On Solar Powered Nitrogen Factories

Recently, I was invited into a discussion on the potential for “solar powered nitrogen factories”. The dialog dealt with using legumes and grasses as cover crops to increase soil fertility. This is of course, a great strategy which farmers are adopting at large scales. As the cover crops grow, they release sugars that feed soil … Read more

Growing Organic Blackberries in the Desert Requires an Emphasis on Soil Microbiology

Who says you can’t grow blackberries in the desert?  South of the Organ Mountains, near Vado, New Mexico, soils are characterized by heavy calcium carbonate (aka caliche) deposits on or near the surface.  This caliche becomes sticky when wet, binding together to form an impervious, concrete-like layer that water cannot easily drain through. The natural … Read more

Best Ways to Enjoy the Nutrition of a Microbiome

Whole foods contain active enzymes and complex, living microbiomes Health and wellness experts usually agree whole foods are the best source of nutrition.  Yet here in the US, we support an enormous dietary supplement industry, and many of those supplements offer only one or a few nutrients in a single pill?  For example, one product … Read more

Chemical Dependency Starts in the Soil

Chemical dependence begins in the soil where our food is grown. Chemical Dependency Is About So Much More Than Recreational Drugs Growing up on the edge of Generation X, I learned early on about the most universally recognized forms of chemical dependency.  In our community, we were exposed to a number of people who drank too … Read more

What Endophytes Reveal about GMOs

As mainstream media in the US continue to downplay concerns about the safety of genetically modified foods, bloggers, independent news providers and social media groups continue to voice concerns in and beyond the United States.  Debate centers around the dietary and ecological safety of genetically modified organisms (hence “G-M-O’s”) in our food system. Figure 1. … Read more

Repurposing Victory Gardens

During World Wars I and II, families on the home fronts in many countries were encouraged to plant victory gardens. Home food production was recognized as fundamental to national security, and victory gardens became a source of national pride and patriotism. Food grown at home provided critical relief from the death, famine, and destruction created … Read more