The 19th-century guano trade played a pivotal role in the development of modern input-intensive farming, but its demand began to decline after the discovery of the Haber–Bosch process of nitrogen fixing led to the production of synthetic fertilizers. The demand for guano spurred the human colonization of remote bird islands in many parts of the world, resulting in some of the first examples of U.S. colonialism and the expansion of the British Empire.
About Guano
A history from Wikipedia
History of fertilizer
The history of fertilizer has largely shaped political, economic, and social circumstances in their traditional uses. Subsequently, there has been a radical reshaping of environmental conditions following the development of chemically synthesized fertilizers.[1][2][3]
History
Egyptians, Romans, Babylonians, and early Germans all are recorded as using minerals and/or manure to enhance the productivity of their farms. The use of wood ash as a field treatment became widespread.[4]
Fish was used as fertilizer, at least as early as 1620.
In the 19th century, guano, which had been known and used in the Andes for at least 1500 years, was taken in large quantities from Peru and Chile (and later also from Namibia and other areas) to Europe and the USA.
Key figures in Europe
In the 1730s, Viscount Charles Townshend (1674–1738) first studied the improving effects of the four crop rotation system that he had observed in use in Flanders. For this he gained the nickname of Turnip Townshend.
Johann Fredrich Mayer
Johann Friedrich Mayer (1719–1798) was the first to present to the world a series of experiments upon it the relation of gypsum to agriculture, and many chemists have followed him in the 19th century. Early 19th century however a great variety of opinion remained with regard to its mode of operation, for example:[5]
The French agronomist Victor Yvart (1763–1831)[6] believed that the action of gypsum is exclusively the effect of the sulphuric acid, which enters into its composition; and founds this opinion upon the fact that the ashes of turf, which contain sulphate of iron and sulphate of alumina, have the same action upon vegetation as gypsum.[5]
The French agronomist Charles Philibert de Lasteyrie (1759–1849), observing that plants whose roots were nearest the surface of the soil were most acted upon by plaster, concludes that gypsum takes from the atmosphere the elements of vegetable life, and transmits them directly to plants.[5]
Louis Augustin Guillaume Bosc intimates that the septic quality of gypsum (which he takes for granted) best explains its action on vegetation; but this opinion is subverted by the experiments of Davy.[5]
Humphry Davy found that, of two parcels of minced veal, the one mixed with gypsum, the other left by itself, and both exposed to the action of the sun, the latter was the first to exhibit symptoms of putrefaction. Davy’s own belief on this subject is, that it makes part of the food of vegetables, is received into the plant, and combined with it.[5]
Mayer also promote new regimes of crop rotation.[7]
Justus von Liebig
Chemist Justus von Liebig (1803–1873) contributed greatly to the advancement in the understanding of plant nutrition. His influential works first denounced the Albrecht Thaer theory of humus, arguing first the importance of ammonia, and later promoting the importance of inorganic minerals to plant nutrition.[8] Liebig denied organo-mineral interactions, and confounded plant nutrients with mineral elements. His theories were quickly disproven by the scientific community as a gross simplification, but the intermingling of economic interests with academic research, led to a process of ‘knowledge erosion’ in the field.[9]
In England, he attempted to implement his theories commercially through a fertilizer created by treating phosphate of lime in bone meal with sulfuric acid.[citation needed] Although it was much less expensive than the guano that was used at the time, it failed because it was not able to be properly absorbed by crops.[citation needed]
Sir John Bennet Lawes
John Bennet Lawes, an English entrepreneur, began to experiment on the effects of various manures on plants growing in pots in 1837, and a year or two later the experiments were extended to crops in the field. One immediate consequence was that in 1842 he patented a manure formed by treating phosphates with sulphuric acid, and thus was the first to create the artificial manure industry.[10] In the succeeding year he enlisted the services of Joseph Henry Gilbert, who had studied under Liebig at the University of Giessen, as director of research at the Rothamsted Experimental Station which he founded on his estate. To this day, the Rothamsted research station the pair founded still investigates the impact of inorganic and organic fertilizers on crop yields.[11]
Jean Baptiste Boussingault
In France, Jean Baptiste Boussingault (1802–1887) pointed out that the amount of nitrogen in various kinds of fertilizers is important.
