Some Openning and Closing Words

[Mel Landers]

Hello everyone.

 

I am very happy that the seminar has brought out some interesting topics for investigation and brought about some hopeful collaborations. I am also happy that it has put us in contact with those who have seriously been investigating dark earth soils already. It is encouraging to receive the information today from Stephen and Mike.

 

Hopefully I cna open their attachments before the day is over.

 

I did get to see the photo though. It looks like what happened in the bed I built this ast year, with roots growing right into chunks of charcoal.

 

Stephen has brought out an important dynamic in these soils. That is the interaction between organic matter, plant roots and the charred material. This brings me back to my insistance that humus is an integral part of a properly completed dark earth soil.

 

Compost, produced from a quick decomposition of the biomass will provide plenty of nutrients and organic material to supply energy for the microbes in the soil. But, every account I have read about these soils has mentioned, not just organic matter, but humus as a major component of the soils. Since it has persisted for 500 years, it is , without a doubt stable humus, and not the product of a quick decomposition.

 

I look forward to continued discussions with you all in the future. I hope we can soon arrive at a process or a number of processes that give the farmers of the world, access to these valuable soils, wherever they live.

 

Please, consider Jacky's invitation to take part in the discussion group. I will participate a I can, but, you probably won't be hearing nearly as much from me as you have in this seminar.                    That is probably a good thing, though!

 

Thank you all for your participation. It has been a great pleasure for me to have met you all. Please, stay in touch.

 

mel

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