John Kempf -- Simple & Comprehensive Fertility Management for Market Gardens

In this session, John Kempf discusses how to manage soil health and crop nutrition using a simple “broad brush strokes” approach that can be used when there are many diverse crops in a small space, without sap analysis, and with very limited use of soil analysis. When we address the macro factors that determine nutrient availability such as paramagnetism, soil biology, and soil geology, it is possible for the home and market gardener to develop a systems-based, “one size fits all” approach to soil fertility and plant health that is comprehensive and straightforward at the same time.
2021 Soil & Nutrition Conference - soilandnutrition.org/
Hosted by the Bionutrient Food Association - bionutrient.org/

[@C.Hawkshaw]

Rudy Steiner’s lectures on agriculture were 100 years ago this month! 🙌 🎉🌾🥬🌽🧅🧄🌶🥑🥕👨‍🌾🧑🏼‍🌾🧑🏼‍🌾👨‍🌾 Let’s partyyyyy! Think I’ll make a carrot cake! John Kempf is the new Rudy Steiner.

[@otivaeey]

Omg, you can change the title to "how to achieve health and fertility without plant sap analysis in a polyculture/garden context". This is a podcast I have been eager to see answered by John. Well, he made it into a Bible level. Everytime I come back to watch, there's something important that I missed. Thank you John. You got to listen to his every word like prophecy.

[@andrewyates1819]

It is prophecy.

[@jeffcrist2977]

Amazing stuff. I was able to follow these guidelines on a small scale outdoors with 18 tomatoes getting 9-10 hr.s full sun. After burying banana skin, coffee grounds, eggshells, and sardines 12" down, I grabbed buckets full of compost, mulched leaves, and soil from the woods next door. Mixed it in with the original soil from the bed I was prepping. I harvested tree bark from a huge dead tree lying in the shady moist environment of the woods. The bark was thick, (oak or cottonwood?) underneath covered in white hairs. I used that as my cover mulch, blanketing the bed. I didn't fertilize or apply anything other than Epsom salt in the watering can with 4 applications. The fruiting is surreal and the flavors are strong and balanced. So now I just have to keep the fly-wheel going. I have to somehow replicate that on a much larger scale. It's thrilling all the way around tho. I learned something major. I watched Dr. James White when you mentioned him. The clouds parted, and the choir sang AAaahhhhhh! This all just makes so much sense as I "dig deeper". Happening to find AEA and you has changed my life in no small measure.

[@paulbraga4460]

if you please, you do not mention soil test in your process!!!??? also epsom salt? indicated by a soil test? mygreathanks and blessings

[@gfl36963]

@@paulbraga4460 and hbyby guy h byguy

[@geezergeezer1]

Jeff: to replicate on a larger scale, drink more coffee. Works for me!

[@rajpoot99]

Excellent, as a lay man bravo!! As an observer It may be added that in very wet environments one may need raised bed plantings with zero till after breaking hardpan/compaction

[@smileysgarden]

I always learn so much and enjoy John kempf talks. Thank you 👏

[@WeDewey]

Thank you!!!!! This podcast will be my reference for all things soil geological analysis. I had no idea how critical soil tThank you!!!!! This podcast will be my reference for soil analysis. I had no idea how critical geological soil testing is. I live in NE Alabama and am interested in organic alfafa farming using 1 acre land, experimental only.

[@davehansen4208]

Just WoW 🙌🏻 thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and continuing our growth and understanding of our impact and what we can do to help future generations. 🤙🏻

[@jeremyschissler337]

you kick ass!!!!💪

[@TheFarmacySeedsNetwork]

This is another excellent informative talk! Thank Dan and John!

[@joshbiggums4268]

You are everywhere

[@paulbraga4460]

wonderful, particularly for the gardener or community farm...mygreathanks and blessings

[@andrewyates1819]

This is a beautiful thing. 😍

[@regenerativegardeningwithpatti]

Thank you Dan and John! All excellent information for anyone grower but especially for the market or home gardeners, the knowledge sharing is fantastic :) The more I listen to John Kempf the more confidences I am gaining and putting trust my into microbes. The biggest issue I am seeing in my area (eastern and central Montana) is field bindweed, please provide a webinar or short video on this topic it will help a lot of farmers and gardeners. Bless you guy's keep up the great work!

[@lynnwilliams3427]

John check out Hortaqua Rocky Williams air as plant food, KZbin

[@danam2584]

I have a problem in eastern North Dakota that my field bindweed is even complaining about to much bindweed.

[@regenerativegardeningwithpatti]

@@danam2584 Yes, the entire are of ND and MT and parts of Canada need a lot of help with bindweed issues.

[@TheVigilantStewards]

Love John Kempf but I do home market gardening (biointensive) so I'm super thrilled to see his stuff applied to that scale and purpose and context!!!!

