Your balanced diet starts in the soil: learn how to improve food quality and soil fertility with Stephanie Hagen.

Ever wonder why we suddenly need "calcium-enriched" orange juice, "iodized" salt and other "enriched" food products? The average consumer can easily confirm that minerals are depleted in our food sources simply by looking at grocery store shelves.

Deficiencies of minerals and trace elements--like calcium, iron and magnesium--in agricultural soils have been reported since the 1930's, yet little action has been taken to remediate them, leaving soil condition and food quality worse than ever in the 21st century.

You might ask, "Why do we need minerals?" Remember the periodic chart of over ninety elements from grammar school science class? Minerals and trace elements in the soil are an integral part of a functional microbial and plant life cycle. Soil microbes break down rock and soil components, thereby converting minerals to the form that plants use. As plant material (i.e. roots) decomposes, minerals return to the soil and microbes and then enter our food chain when the plants are harvested.

Dr. Bernard Jensen summarizes this cycle in his book Empty Harvest writing, "All animals get their food directly or indirectly from plants, and all plants get their food from soil." He also states, "Mineral-deficient soil may be one of the greatest original sources of disease in the world today."

So, what's being done about it? Conventional agricultural practices often over-fertilize nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK). Best-case practices might add a handful of other minerals, although rarely more than a dozen. "Mining" these minerals from soil without replacing them results in decreased plant and animal nutrition, as indicated by weeds, pathogenic insects, and reduced tolerance to conditions, and, ultimately, creates a vicious cycle of pesticide/herbicide and chemical treatments along with "calcium-fortified" orange juice and the like.

But, there is hope. Remineralization is the process of replenishing these lost minerals and trace elements to the soil and ultimately to the food supply, as it is linked to increased nutrient density of food

Other benefits of remineralization reported include longer shelf life, increased production, improved animal health, improved taste, and increased resistance to disease, insects and conditions.

And, even backyard gardeners growing something as common as tomatoes can improve taste, nutrition, quality and production through remineralization.

Mineralogy, composition and particle size are three basic considerations for mineral and trace element products. Mineralogy refers to geologic origin; two general categories are rock dust fines and sedimentary deposits. Composition is the extent of minerals and trace elements that the source provides. Particle size affects the application and soil interaction.

Rock dust frees include rock dust, pond settlings, rock flour, classifier tailings and fine sand, all of which are regarded as "waste" and collected from a quarry. Sedimentary" deposits are land- or ocean-derived and include rock powders, greensand, glacial rock dust and sea solids. Sea solids refer to the ninety plus periodic table elements present in seawater at all times.

Yet another source of minerals is ocean-derived plants such as kelp. As early as the 1950's, research indicated that kelp administered as a mineral-rich food supplement to patients with fractures reduced their healing time by twenty percent due to the presence of iodine, calcium and other minerals.

Common and familiar brand names of the various products include Azomite[R], AdzsumPlus, Planters II, Summa, Spanish River Carbonatite[TM], SEA-90, Ocean Trace, Maxicrop and more. Each source provides varying degrees of minerals in different forms.

Products can be broadcast, tilled or disked into soil, added to compost, and, if water-soluble, applied as a foliar spray. Application depends on geography, soil type, crop type, current practices and other factors. Animals, too, should be given mineral Supplements. See sidebar for a "quick and dirty" remineralization guide.

The goal of remineralization is to restore the full and balanced spectrum of elements from the periodic chart to the soil using a natural source over a period of time. Once restored, vitality and health of soil, microorganisms, plants, animals and humans greatly improves. What a simple way to "let your food be your medicine," as Hippocrates said.

Farmers and gardeners report increased production, shelf life, vitamin, protein and mineral content with remineralization. Because minerals are electrically charged, they stimulate taste buds and improve the taste of produce. Farm animals raised on remineralized pasture gain weight faster on less feed and have higher energy (Sea Energy Agriculture, Dr. Maynard Murray, 1976; www.remineralize.org). Remineralization is best achieved in conjunction with sustainable practices such as organic, biodynamic, nature, eco-agricultural and biological farming/gardening, which focus on full soil fertility, natural processes and fewer chemicals.

Many choices are available to restore minerals and trace elements to our food chain, and we can attain better health one farm, one acre and one garden at a time.

HOW TO BEGIN

Step 1: A soil test is recommended.

However, most testing labs will only analyze a handful of elements to provide a baseline. Testing for many elements can be costly. Ideally, soil pH should be 6.5-7.0 for best mineral absorption and garden conditions. Soil pH tests kits are available at your local nursery for usually less than $20. Mineral depletion is already well documented, and the southeastern U.S. in general is deficient even in sodium (a major component of common fertilizers and sea solids).

Step 2: Select a mineral source.

Mineral and trace element products are a kind of specialty, usually must be ordered, and are not all available in small garden-size quantities. Also, look for a supplier with experienced and helpful technical support--a little research goes a long way.

Step 3: Timing--It's never too late!

Adding a remineralizing agent makes sense at the beginning of the planting season as you prepare your soil with compost, manure, etc However, a foliar spray can be applied in the middle of and throughout the growing season. In this case, be sore your source is water-soluble. A fall/winter application will improve soil microbial activity during the dormant growing season.

Step 4: How much?

Application rates are subject to many factors. Follow suppliers' application rates and remember that more is not necessarily better. Here's a quick example of how much you might need and how affordable it can be to grow better, stronger plants:

-Rock dust fine: 23-46 lbs/100 sq ft; inexpensive, requires quarry access

-Rock powder: 1-2 lbs/100 sq ft; $20-40/50 lb

-Sea solids: 1-2.5 lbs 100 sq ft; $40/50 lb

-Ocean solution: 10 gal/acre = 1/3 cup/100 sq ft; $25/qt, $80/gal

* Costs are approximate based on small quantities sold for a typical garden

Step 5: Stick to it.

Keep in mind that remineralization is a cumulative process. After several annual applications combined with good gardening practices, nothing further may be necessary for years to follow. Prepare to observe some or all of the phenomena such as stronger, more productive plants, fewer insects, less plant pathogens, higher tolerance to variable conditions like cold or drought, increased nutrient density, and the best tasting produce ever!

Stephanie has an MS in Microbiology and works in Atlanta, Georgia, with SeaAgri, her family's grassroots organization dedicated to raising awareness, educating and providing the purest sea solids for purposes of remineralization. She is happy to answer questions regarding remineralization and can be reached by phone at 770-595-3191 or email at [e-mail].