by Deac Jones | Nov 3, 2021 | News
Mycoremediation, sometimes referred to as fungi remediation or mushroom remediation, uses fungi instead of bacteria to break down waste. Mycoremediation can be an economical and effective strategy to degrade various recalcitrant, persistent and toxic pollutants like polyaromatic hydrocarbons, antibiotics, herbicides, insecticides, antifungal drugs, algal bloom, cyanotoxins, detergents, heavy metals, and plastic.
Fungi consume organic debris that no other organism we know about will, and they create soil. They can be used in filtration systems, and in fact fungi mycelium are being released throughout burn zones in California to trap toxic waste before it reaches our waterways and to accelerate the recovery of the burn areas. Mycelium can help to structurally bind together particles, which slows runoff and helps to keep soil in place. Some fungi are so tolerant of toxicity that they even grow on the site of the Chernobyl power plant.
by Deac Jones | Oct 5, 2021 | News
Overindulgence in synthetic fertilizers, especially nitrates, can weaken plants and expose them to greater disease problems. Applications of products like calcium ammonium nitrate, or CAN17, kill the soil biology and set up the plants for a host of problems including downy mildew and soil-borne diseases like fusarium, phytophthora, etc. Soil-borne diseases are among the most destructive threats to crop production. The intensive use of pesticides further depletes soil biology. Yet for the last century, food production has heavily relied on chemical controls for the management of pathogens and pests.
by Deac Jones | Sep 8, 2021 | News
Our drought continues to challenge our daily farming practices. Finding new and advanced ways that can save water can add up. When we flush our irrigation lines or sand filters there’s a tremendous waste of water. By reducing this practice and making it more efficient, we can save money. In addition, spending labor dollars on cleaning filters, screens, regulators, etc. is a less productive task than other priorities on the farm. I’ve mentioned our bio-catalyst product in previous newsletters but thought it was particularly important this season given the high mineral content of our water in drought conditions. As we’re avid promoters of soil health, the product must enhance soil biology versus destroy it.
by Deac Jones | Aug 10, 2021 | News
I think the easiest way to think about soil biology is to think about our own gut microbiome. As defined by molecular biologist Joshua Lederberg, the gut biome is the totality of microorganisms — bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi — and their collective genetic material present in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Hey, wait a minute, that sounds like a soil profile! Furthermore, when we have a broken or impaired GIT, it impacts our total health. This is no different from how poor soil health impacts the total health of the plant. It’s really that simple.
by Deac Jones | Jul 29, 2021 | News
There is considerable discussion in the market about new regulations coming out of the California Department of Food and Agriculture requiring less use of nitrogen on crops. While this can be disturbing news for many growers, the fact is there are a host of ways to get more from less in nitrogen applications, and we’ve been doing it for years.