[@paulruizbraga855]

magnificent...any more would have been too much for the purposes of this lecture - it is a "putting it all together" presentation - that struggle we must all go through whether one is gardening a quarter of a hectare or 100 hectares...blessings to all

[@garettwatson8468]

Dr. Ingham says every soul has enough nutrients to grow a perfectly healthy crop, even the the trace ones. Would love to figure out why your two opinions differ as I respect you both immensely

[@dannybarrett1742]

Thanks for the informative lecture. I've found the quote from the first few minutes of the lecture and the person to whom it's credited: "I would not give a fig for the simplicity this side of complexity, but I would give my life for the simplicity on the other side of complexity.” Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. (not Oliver Cromwell) 😁

[@FlylightD]

I have a hard time understand mulch. I have plenty of wood chips and oak leaves but it’s seems that people really like using hay or straw but I can’t find any that isn’t sprayed with herbicide. How are people getting this? I’m near Atlanta.

[@TheVigilantStewards]

Is this info in John Kempf's Quality Agriculture textbook? I really hope it is all in there! Once money starts coming back in it's on my permaculture list of books to buy

[@paulbraga4460]

it is there kinda, that is, scattered all over the place. the book is actually of interviews you can find at AEA and John's blog. why i did not buy the book. and you said "my permaculture list of books." it certainly does not have the flavor of permaculture. i have not heard Kempf comment on permaculture and i easily remember even a passing mention when i am listening...blessings to all

[@glassbackdiy3949]

What is the recomended application rate for Basalt power to increase/provide paramagnitism?

[@nc4801]

A question on rhizophagy - in light of this research does this mean we should cease applying NPK completely, even if we are applying organic NPK amendments to the soil? If we do need to add these, should they only be applied as a foliar application as to not disrupt this rhizophagy process?

[@mauricecalliss1303]

I always thought plants fed of biology anyway i thought that was everyone's understanding. And ions in hydrophonics was just an artificial way to grow . And to me soil seems to have turned In to just a substrate . (Turning soil into rockwool) and feeding it ions. Its got to have been so obvious .comon sense speaks volumes .how can anybody not have known theses things that were discussing now. As brilliant as the science is. I'm no farmer but why arnt we already growing in super healthy soils .it's an ironic situation. But glad it's getting steered back oncourse.

[@RickThePeasant]

Great presentation. Can someone please list the 5 cover crops, I missed them.

[@hosoiarchives4858]

This was live? How did I miss?

[@ttanne7838]

where do you get SE? At AEA?

[@bhishmadesai6500]

Wonderful information and great presentation. Can someone give more information on geological essay and CEC test.

[@CorJenFarm]

The geological essay is a "total test" that extracts all the usual minerals on a soil test and shows you how much is truly in your soil. Midwest labs does the test. I believe it's $22.

[@TheVigilantStewards]

So if you were using a Geoff Lawton Chicken compost system where they help with the plant based compost piles that would be ok? And for the overly nitrified area of the coop, you could use that on biomass production areas off of the market garden and maintain just vermicompost and plant based compost for the rows?

[@mmccrownus2406]

I suggest KNF chickens as a search

[@mmccrownus2406]

Korean natural farming JADAM version

[@dewinovianty8107]

If I brewing compost tea, is it fungal can be cultures in the water? Sorry if my English not good. Thanks

[@Norbingel]

John says that there's a potential problem when adding animal manure to vermicompost but doesn't elaborate. Does anyone know what the problem is? I'm assuming it has to do with the potential diseases? I thought worms could process it out of the manure. Would putting the manure through black soldier flies first then their frass to worms eliminate the problem? Ty!

[@TurboA4]

How do all the other bugs in the soil contribute?

[@Meterialgirl000]

what a good interview ;)

[@miramirez3574]

❤️‍🔥

[@vytautaskacka7907]

What is the optimal temperature for soil biology? Too high temperature stops biology but too low temperature shall also at least slowdown biology or not?

[@jacoblandis4535]

I believe it is similar to the temperature range most plants prefer. 16-30C But the micro climate around the roots can be a bit different than the surrounding soil temp, specifically when it gets cold. The biology around plant roots can keep that area warmer when the outside temp gets colder. But also consider that plants are feeding the soil biology, and healthy plants feed the biology better than stressed plants. Different plants perform better in different temperatures, so a diversity of root systems will encourage soil biology that can continue working at high levels over a broad range of temperatures.

[@chrisshepherd8708]

What about rabbit manure?

[@NinjaRastaMon]

All the thumbs down are guys with hydro systems and a closet full of bottled chemicals

[@twiggyfuentesrn7939]

Okay

[@mauricecalliss1303]

I know this may not seem relevant in relation to soils. But .I've seen 2 feet deep of sand in a mouth of a marine estuary covering a substantial area just up and move in just one tide that had no heavy movement current to be able to move such a large amount of sand being covered by 2 feet of water. And then return a week later. That seem impossible. The water never moved it not without help. Electromagnetic charge from biology or them clinging to sand particulates maybe. These were regular cycles it would come and go (2feet of sand gone grom a large area only being covered by one foot of water ) thats questionable but i tell you its truth. These things were just never questioned but similar archetypes are at work land and sea .I'm sure there's a relevant there for thought. Thank you

[@matthewkheyfets1309]

How does this work for pots 🤣

[@marlan5470]

"Plants are not vegetarian"...