by William Brinton
Originally published in Biodynamics, #220, 1998 -
Download the article: Compost, Soil, Chemistry and Wholeness
This article delves into biodynamic farming and the different kind of thinking and seeing needed to understand it.
Elements. Nutrients and Healthy Farms
It is the dilemma of a modern analyst to be stretched between "parts" and "whole": between the mere "data" of a soil or compost test and the "meaningful" interpretation in view of the whole field or farm. Where do the data and parts stop being separate and become whole and relevant? Can we reach the whole farm by way of the isolated chemistry parts?
The word "analysis" comes from the Greek ana ="from above" and lyse= lysis "to separate". The analyst separates and distinguishes what was once whole. The data or parts of the laboratory chemist appear irrelevant to the untrained eye such that there is essentially no relation to any whole. Without knowing the context it would be very hard to take the data and say "oh - that's a soil", let alone say "oh, healthy soil!". Even if we can go the further distance, having experience, it is still possible that a lab report may suggest that a soil is infertile yet the grower feels good about it. Similarly, we can construct the forage ration analysis which indicates excellent feed, but the animals don't seem well.
Something is missing.
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