Why “organic” does and does not matter
The father of chemical fertilizer’s was a German Scientist Justus Von Liebig, who studied plant growth and determined what elements plant’s most frequently consumed. His experiments revealed among many other things that plants uptake elemental nutrients in ionic form. Meaning that minerals and elements get broken down into the smallest particle size before entering the root, and that synthetic chemical’s produced in factories could supply these ions. His later research focused on the biology that was responsible for this breaking down of the minerals into plant available nutrients. He discovered microbiology within the soil was negatively effected by chemical fertilizers. He realized this error would lead to mass ecological destruction but it was too late, the chemical fertilizer industry had already been created.
Chemical salt fertilizers will feed your plants but are simultaneously killing the microbes (organic life) Through osmotic pressure the microorganisms are ripped apart. These fertilizers also run off into other ecosystems, contaminating water ways and the like. Nature has built a perfectly designed system for extracting nutrients from the mineral rock and soil but we impatiently override it. Once chemical fertilizers are applied this process must be upkept because the biological systems that were in place to recycle those nutrients are no longer there. Seems like a pretty good deal for fertilizer companies.
Mechanical tilling/plowing can be just as destructive on the microbiology as applying chemical fertilizers. This would be a good time to mention “organics” shortcomings. Just because food is grown organically doesn’t mean it has more vitamins, minerals or antioxidants than chemically grown crops. The health of the plant really comes down to the individual farmer’s practices and how fertile their land is. Tilling, monocropping, plowing and some “organic” acceptable fertilizers can all destroy fertility if overused. No till farming methods have gained a lot of traction lately and it’s because farmers are rediscovering regenerative practices and the importance of biology behind them.
Understanding photosynthesis and how to naturally boost the photosynthetic engine is key to successful farming. Health, quality and yield of our crop depends upon how efficiently and effectively we are able to run this engine. Developing regenerative farming techniques is essential for the balance of our ecosystem’s as well as our health; because healthy soil=healthy plants and healthy plants = Healthy animals and humans.