terra petra mad!

[Gerrit]

Dear friends,

The reason I am subscribing to Science Forum is that I have discovered a number of articles on the internet about self-regenerating soils - "terra petra" - soils as developed by the Amazonian Indians and made famous in the West by Wim Sombroek. How can we re-create these in North America?

From hence stems my interest? Some years ago, I was involved in mine tailings reclamation in Northern Ontario, Canada, and I once took most of the soil science courses at the University of Guelph in one year. I have also worked in soil conservation in Thailand for three years and worked there another 8 years in developing farming systems in general. At present, I have taken over the family fruit farm in Southwestern Ontario.

If any members of the Terra Petra thread live in Ontario, (or Michigan - an hour's drive from my farm, please let me know.)

I look forward to reading the entire thread as I have time, and get involved in doing some of my own experiments.

Gerrit

[InfiniteNow]

More than just a thread, Terra Preta has it's own forum here on Hypography. Lots of good information already available, and lots of opportunity to still share more.

Welcome to Hypography, Gerrit. Enjoy your stay.


http://hypography.com/forums/terra-preta.html

[Michaelangelica]

Welcome
Terra preta is not just a thread/ forum here. It is an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

[Gerrit]

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

Welcome
Terra preta is not just a thread/ forum here. It is an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Disorder?? I'm afraid it's too late for your diagnosis. After one week of surfing the internet looking for articles on PT, I'm already hooked.

And I'm getting some my farmer friends interested in it too. What farmer couldn't be interested in a soil treatment that has the potential of generating a soil like the terra petras?? It's every farmer's wet dream.

Of course, I realize that the development of PTs takes time. I wouldn't be surprised if it took 25-50 years, maybe 100 years, to get a soil even close to what those Brazilian soils can do.

One thing that would speed up the process would be to get samples of PT soils to inoculate new ones. Afterall, the heart of PT seems to get that varied mix of interacting microorganisms established into the charcoal granules which then can establish an interaction with root mychorrizae.

Has anybody tried to identify PTs in North America? Afterall, the Mississippi Valley was as heavily populated by Amerindian farmers as the Amazon Basin, before our European diseases inadvertently wiped them all out there too...

Gerrit

[Michaelangelica]

Originally Posted by Gerrit

Disorder?? I'm afraid it's too late for your diagnosis. After one week of surfing the internet looking for articles on PT, I'm already hooked.

And I'm getting some my farmer friends interested in it too. What farmer couldn't be interested in a soil treatment that has the potential of generating a soil like the terra petras?? It's every farmer's wet dream.

Of course, I realize that the development of PTs takes time. I wouldn't be surprised if it took 25-50 years, maybe 100 years, to get a soil even close to what those Brazilian soils can do.

One thing that would speed up the process would be to get samples of PT soils to inoculate new ones. Afterall, the heart of PT seems to get that varied mix of interacting microorganisms established into the charcoal granules which then can establish an interaction with root mychorrizae.

Has anybody tried to identify PTs in North America? Afterall, the Mississippi Valley was as heavily populated by Amerindian farmers as the Amazon Basin, before our European diseases inadvertently wiped them all out there too...

Gerrit

Meetings of the TP self help group are held daily with brother eric and brother michael in attendance.

I agree with what you say. There is so much to lean. It is such a vast area. Cornell and Brazillian biologists/soil scientists are still trying to figure out the 'wee beasties" and 'critters' in Amazonian TP. (Have a read though the 'wee beasties thread'. A special interest of mine.