Biological Farming Vocabulary + Key Concepts

This month we're going to cover some basics of the vocabulary your going to see a lot as we continue our discussion of Biological Farming. There are also a few key concepts that are the foundation for Biological Farming. 

Vocabulary:

Balance-

            -Microbial: Balance between different microbes; fungi & bacteria.

            -Chemical: Balance between different minerals; to much of one will inhibit availability in others minerals. Example: Phorsphers & Zinc; to much of either one will make the other unavailable.

            -Energy: Depending on the plant; reproductive (fruit blossoms) or growth (after blooms)

Mineral Availability: Just because minerals are in the soil, that doesn’t mean they are available. Microbes are KEY, without microbes the plant cannot pick up the minerals. Microbes are the stomach of the plant.

Timing-

            -Plant Physiology: The grower needs to know so they can feed the appropriate energy (growth/reproductive).

Microbes: Are what do the solubilizing of minerals; are the driving force of the ecosystem. Digest minerals, that the plant can use.

Energy: All life lives off energy; people, plants, , microbes- interaction of different minerals.

Brix: The measure of suable solids in sap and fruit. Also proportional to the percentage of sugar. More minerals = more nutrient density.

Photosynthesis: a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy, normally from the Sun, into chemical energy that can be later released to fuel the organisms' activities (energy transformation).

Genetic Potential: The potential charastics of the plant according to its genetic code. Growers don’t realize their potential because they don’t give the crop everything it needs.

Ryzosphere: microscopic area/zone around the root tip. Thousands of microbes feed from the exudates of the plant and in turn reach out and souilblize minerals making them available to the plants.

Organic Matter-

            - Active: Carbon substances where microbes are actively digesting.

            - Non Active: Carbon substance found in soil are not being digested.

Key Concepts:

1.     Microbes are the stomach of the plant. They digest and make minerals available to the plant.

2.     Imperative to plant - resistant disease – has higher amounts of minerals in tissue.

3.     All life lives off energy, sun provides, interaction of minerals.

4.     Nutrient Dense Food; surplus of energy. Food that is lacking in nutrients can pull energy from the body. Example: A granny smith apple takes more energy for your body to digest this means that the apple did not have a lot of nutrients in it to begin with.