NUTRIENT CONTENTS IN CROPS

This level of water soluble phosphate in the soil is directly proportionate in the nutrient content of a crop. The higher the nutrient content, the higher the mineral content. Also, the higher the nutrient content, the greater the specific gravity.

According to government standards, it takes 32 lbs of green beans to make a bushel. A bushel of high quality beans will only fill the bushel basket ¾ full and still weigh 32 lbs. Poor quality beans with a low nutrient content will require an extra 6 inches of beans on top in order to weigh 32 lbs. The heavier beans are the most nutritious, since they contain the most minerals.

If a horse or cow were offered some carrots with a nutrient content of 12% and some with 7%, the animals would eat those with the highest nutrient content. Animals can detect the difference, even if the difference is by .1% sugar. If a pasture has had this nutrient program applied to one section of it, the cattle will all eat on that section, because it has higher nutrient content and therefore a higher mineral content.

An additional benefit of producing top quality produce is that it will not rot. If produce is grown in properly fertilized soil, it will dehydrate in time but it will not decompose. Dr. Reams had three watermelons that he kept on his desk for three years, until they dried out. Top quality crops can also be stored much longer without spoilage.

A plant with a high mineral, oil, and nutrient content will not be as susceptible to insect damage either. The leaves of a healthy plant will have a glossy sheen, and egg-laying Insects will not lay their eggs on a healthy leaf as readily as they will on a sick, dull leaf. Insect pests are not attracted to a plant with a high nutrient content, attacking it last. Damage produced from chewing insects is also reduced because of the oxidation of the sugar in the sap of the plant into alcohol. The alcohol intoxicates the insects, killing them or making them sick in the process. This can only happen if the plant contains a high nutrient content.

The higher the nutrient content, the lower the freezing point of a fruit or vegetable. A plant is most vulnerable of frost damage when it contains large amounts of water and not enough sugar. The expansion of the cells when they freeze is so great that is destroys the tissues, causing the plant to dehydrate and be ruined. With a high nutrient content some fruits can freeze, thaw out, and still be good. Trees and vines with a high nutrient content are less susceptible to damage from cold.

There are many more benefits to raising high quality crops, but we cannot go into all of them. One that is immediately noticeable is the taste of high quality fruits and vegetables. California carrots are known for their sweetness and taste, and the difference is in the soil. Even better tasting carrots can be grown in any state, if the soil elements are managed properly. The flavor and sweetness of a top quality fruit or vegetable is a marketing advantage in many cases.

There is a very simple method for testing a plant's nutrient content. We use an instrument called a refractometer. It is a hand-held portable instrument on which a few drops of juice from the plant are placed, and the results are instantly recorded. It is a quick, easily used field instrument that can be used to test sugar levels from 0 to 32%. The average reading you will find oranges is 9 to 10%, but it should be 16 to 18%. Alfalfa hay, which should measure 12 to 14% nutrient content, is often only 6 to 8% at maturity. This same thing holds true for most of the fruits and vegetables available in the stores, and for almost all the field crops, because their soils are depleted in minerals.