Rethinking Plant Physiology and Absorption of Nutrients from the Soil with Gerald Pollack
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
Release Date: 06/29/2018
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
Brian Magarin has a background rooted in farming, spanning over a decade. Brian's journey has been shaped by hands-on experience and a commitment to sustainable farming methods after first starting in a conventional setting. Through years of trial and error, he has gained valuable insights into soil dynamics, irrigation techniques, and the impact of cover crops on crop and soil health. Brian manages 9,000 acres for Belltown Farms and grows corn, soybeans, wheat, and alfalfa. He also operates his own farm, growing organic corn, soybeans, and small grains. In this episode, Brian and John...
info_outline Podcast Extra - AEA's Regenerative Future: Hear From Our InvestorsRegenerative Agriculture Podcast
AEA Founder and Chief Vision Officer, John Kempf, gives a quick summary of the success of our first community raise and features six investors who share why they invested in Advancing Eco Agriculture. AEA has raised over $2.2 million thus far during our Wefunder crowdfunding campaign, aimed at expanding our regenerative solutions to support farmers worldwide and enhance our food supply. Hear from investors: Claudia Ben Erin Crampton John Pierce Kate Fileczki Laurenz Von Glahn Paul Ruger To invest in AEA and a regenerative future, please visit our Wefunder page: About John Kempf John...
info_outline Episode 114: The State of the American Food System with Austin FrerickRegenerative Agriculture Podcast
Austin Frerick is an expert on agricultural and antitrust policy. He is a 7th-generation Iowan whose passion for agriculture comes from the weekends working on his grandpa's farm. He is a Fellow at the Thurman Arnold Project at Yale University. In 2022, he worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to organize a conference at Yale Law School entitled “Reforming America’s Food Retail Markets,” which explored competition issues in the nation’s grocery industry. He is the author of Barons: Money, Power and the Corruption of America’s Food Industry, which illustrates the...
info_outline Episode 113: The Economics and Ethos of Market Gardening with Jean-Martin FortierRegenerative Agriculture Podcast
Jean-Martin (JM) Fortier has over 20 years of experience developing, testing, and perfecting biointensive and regenerative growing techniques on his small-scale farms in Quebec that increase the soil’s biology to achieve maximum yields on small surfaces. Jean-Martin’s mission is to promote the importance of human-scale regenerative agriculture in creating sustainable and resilient food systems. He achieves this goal by sharing his knowledge and expertise with thousands of farmers through the Market Gardener Institute. JM’s multifaceted roles range from CEO to technical specialist,...
info_outline Episode 112: Transforming Arid Landscapes with Taimur MalikRegenerative Agriculture Podcast
Taimur Malik founded Drawdown Farm, a regenerative farm in the Thal desert in Pakistan. Taimur engages in various regenerative agriculture practices, including planting diverse crops like bananas, implementing managed grazing trials, and using impact sprinkler systems powered by solar energy. Taimur emphasizes the importance of biological solutions and sustainable farming techniques to improve soil health, increase yields, and mitigate environmental impacts. His innovative approaches, such as using biologicals and adopting holistic land management practices, demonstrate his commitment to...
info_outline Episode 111: Questioning Farm Management Traditions with Boe ClausenRegenerative Agriculture Podcast
Boe Clausen is a second-generation farmer in Eastern Washington. His parents immigrated from Denmark and established Stokrose Farm in 1981. Initially focused on vegetable seed production, the farm diversified into alfalfa, hay, corn, wheat, and cattle. Boe now manages Stokrose Farm alongside his siblings. Boe's shift towards foliar applications, reduced nitrogen usage, and strategic nutrient management have improved crop health, reduced disease and insect pressure, and enhanced soil fertility. In 2022, he grew 250-bushel corn with only 20 lbs of nitrogen. In this episode, Boe and John...
info_outline Episode 110: Stock Cropping and Regenerative Innovation with Zack SmithRegenerative Agriculture Podcast
Zack Smith is a fifth-generation farmer from northern Iowa. He is the owner and operator of Smith Seed and Agronomy, LLC, and co-founder and CEO of Stock Cropper, Inc. Zack previously worked in seed production and chemical retail as a certified crop advisor and then as a seed rep while farming on the side. He eventually became interested in soil health and started experimenting with strip-tilling and using cover crops, which marked the beginning of his shift towards regenerative agricultural. Zack recently developed a system called “stock cropping,” a regenerative farming system that...
