Michael Stangl – NTS Certificate in Sustainable Agriculture
January 2014 Michael Stangl owner of Stangl’s Enviro Lawn
Care celebrated 33 years in business. Mr. Stangls’ passion is to promote
health, wellness and education. Mr. Stangl celebrated by taking the NTS Certificate
in Sustainable Agriculture Course during January 2014 at University of Guelph. This
internationally acclaimed
four day course featured Graeme Sait and biological Agronomists covering
every aspect of microbe, soil and plant nutrition (and protection). These four
days featured Mineral Management, Microbe Management, Plant Management, Pest
Management & Human Health Management.
NTS – Nutri-Tech Solutions
Graeme Sait is the
co-founder of Nutri-Tech Solutions (NTS), a world leader in biological
products, programs and education. He is also the author of “Nutrition Rules!”
and he heads a large team of agronomists responsible for the popular Soil
Therapy™ and Plant Therapy™ programs for which NTS has become renowned. Graeme
is a passionate, inspiring speaker who travels the world with his message
educating farmers, consultants and governments
Australian company NTS specialises in the relationship between soil
health, animal health & human health and they have become a recognised
world leader in biological, sustainable farming. Operating since 1994, NTS has
developed over 300 products and exported to over 40 countries. They have the
largest number of products certified for organic farming of any organisation
and offer cutting-edge education to ensure success in sustainable agriculture
and horticulture.
Knowledge is Power – Ignorance is Bliss
Knowledge is power, and in any business enterprise, education confers the power to be successful and desirable. There is now a whole new technology available, which can ensure both increased success and improved sustainability in agriculture, golf course, sport field and lawn care. Balance – both mineral and biological – is the keystone of this approach, but there are numerous management tips, tricks and synergies that complete the equation. The bottom line is the fact that this holistic precision approach simply outperforms any conventional approach.
Photosynthesis takes place within
individual cell units called chloroplasts which contain the green pigment
chlorophyll. Chlorophyll, the green pigment has the ability to combine the
energy of the sun with carbon dioxide and water to form a simple six-carbon
sugar called glucose for a healthy strong plant the can easily protect itself
from disease and insects pressures.
Ignorance is Bliss, to simply say that three nutrients found in Conventional
Chemical Fertilizers from the DIY “Big Box Store” to the ag outlet and applied
by your lawn care contractor is a fallacy and based on a lack of education.
There are more than 17 minerals required for adequate cellular nutrition. In fact 95% of the plants weight comes from photosynthesis
and 5% of the plants weight comes from the soil.
The damage to the global environment continues today by the
current unsustainable approach of conventional agriculture, golf course, sport field
and lawn care due to the lack of knowledge. This is further compounded by the
manufacturer whose marketing dollar and bottom line drive the sales. Increased
weeds, insects and disease pressures are the results of this paradigm.
Nitrogen (N) the first of the three elements found in your bag
or liquid fertilizer is negatively charged and very mobile. With any one
application only 10 to 20% (see “DIRT, the movie”) of the N is used and the
remaining goes to contaminate our water systems. University of California, Berkeley, chemists have found a smoking gun
proving that increased fertilizer use over the past 50 years is responsible for
a dramatic rise in atmospheric nitrous oxide, which is a major greenhouse gas
contributing to global climate change.
Phosphorus (P) the second of the three elements is an acid phosphate
fertilizer that delivers just 27% (NTS, Australia) of their phosphate component
before locking up in the soil becoming immobile. They also burn off beneficial
fungi that comprise the biological recycling of phosphates and acidify the soil
to reduce nutrient uptake.
Potassium (K) the third of the three elements is the third most
important mineral in relation to photosynthesis. About 90% (NTS, Australia) of
the K in soils is insoluble. This source is released by microbial activity and
weathering which is destroyed when you have applied these chemical fertilizers.
Conventional Chemical
vs Biological
Conventional Chemical
is the biggest single contributor of greenhouse gases including 25% of the world’s
CO2, 60% of methane and 80% on nitrous oxide (310 x more potent than
CO2). For example, these chemicals have destroyed the diversity of biology
found in our soil foodweb (bacteria, fungus, protozoa, nematodes, arthropods
and earthworms) that otherwise would produce nutrient dense healthy food full of
life and vitality.
Biological
acknowledgement requires you to understand that we are dealing with a “living
soil”. What you feed it will determine the outcome. Feed it chemicals, you
destroy the soil welcoming weeds, insects, disease and increasing the Greenhouse
effect further to the negative. Optimizing soil nutrition is the key to mineralized
plants and subsequently animal and human health. With increased organic matter,
there will be a decrease in CO2 from the atmosphere returned to the
soil. Organic matter also holds 90% of its own weight in water; providing a precious
reserve.
Current Paradigm to
Making the Shift
The Current Paradigm
would have you believe that a 30-tonne brontosaurus that possessed a mouth the
size of a horse’s mouth eat 24/7? Making
the Shift with the knowledge provides the entire story. These massive
forests that the brontosaurus feed from predated the dinosaurs. These forests
had a living soil that worked in balance with nature to provide a dense mineralization
to promote nutritionally dense flora to support all life.
In Conclusion
In Conclusion,
continuing on with the current paradigm will only further compound the negative
impacts to the planet and our own personal health. Making the paradigm shift with
cutting-edge technology that Mr. Stangl has put in place via Stangl’s Enviro
Lawn Care will take carbon from the atmosphere and return it to the soil as
humus. This will increase the health, vigor,and boost water efficiency while
reducing weed, pest and disease pressures.
Knowing is half the battle, implementing is the other half.
Restoring and activating your soil from years past abuse from Chemical
fertilizers, pesticides and mismanagement is the first step. While doing this, your
soil will be able to access the 74,000 tonnes of free nitrogen hovering above
every hectare.
A healthy planet is a healthy you.