Metallurgists Percy Gilchrist (1851–1935) and Sidney Gilchrist Thomas (1850–1885) invented the Gilchrist–Thomas process, which enabled the use of high phosphorus acidic Continental ores for steelmaking. The dolomite lime lining of the converter turned in time into calcium phosphate, which could be used as fertilizer, known as Thomas-phosphate.
The Birkeland-Eyde Process
The Birkeland–Eyde process was developed by Norwegian industrialist and scientist Kristian Birkeland along with his business partner Sam Eyde in 1903, based on a method used by Henry Cavendish in 1784.[12] This process was used to fix atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into nitric acid (HNO3), one of several chemical processes generally referred to as nitrogen fixation. The resultant nitric acid was then used for the production of synthetic fertilizer. A factory based on the process was built in Rjukan and Notodden in Norway, combined with the building of large hydroelectric power facilities.[13] The process is inefficient in terms of energy usage, and is today replaced by the Haber process.[14]
The Haber Process
In the early decades of the 20th century, the Nobel prize-winning chemists Carl Bosch of IG Farben and Fritz Haber developed the Haber process[15] which utilized molecular nitrogen (N2) and methane (CH4) gas in an economically sustainable synthesis of ammonia (NH3). The ammonia produced in the Haber process is the main raw material of the Ostwald process.
The Ostwald process
The Ostwald process is a chemical process for production of nitric acid (HNO3), which was developed by Wilhelm Ostwald (patented 1902). It is a mainstay of the modern chemical industry and provides the raw material for the most common type of fertilizer production, globally (for example, ammonium nitrate, a common fertilizer, is made by reacting ammonia with nitric acid). Historically and practically it is closely associated with the Haber process, which provides the requisite raw material, ammonia (NH3).
Erling Johnson
In 1927 Erling Johnson developed an industrial method for producing nitrophosphate, also known as the Odda process after his Odda Smelteverk of Norway.[citation needed] The process involved acidifying phosphate rock (from Nauru and Banaba Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean) with nitric acid to produce phosphoric acid and calcium nitrate which, once neutralized, could be used as a nitrogen fertilizer.
Industry
An ammonia generator
British
The developing sciences of chemistry and Paleontology, combined with the discovery of coprolites in commercial quantities in East Anglia, led Fisons and Packard to develop sulfuric acid and fertilizer plants at Bramford, and Snape, Suffolk in the 1850s to create superphosphates, which were shipped around the world from the port at Ipswich. By 1871 there were about 80 factories making superphosphate.[where?][16]
After World War I these businesses came under competitive pressure from naturally produced guano, primarily found on the Pacific islands, as their extraction and distribution had become economically attractive.[citation needed]
The interwar period[17] saw innovative competition from Imperial Chemical Industries who developed synthetic ammonium sulfate in 1923, Nitro-chalk in 1927, and a more concentrated and economical fertilizer called CCF (Concentrated Complete Fertiliser) based on ammonium phosphate in 1931.[18] Competition was limited as ICI ensured it controlled most of the world’s ammonium sulfate supplies.
North America and other European Countries
Founded in 1812, Mirat, producer of manures and fertilizers, is claimed to be the oldest industrial business in Salamanca (Spain).
Other European and North American fertilizer companies developed their market share, forcing the English pioneer companies to merge, becoming Fisons, Packard, and Prentice Ltd. in 1929.[citation needed] Together they produced 85,000 tons of superphosphate/year in 1934 from their new factory and deep-water docks in Ipswich. By World War II they had acquired about 40 companies, including Hadfields in 1935,[citation needed] and two years later the large Anglo-Continental Guano Works, founded in 1917.[citation needed]
The post-war environment was characterized by much higher production levels as a result of the “Green Revolution” and new types of seed with increased nitrogen-absorbing potential, notably the high-response varieties of maize, wheat, and rice. This has accompanied the development of strong national competition, accusations of cartels and supply monopolies, and ultimately another wave of mergers and acquisitions. The original names no longer exist other than as holding companies or brand names: Fisons and ICI agrochemicals are part of today’s Yara International[19] and AstraZeneca companies.
