Columbia, Missouri • July 25 – July 27 2018
I’ve just returned from the WWA Conference held in Columbia, Missouri. This year, the conference honored Dr. William A. Albrecht and his contributions to soil science, agricultural research, and education. William Albrecht, PhD (1888–1974) was Chairman of the Department of Soils at the University of Missouri, Columbia from 1938-1959. He was president of the Soil Science Society of America 1939.
His pioneering work laid the foundation for the approach to soil fertility we use at Sustainable Soils, LLC, often referred to as “The Albrecht Method.” Neil Kinsey of Kinsey Agricultural Services was a direct student of Dr. Albrecht as well as having been certified as an agronomist by him. Neil has been carrying on Dr. Albrecht’s work for decades and has satisfied clients all over the world. He co-authored a book with Charles Walters, “Hands on Agronomy – Understanding Soil Fertility & Fertilizer Use.”
Conference speakers included Neil Kinsey as well as farmers and consultants from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, The Netherlands, and South Africa. It was truly a global representation of attendees and speakers, some of which have had decades of success with superior crop quality and yield by working with Kinsey Agricultural Services and the Albrecht Method.
The Albrecht model of soil fertility has been proven highly successful on all crops and soils in nearly every country on earth. Balancing the mineral nutrients in the soil along with careful attention to building Carbon and humus levels, has been proven to create optimum soil fertility that provides the plant with everything it needs to reach its full genetic potential in nutrient density, (quality) as well as production, (yield). The pioneering work of a man ahead of his time, and those who have practiced and refined his founding principles, has given us a way to feed a rapidly increasing global population with the highest quality, highest yielding crops on less land. AND, there are women and men proving it every day!
I want to take this opportunity to honor an individual who was not able to attend this conference, but whose intense studies of Dr. Albrecht’s work lead him to his mission to create a better, healthier world for future generations. Michael Astera, soil fertility consultant and author of “The Ideal Soil 2014 – A Handbook for the New Agriculture v2.0.” has not only studied Dr. Albrecht’s work, but he has also intensely studied soil chemistry, biology, geology, and human nature. He has also proven that the Albrecht Method of soil fertility works and works very well in soils throughout the world.
His book has been translated to Spanish and Dutch as well as to a version for Indonesia. It has made its way, along with his consulting services, to coffee plantations in the highlands of Laos and the hills of Zambia, rice farms in Thailand and Philippines, horse pastures in Borneo, and sheep pastures in Oregon. Michael has proven that Albrecht’s founding principles, augmented with his experience, have been proven successful wherever they have been applied. My deepest gratitude goes to Michael Astera for inspiring me to embark on this journey to make the world a better, healthier place.
The time will soon be upon us where we begin to think about next year’s goals for our farms, plantations, gardens, and landscapes. Let Sustainable Soils LLC know that you would like to have superior quality and yields of whatever you grow, and we will be happy to help you.