----- Original Message From: Allan Balliett
> This reminds me to ask "What is ""Growers""?"
>
> A neighboring farmer says 'We are organic but we cannot be certified
> because we use "growers." "Growers" is ok but not in the OMRI. Being
> certified is not worth not using 'Growers'" I don't see this neighor
> often. Can someone else tell me what 'Growers' is?
>
Hi Allan
We have a friend in Indiana who used to be an agent for
"Growers Fertiliser Solutions" the company is/was in Milan Ohio. From what
He showed my son and reading about it this is a top quality liquid
fertiliser - hot mix NPK - with biologicals and microbial stimulators
added - they use about 2 gallon to the acre in the row on corn and another
dressing as foliar at tassell - the sort of quality input that the "eco
farmers" would use - I am amazed that I have never seen this company
advertised in acres magazine - the whole concept -company philosophy - is
classic Albrecht. One of the founders V A Teidjens wrote a book called "more
food from soil science" about 1965 - this guy would have been at least as
much of a rebel as Albrecht or Carey Reams but never got the publicity! The
story goes that one of the Growers agents was the guy who put up bail for
Reams when he got arrested in California for practicing medicine without a
licence.
I know exactly what your neighbor is on about - we are in the same
position - using small amounts of high quality nutritional inputs that are
improving our soil health and crop quality - not allowed for organic
certification - thats not a problem but what does worry me is that at the
same time the local feedlot can sell anaerobic partly composted cow crap
full of salts and lord knows what else, as a grade "a" certified product
for use in organic production
Have a good day all
Lloyd Charles
PS Hot off the press - thanks to the latest efforts of GW and co we can now
get a contract for $85 US for next years wheat.
Its seeding time - mercury retrograde and dry as an old boot in this neck
of the woods