Major players in this market now include the Russian fertilizer company Uralkali (listed on the London Stock Exchange), whose former majority owner is Dmitry Rybolovlev, ranked by Forbes as 60th in the list of wealthiest people in 2008.
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I am a retired Photography Teacher, Refugee Settlement Manager, and Builder. For the past 10 years, I have been teaching part-time, writing books, taking photos and doing lots of research.
All the books I write come from experience and research. Yes, in my life so far I have worked with refugees, taught art, built houses, studied herbs, and health. I have also studied astrology spirituality including meditation, animal welfare, and poetry.
I sincerely hope that you can gain valuable information from my books (usually short and sweet introductions) to different facets of life I have visited.
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Where to find Roditch online
Website: http://roditch.com
Twitter: @roditch
Blog: http://roditch.com
Your Books
Light and Shade Series Book 2 by Roditch
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 140. Language: English. Published: May 7, 2022. Categories: Nonfiction » Art, Architecture, Photography » Applied arts » Photography
Black and White portraits by Roditch the photo poet from OZ.
Light and Shade Series Book 1 by Roditch
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 140. Language: English. Published: April 29, 2022. Categories: Nonfiction » Art, Architecture, Photography » Applied arts » Photography
Black and white photographs accompanied by poems by Roditch
Beautiful Buddha Series Book 3 by Roditch
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 130. Language: English. Published: April 27, 2022. Categories: Nonfiction » Inspiration » Spiritual inspiration
Buddha loved people and animals. He teaches us how to do the same.
Beautiful Buddha Series Book 2 by Roditch
Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 160. Language: English. Published: March 26, 2022. Categories: Nonfiction » New Age » Spiritualism
Poems and photographs about Buddha and the Buddhist religion
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 103,380. Language: English. Published: January 6, 2022. Categories: Nonfiction » Biography » Autobiographies & Memoirs
A story about my life in Warrnambool, Castlemaine and Rushworth
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 249,020. Language: English. Published: December 19, 2021. Categories: Nonfiction » Children’s Books » Lifestyles / Country Life
Time to dropout and start a new, secure and sustainable life.
Price: $2.00 USD. Language: English. Published: October 26, 2021. Categories: Nonfiction » Art, Architecture, Photography » Photography – Photo books
Portraits by Roditch. These photos are a collection of Roditch’s portraits over the past 5 years. They are a reflection of the person.
Price: $2.00 USD. Language: English. Published: October 26, 2021. Categories: Nonfiction » Art, Architecture, Photography » Photography – Photo books
This is a collection of photographs of rural Thailand. Including farmers, Monks, temples and farms
Price: $2.00 USD. Language: English. Published: October 24, 2021. Categories: Nonfiction » Art, Architecture, Photography » Photography – Photo books
Original Photos of Buddha sculptures Thailand taken by famous photographer Roditch
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 170. Language: English. Published: December 6, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » Inspiration » Spiritual inspiration
One reason I love Buddha is because he knew that animals had sentience, consciousness, and that consciousness was as valuable, respectable, sacred as any Homosapien.
Thailand of Dreams Series 1 by Roditch
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 170. Language: English. Published: December 4, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » Inspiration » Spiritual inspiration
Thailand is a country is worth exploring to regain your imagination, love of nature, fairy tales and spirits of the land.
Portraits and Souls Series 1 by Roditch
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 180. Language: English. Published: December 4, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » Inspiration » Spiritual inspiration
Portraits have always been there as a window into someone’s soul if only we are to look and care.
Beautiful Buddha Series 1 by Roditch
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 180. Language: English. Published: December 4, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » Inspiration » Spiritual inspiration
Buddha is the peace in the world. Everyone can benefit from Buddha,s teachings.