info_outline Episode 109: From Urban Organizers to Organic Pioneers with Julie Rawson and Jack KittredgeRegenerative Agriculture Podcast
Julie Rawson and Jack Kittredge are co-owners of Many Hands Organic Farm, an organic CSA farm that serves 150 families in Barre, MA. They met while doing community organizing work in Boston, and in 1982, made the decision to move out to the country to raise their kids in connection to the land and grow their own food. Julie and Jack share their farm’s transformative journey from inception to becoming a model of regenerative, organic farming. In this episode, Julie and Jack discuss with John: Their journey from community organizing to farming and urban to rural living The financial and...
info_outline Episode 108: Increasing the Nutrient Density of Wine Grapes with Nicole Dooling and Michael FreyRegenerative Agriculture Podcast
Nicole Dooling and Michael Frey help operate Mariah Vineyards in the Mendocino Ridge alongside Nicole’s parents, Dan and Vicki. As founders, Dan and Vicki have mindfully tended their land for over 40 years, putting in the hard labor of planting and growing this vineyard from the ground up. Their family and vineyard have thrived due to their dedication, adaptability, and resourcefulness in working with nature. Situated at 2,400 ft elevation without irrigation, they holistically manage their vineyard using organic and regenerative farming practices. In 2020, Mariah Vineyards partnered with the...
info_outline Episode 107: Sustainable and Profitable Agriculture with Marty TravisRegenerative Agriculture Podcast
Marty Travis, a former furniture maker turned farmer, co-owns and operates Spence Farm in Illinois with his son, Will. Spence Farm grows a wide array of heirloom and native crops, heritage animals, and a huge diversity of agricultural opportunities on the 160 acres. Marty embraced sustainable farming, catering to Chicago's restaurant community. This unique partnership led to a thriving and sustainable business prioritizing soil health, livestock, and community relationships. The farm model evolved to support individual families in response to the Covid crisis and the closing of most...
info_outlineDr. Jerry Pollack is a pioneering water researcher whose work in structured water and cell biology has been described as being some of the most important research that will be conducted in the 21st century. His research creates a completely new paradigm of cell biology and nutrient absorption. He is recognized worldwide as a dynamic speaker and author, whose passion lies in plumbing the depths of natural truths.
Dr. Pollack received the 1st Emoto Peace Prize and is a recipient of the University of Washington's highest honor, the Annual Faculty Lecturer Award. He is founding Editor-in-Chief of the research journal WATER and Director of the Institute for Venture Science. Dr. Pollack's (award-winning) books include The Fourth Phase of Water (2013), and Cells, Gels, and the Engines of Life (2001). Dr. Jerry Pollack maintains an active laboratory at the University of Washington in Seattle.
In this episode, Jerry and I discuss
- How water moves to the top of a 100-yard tall redwood
- How nutrients are absorbed across cell membranes and plant roots
- The role of EZ water in moving nutrients through vascular tissue
- How plant roots can absorb complete compounds from the soil solution
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email [email protected] or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Resources
Cells, Gels and the Engines of Life
The Fourth Phase of Water: Beyond Solid, Liquid, and Vapor
Episode 15 - Dr. Gerald H. Pollack - Highlights
4:50 - What is exclusion zone water? (EZ Water)
- We all learned water had 3 phases, but the idea that water could have a phase between liquid and solid has been around for some time
- EZ water is between solid and liquid. Gel-like, almost like raw egg whites
- EZ water has a negative charge, unlike ordinary water
- Energy comes from infrared light
- EZ water is also called fourth phase water, ordered water, or structured water
13:10 - John strongly recommends reading two of Gerald’s books:
13:40 - How are nutrients and water transported inside a plant? How are nutrients absorbed by root systems? How does EZ water relate?
- How a tube in water that allows water to continuously flow works in the same way that trees can transport water
- Energy is coming from light absorbed in the water will drive the flow of water
- How this same idea can apply to the cardiovascular system in the human body
27:45 - How is this related to nutrient mobility?
31:35 - Alternate mechanisms for nutrient absorption by cells
- The assumption that the cell membrane is impermeable is questionable
- Why the idea of thousands of pumps and channels in the membrane doesn’t work
- The cell gets its electrical potential from the negatively charged water
- If there is no impermeable barrier, then substances can be absorbed by the cell
42:40 - Simplicity is the essence of science
45:50 - What is the limitation of what cells can absorb?
- Substances could move in and out of the cell in transition areas of water to EZ water
49:25 - Water crisis in agricultural - soils that cannot hold water well anymore
- Soils need charge distributions just right to build EZ water
- Water holding capacity is diminished when the soil is destroyed, directly related to the ability to make EZ water
54:30 - What is the question Gerald wishes he was asked?
- The role of water in health - absolutely central. Cells cannot function properly unless properly hydrated
- The role of grounding in health and in its ability to convert water to EZ water
- Juicing to get EZ water from inside plants
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email [email protected] or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Feedback & Booking
Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to [email protected]. You can email John directly at [email protected].
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