Depleted

The history books tell of settlers moving on to new ground every 2-5 years because the soil played out and the family was getting sick and weak. It's been this way sense 1936, Senate Document No. 264, warned Americans that the soils used to grow fruits and vegetables were seriously deficient in needed minerals. Most of us will not be moving into our survival site until the last year. Trying to find good soil will be a problem. When I buy the best organic soil I can find at about $7/bag only to find out it has been farmed out of trace minerals with lots of sawdust dumped in. Plant growth in this soil observed to be not healthy. I become concerned. Most of the soil in the US is in this or worse poor condition. In addition any given plot of soil can have pesticides and other toxins in it. The majority of us are all green at this. Then to top it off we need to get maximum yield / square ft with little to no light.

Offered by Mike.

I have heard that something like 90% of the essential nutritional minerals in the soils of our ancestors are not there in our agricultural soil today. I have pondered for years over how best to replenish soil that is short of essential minerals. There is evidence that those peoples who are the most long-lived happen to live and grow their vegetables in high mineral soils. Alluvial soils and soils that were recently glacier beds are good examples. Some companies are even promoting something called "glacial milk," if I recall correctly, which is derived from such soil. I wonder if there is a way of amending soil with appropriate volumes of these essential minerals, in the manner we add compost, etc. Imagine taking a dump truck to a moraine or old riverbed (established as being a good mineral/non pollutant source) and scooping up a load. Any ideas on the best way to do this? What would be the best sites throughout different regions?

Offered by Granville.

I can attest to the success of a garden plot that is over 20 years old that has never displayed any signs of mineral depletion. However I understand that there are areas of the US and other countries were the soil has been farmed out and is very deficient in vital minerals. Vitamin B-12 is an example of a mineral dependent life building block. Without Cobalt and the bacteria that convert it into Vitamin B-12, there is none of this vitamin. If cobalt is present in the subsoil and the underlying strata of rock, then it will become available to the bacteria that convert it into B-12 by natural means. These natural means take time, a lot of time. We may need a quicker fix. But if you follow the methods of your ancestors and consider replenishing that which is missing (get a soil test!) and rotate your crops and return all of your waste to the soil, you will not have to worry so much about deficiencies.

Offered by Roger.