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 140. Language: English. Published: December 4, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » Inspiration » Spiritual inspiration
Children are the magic in the world. NASA has done research that confirms that all children are born creative geniuses, but, by the time they are 7 years old their genius has been retired by cultural and family conditioning.
Musing with the Fishes Series 1 by Roditch
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 180. Language: English. Published: December 4, 2020. Categories: Fiction » Inspirational
It is a wonderful way to relax and tune in with nature; just looking into water and musing with the fishes.
Off the Fence Posts by Roditch
Price: $3.00 USD. Words: 20. Language: English. Published: April 18, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » Art, Architecture, Photography » Photography – Photo books
This book is a collection of posts I have made over the past 3 years.
Musing with the Fishes by Roditch
Price: $10.00 USD. Words: 530. Language: English. Published: April 16, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » Art, Architecture, Photography » Photography – Photo books
What is real? As you look into these pictures you can see spirits and goblins and all sorts of magical things
Price: $10.00 USD. Words: 600. Language: English. Published: April 15, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » Art, Architecture, Photography » Photography – Photo books
Thailand people love family, culture, Buddha, music, and celebrations.
Price: $7.00 USD. Words: 1,090. Language: English. Published: April 15, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » Art, Architecture, Photography » Photography – Photo books
Thailand has a unique balance of culture, spirituality, art, agriculture, and the environment.
Price: $4.00 USD. Words: 7,120. Language: English. Published: April 14, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » Inspiration » General self-help
Right now you are creating your future if nothing else. This book is about a future that belongs to the rich and powerful.
Teaching ESL English Zen by Roditch
Price: $4.00 USD. Words: 5,990. Language: English. Published: April 14, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » Education & Study Guides » Teaching methods & materials / language arts
10 years of experience teaching ESL English to Kindergarten, Primary, Secondary, University, and Teachers.
Animal Sentience Zen by Roditch
Price: $4.00 USD. Words: 10,700. Language: English. Published: April 13, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » Science & Nature » Animals
Sentience is the word we use to say that we are animals like animals are human.
Price: $4.00 USD. Words: 3,550. Language: English. Published: April 13, 2020. Categories: Poetry » Contemporary Poetry
Poetry is a way to communicate more deeply and completely. It is not just about writing a poem it is being a poem for your family, friends, and society.
Price: $4.00 USD. Words: 2,900. Language: English. Published: April 13, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » Art, Architecture, Photography » Photography – how to
Photography comes from the soul as any art does, the deeper you go the better your photos will be.
Price: $3.00 USD. Words: 750. Language: English. Published: April 13, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » Art, Architecture, Photography » Artists
Shepparton, Victoria, Australia has produced an amazing amount of brilliant artists over the years.
Price: $3.00 USD. Words: 790. Language: English. Published: April 13, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » Science & Nature » Environment
The conservationists in the Goulburn Valley, Victoria Australia are outstanding people.
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 1,560. Language: English. Published: April 12, 2020. Categories: Poetry » Contemporary Poetry
Poetry from your own pen is a baby bird flying from the nest into the stars.
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 190. Language: English. Published: April 12, 2020. Categories: Poetry » Ancient Poetry
This is a book of original poems and photographs by Roditch, inspired by Zen Koans.
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 190. Language: English. Published: April 12, 2020. Categories: Poetry » Ancient Poetry
This is a book of original poems and photographs by Roditch, inspired by Zen Koans.
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 220. Language: English. Published: April 12, 2020. Categories: Poetry » Ancient Poetry
This is a book of original poems and photographs by Roditch, inspired by Zen Koans
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 210. Language: English. Published: April 12, 2020. Categories: Poetry » Ancient Poetry
This is a book of original poems and photographs by Roditch, inspired by Zen Koans.
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 210. Language: English. Published: April 12, 2020. Categories: Poetry » Ancient Poetry
This is a book of original poems and photographs by Roditch, inspired by Zen Koans.
Price: $4.00 USD. Words: 180. Language: English. Published: April 12, 2020. Categories: Poetry » Ancient Poetry
This is a book of original poems and photographs by Roditch, inspired by Zen Koans.
