Nutrient dense food from soil conscious farmers

Innovations in soil care are changing the way fresh food is produced.  Here we meet certified organic farmers Rod and Tania Bruin who are in the forefront of the evolving nutrient dense food market.

Healthy soil is teeming with beneficial microbes, which help to make nutrients available to plants. These microbes also help to protect plants from harmful pathogens.  When food is grown in biologically fertile soil, nutrients in the food is increased. 

Mixed crop growers and marketers Summit Organics is one such company shining light on innovative and conscious ways of growing nutrient dense food. Rod and Tania started farming coffee back in 1993 as a small market operation, and today produce over 50 different vegetable and herb crops in a year.  

“We rely heavily on composting.  With the results we were getting, the changes in soil structure, we decided to put more and more on,” Rod said.

“We have actually reclaimed a lot of the land that was quite poor, and made it very productive.  In the forefront of our mind, it is building soil.  Where we could not grow a lot of crops, now we can grow pretty much anything.”

Rod has found that not only do the nutrients increase in produce grown from healthy soil, but the quality, taste and flavor is enhanced too.

“Originally, a lot of our produce used to wilt fairly quickly on the (market stall) table, and now the difference is unbelievable, the cell structure of the plant is a lot tighter.  They are not as watery and they just hold up better.  They keep longer.”

Due to high humidity the farm faced some disease issues in a few crops and particularly with the microgreens.  They were searching for something to help with that, and Rod became interested in using naturally fermented Seaweed and Fish Fertiliser from Sonic Natural Farming.

“So, when the stuff arrived, we trialed it on the sprouts. It was quite fascinating.  We sprayed the seed with the products, and we didn’t do all the trays.  And, within 3 days they were twice the height.  And, I thought wow, that’s really interesting.  For farmers we want to see results.  And, that was enough for me.” Says Rod.

“If I see something once and something that dramatic, I know it’s got to be doing good.  What I saw was way better, so it’s like, well that’s just on the list now.”

“It’s not over the top expensive.  We know that it helps because of that early trial.  For me it’s like an insurance policy.  Because when it was explained to me, I could see how it could help with disease.  I can see how it’s something that we really should be putting out there.”

“And, I have always felt that any fish product or any kelp product was good anyway because it’s so good with micronutrients as well.”

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