Subject: [SANET-MG] "Quality First", Gregg Young's web page on Albrecht fertility and "terroir"

From: Steve Diver <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2005 15:38:05 -0600

Sanet + BD-Now --

I'm passing along this announcement from Gregg Young,
a certified agronomist specializing in Albrecht-style fertility
management in vineyards and orchards in Northern California
since the late 1970s.

Young published his Master of Arts in Education thesis at
Sonoma State University on "A Training Program for Soil
Analysis Interpretation in Northern California" in 1999.

It has since been modified and published as a book,
"Quality First in Vineyard & Orchard Production."

Young's web page now contains a full-text version
of his Masters Thesis, as well as online slides (via
Internet Explorer) that illustrate key concepts.

The book is available for sale if you prefer to have a print
copy on your bookshelf.

I've pointed to Young's thesis and book in the past, noting
that is contains one of the most sensible and accessible
summaries of the Albrecht approach.

I've often pointed to Table 1, "Basic Principles of Soil
Balancing and Optimum Fertilization," in Chapter 2
on Methodology to illustrate how straightforward the
eco-farming approach can be.

For literature reviews and background information on
the Albrecht approach to base saturation, also known
as base cation saturation ratio, see Chapters 3, 4, and 5.

For a practical guide to understanding Cation Exchange
Capacity in relation to percent Base Saturation for calcium,
magnesium, potassium and sodium, see Appendix H.

For a practical guide to soil analysis interpretation based
on this approach, see Chapter 22, "Lessons in Soil Analysis
Interpretaton."

Altogether, it's a great online resource for those who want
to gain a basic understanding of the Albrecht approach, or
to evaluate the concepts and methods more closely.

Best regards,

Steve Diver

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Ukiah, Mendocino County, California
November 14, 2005

Agronomist Gregg Young has launched a new web site:
Quality First <http://www.qfirst.net> or
<http://users.adelphia.net/~youngg/>, devoted to improved
quality and flavor in tree fruit & vine production. The site has
his Master's thesis: "A Training Program for Soil Analysis
Interpretation in Northern California" (Young, 1999) available
for viewing online for the first time, with a slide presentation to
illustrate the principles.

There is also a link to purchase the book "Quality First in
Vineyard & Orchard Production" (Young, 2001)

European wine producers have spent hundreds of years defining
and promoting quality in their product. The sensory experience
of wine tasting encompasses general appearance, color, bouquet
and flavor. The general consensus is that quality lies in the fruit.
The interaction of the soil with the climate, cultivar, and cultural
practices is described by the French as terroir. This project is an
attempt to combine over 25 years of professional experience in
northern California tree fruit and vine production with the many
contributions of the scientific literature into a concise educational
program to teach farmers, advisors, and fertilizer technicians how
to achieve optimum terroir through nutritional management. Quality
and health in fruit production through a positive soil building program
is the goal - and good yields of high quality fruit will follow. The
concepts of optimum mineral balance and healthy bio-activity in
agriculture have been applied to hundreds of thousands of acres
in California.

This site is dedicated to the study of terroir – the interaction of soil,
climate, cultivar, and the endeavor to produce highest quality fruit.
For those in pursuit of the methods by which to achieve optimum
quality – flavor, texture, and pest & disease resistance, this site
offers an opportunity to learn, teach, and interact with others. Subjects
can range from specific soil fertility and plant nutrition problems, to
nutrition-pest & disease relations, to general principles of sustainable
agriculture.

Gregg Young, M.A.
Certified Professional Agronomist
Environmental Scientist
P.O. Box 246
Talmage, CA 95481
Gregg Young <[email-masked]>
http://users.adelphia.net/~youngg/

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