Price: $4.00 USD. Words: 180. Language: English. Published: April 11, 2020. Categories: Poetry » Ancient Poetry
This is a book of original poems and photographs by Roditch, inspired by Zen Koans.
Price: $4.00 USD. Words: 190. Language: English. Published: April 11, 2020. Categories: Poetry » Ancient Poetry
This is a book of original poems and photographs by Roditch, inspired by Zen Koans.
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 200. Language: English. Published: April 10, 2020. Categories: Poetry » Ancient Poetry
This book of original poems and photographs is inspired by Zen Koans
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 200. Language: English. Published: April 10, 2020. Categories: Poetry » Ancient Poetry
This book of original poems and photographs is inspired by Zen Koans.
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 190. Language: English. Published: April 10, 2020. Categories: Poetry » Contemporary Poetry
This book of original poems and photographs is inspired by Zen Koans
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 170. Language: English. Published: April 9, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » Religion & Spirituality » Ancient
This book of original poems and photographs is inspired by Zen Koans. The words come in an inspirational moment and have more meaning than you first think and challenge your mind; like Zen Koans.
Meditation and Prayer Zen by Roditch
Price: $4.00 USD. Words: 9,640. Language: English. Published: April 9, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » Health, wellbeing, & medicine » Mental health
Throughout history, meditators have been both influential and mysterious. To look at some of the great meditators, see their works and know them more deeply helps when meditating your way to a fuller and richer life.
Price: $4.00 USD. Words: 11,920. Language: English. Published: April 8, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » Health, wellbeing, & medicine » Aging well
The fountain of youth is real. By fasting 1 day a week, taking resveratrol, Metformin and AMPK you can live much longer, be more healthy and energetic
Price: $4.00 USD. Words: 8,580. Language: English. Published: April 8, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » Health, wellbeing, & medicine » Aging well
There are many places in the world where people still get a large proportion of their food in the wild. And there are just as many who go hunting for their food in supermarkets.
Price: $4.00 USD. Words: 6,580. Language: English. Published: April 7, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » Health, wellbeing, & medicine » Aging well
People worry about dying from Covid-19 but most of us are dying early because of cancer, heart and liver disease already.
GMO and Glyphosate Zen by Roditch
Price: $4.00 USD. Words: 6,870. Language: English. Published: April 7, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » Health, wellbeing, & medicine » Family health
If we don’t have the land or the time to grow our own food then we should buy only organic because Genetically Modified Food plastered with Glyphosate is not an option for a long and happy life
Fruits of Our Labour by Roditch
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 21,200. Language: English. Published: April 6, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » History » Australia & New Zealand
This book is a history of the Goulburn Valley Fruit Industry.
Teresa – Love on the Riverbank by Roditch
Price: $4.00 USD. Words: 1,810. Language: English. Published: April 4, 2020. Categories: Poetry » Epic
Our heart is silent when it wants to scream out “I am here, love me.” Poetry is kissing with words, words that can cross infinite boundaries of the mind to pierce the heart of a willing soul.
A Suitcase Full of Dreams by Roditch
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 83,830. Language: English. Published: April 3, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » History » Australia & New Zealand
The Goulburn Valley, Victoria, Australia is home to thousands of refugees and immigrants from around the world. Shepparton is the main city in the Goulburn Valley which is surrounded by orchards.
Francis of Warrnambool by Roditch
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 7,870. Language: English. Published: April 3, 2020. Categories: Fiction » Fairy tales
A lot of very talented people were born in Warrnambool in the ’50s. Like Dave Dawson, Peter Lucas and Jack Wilkins.
Debt and Self Sufficiency by Roditch
Price: $4.00 USD. Words: 6,090. Language: English. Published: April 2, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » Self-improvement » Emotional healing
We all have too much debt. It is time to pay it all back and remain debt-free forever.
Price: $4.00 USD. Words: 4,870. Language: English. Published: April 2, 2020. Categories: Nonfiction » Politics & Current Affairs » Civil & human rights
Everyone has the right to physical,. emotional and intellectual freedom. These rights are eroding and it is time to make a stand.
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