Thoughts of The Soil Foodweb at pickup today

Ronnie did the honors today, driving to collect the various harvests for our CSA. He picked up all sorts of things, including me from the airport! Thanks Ronnie!

I just got back from Oregon. I spent four days learning about soil biology from scientist Dr. Elaine Ingham. She is a genius, deserves a Nobel Prize. If more farmers adopted her biological approach, icky agrichemicals - and the demand for them - would be vastly reduced. The world doesn't need NPK, it needs B. BIOLOGY. She has data, case studies and proof that good soil biology produces robust, healthy crops. If farmers focused on maintaining that - a soil teeming with a diverse range of carefully farmed microorganisms - then application after application of NPK wouldn't be necessary, nor would tilling or discing. Dr. Elaine Ingham is to Good, what Monsanto is to Evil.

Ingham's Soil Foodweb approach is all I plan to use at our new growing ground in Glassell Park. It's chez Laura and Andrew Avery (and thank goodness for them!) I'm going to feed and monitor the biology in the soil there, grow flowers without adding any blood or bone meal - nothing but compost and compost teas - and log the progress. A new 400 x microscope and Earthfort tea brewer now rank as VITs (Very Important Tools) in my still non-exitent toolshed.

Here's what we had at CSA pickup today:

Tierra Miguel Foundation: red kuri, butternut and tuffy squashes; cilantro; oregano; gorgeous carrots; persimmons. Big hug to the team at Tierra Miguel. They've been dealing with some harsh weather conditions that have damaged crops yet they still deliver and always with a smile and friendly warmth. Thank you Erin + team!!

Underwood Family Farms: purple kale, red leaf lettuce, fennel bulb, spaghetti squash, leek, French breakfast radish, artichokes, celery, nappa cabbage.

Weiser Family Farms: Russian Banana potatoes, beets, watermelon radishes, heirloom carrots.

Rancho Santa Cecilia: mandarin satsumas, limes

Silver Lake Farms: pea shoot microgreens and red and yellow chard microgreens mix.

Thanks everyone and see you soon!

Tara