[QUOTE=Auntbeast]
He discusses the visual difference in soils of a mass producing farmer vs. a more natural method. A dull grey vs. a rich brown.
[/quote]
Well first off WTF does “a more natural method” of farming even mean? All farming is inherently unnatural. You can’t have a more natural method of farming.
Secondly while it is true that “organic” farm soils will often be depleted and a dull grey colour that does not need to be the case. With care organic farming can be almost as conservative of soil structure as normal farming practice.
What exactly does that mean? And can you provide references?
Bollocks. Traditional farming is slash and burn, the stubble is burned and the nutrients lost as smoke or dispersed as ash. Traditional farming rotates crops only in the sense of leaving swiddens fallow for a few decades between burning events.
Oh, what, you didn’t meant that type of traditional farming? The pray tell precisely which farming tradition you are referring to?
What, you mean like the people in Palestine 3000 years ago did? Or the people in England 2000 years ago? Or the people in New Zealand 500 years ago? Or the people in the USA 100 years ago?
Once more you seem to be talking about some mythical golden age that simply never existed in reality.
Well, no, nothing guarantees that. But don’t; you think a scientifically formulated chemical supplement of trace elements and macronutrients is somewhat more likely to meet those needs than a random helping of compost?
Clearly almost everybody in the world disagree with you.
True, and one of the things that we keep learning is that the best way to get those micronutrients is to ensure that people have access to a variety of high fresh food. The one thing that will ensure nutrient deficiency is to make food expensive and seasonal through so-called ‘natural’ farming practices.
People today are healthier and better nourished than ever before in the history of our species. That is due almost entirely to the use of optimal agricultural practice and the abandonment of unproductive traditions based on superstition.
Yes and Ice Cream at the seaside always tastes better too.
Not a difficult question: when people are no longer willing to pay for them. It really is that simple.
[QUOTE=brujaja]
Here are some cites
[/quote]
Umm, what are these supposed to be cites of
The first link is noting but an unattributed exert from an anonymous speaker quoting from an unnamed source from a session of congress. It is totally meaningless. We don’t even know whether the speaker was criticising the claims made or agreeing with them.
The second link is a single paragraph dealing with the effects of acid rain on soils. Nothing whatsoever to do with “poor agricultural methods”. In fact it is specifically referring to non-agricultural environments: forests, lakes, and streams.
The third link is to some commercial organisation that is selling supplements to replace these supposedly depleted nutrients. It never provides any evidence that such depletion has ever occurred, simply that you should give them money counteract the effect. This is no different to a claim that your charkas are misaligned and that you should give me money to re-align them.
And I repeat: there is no evidence that they go anywhere. The whole claim is totally bogus. Soils, agricultural or otherwise, can become nutrient deficient through any number of mechanisms but the idea that agricultural soil in the US is nutrient deficient is bollocks.
Look, this is quite simple. If you want to ask how poor agriculture practices can lead to soil depletion then ask that question. I at least will happily answer you. But if you insist on promoting the ignorant nonsense that crops are devoid of essential minerals and soils are nutrient deficient the you will keep getting the same response: such claims are ignorant nonsense used to sell books and sugar pills to the gullible.
