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EDAPHOS
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Dynamics of a Natural Soil System by Paul D. Sachs
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THE EDAPHIC PRESS P.O. Box 107 Newbury, Vennont 05051
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR In 1983, when PauIfounded North Country Organics' , he de< it was important to learn something about the soil if he was goi seIl natural fertilizers. However, as time went on, the obje
Copyright c 1993 by Paul D. Sachs
changed from an obligatory curiosity to_a quest of passion. A information accumulated, Paul began to see metaphoric simila between the soil system and all other terrestrial dynamics incll the social and economic structures established by human civiliza He decided that many analogies from the soil such as competi
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 93-70568 0-9636053-0-5
growth, adaptation and symbiosis could be applied to all of I relationships, including running a successful business.
EDITOR'S NafE
After only two years of study. Paul became known as a sour good information for people involved in organic crop producti, land care. Requests for articles and seminar appearances beg' increase. As time passed. his knowledge about natural soil sys
As I read through Paul's manusaipt for the fust time, I was struck by the sincerity of his voice and by his genuineconcem for our world. After my second reading however. I was struck more forcefully by the relevance of the infonnation he was giving to my own life and the world around me. Edaphos helped me to realize, not only the need for a life-style and attitude change toward the physical world. but it also helped me to understand why this need exists and how to go about making some of these changes.
began to encumber his work (i.e. seIling natural land care sUPI because so much time was being spent on consultation. In 1991,
Paul's simplification of chemistry and language helps the layperson to understand a subjeclthat is, all too often, kept out of reach from him. The analogies that are drawn between human systems and relationships and those of the soil bring the soil to life... a characteristic which can not help but increase one's reverence for the earth we live with. Sadly enough, Edaphos also helped me to realize that the soil, like the human, is mortal too. And if we do not take ownership for the practices we have concerning it, we will lose it. It-is refreshing to find that in a time when most want to take, take. take; and a time when we look for instant gratification and thai quick fix, Edaphos offers a reasonable plan to give back some of whal we have taken. Paul gives his reader valuable information not just specific to gardening. but to living life in general. Paul reinforces
what the late Fred Franklin
once
advised my husband; Weshould live each day of our lives as ifit were the last and use our soil as if we were going to live forever.
Wendy
began work on EDAPHOS to help diffuse the tremendous an of valuable information out to the people who need it the most. work represents almost ten years of his research on the subject 0 system dynamics.
CONTENTS" INTRODUCTION PART 1
In Edaphos,
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All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without written permission from the author. except when brief quotations are used in critical articles or reviews.
ISBN
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-IN PRINCIPLE
1 .
North Country Organics is a Bradford. VT based supplier o£ nabJral £""
and soil amendmenlS
CHAPTER 1
SOIL EVOLUTION
7
CHAPTER 2
HUMUS: A STABLE ORGANIC MATTER
33
CHAPTER 3
53
WATER CHAPTER 4
THE CONCEPT OF PESTS
65
PART11- IN PRACTICE CHAPTER 5
COMPOSTING & PRESERVING ORGANIC MATTER
85
CllAl'TER6 ORGANIC
107
vs INORGANIC
Goldsworthy CHAPTER 7
TESTING THE SOIL SYSTEM
139
CHAPTER 8
RELATIONSHIPS
169
GLOSSARY
173 181
INDEX
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use.