What others had to say
Dr Andersen's dynamic lecturing and breadth of knowledge has provided farmers, consultants and product suppliers with much food for thought and supplies for the journey toward balanced soils and nutritionally dense produce.
Here's what some past attendees of Dr Andersen's courses had to say:
"I've taken three ‘Balancing Soils for Profit' courses in the last two years and it has really changed for the better the way I farm and my dairy productivity. As a result of things I learned at the course my soils are in better shape with no more puddling of water on the surface. My pastures are now more nutrient dense than before and I get more milk solids per hectare. For an approximate $86 increase per hectare in fertiliser costs, I have an increased net profit of $981 per hectare. I continue to see marked improvement in soil characteristics and my staff notice positive changes in the cows.
Biological agriculture makes science sense. This course taught me to look beyond just chemistry to the whole picture of farming including microbes and soil physics as well. Arden has turned my world around. He has had more impact on me than any person in the last decade."
Kevin Davidson
Plantation Road Dairies (356 ha and 1400 cows with a 280 ha support block)
Central Hawke's Bay
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"I found the course both educational and stimulating. The ‘Biological Agriculture' approach encourages a sustainable use of our soil resources by encouraging healthy soil biological activity and thereby reduces the need for heavy NPK fertiliser and pesticide inputs. Dr Andersen's course provides you with the tools required to develop production systems that restore soil biology and organic matter rather than depleting it while producing more nutritious food. This approach to all fields of agriculture and horticulture will be the way of the future."
Dr Phillip Schofield B Ag Sc (hons) PhD (plant science)
Agronomy Consultant
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"What impressed me the most was that Arden supported his claims with excerpts from reputable scientists and/or magazines and applied his own personal medical experience. Until then I had only heard unsupported claims for much of this stuff and was essentially quite skeptical. His explanations were clear and concise. Very impressive were his responses to questions, in that he was able to give fairly complex and in-depth answers to some searching questions on related issues. Clearly a very confident lecturer and learned man. "
Russell West
Former agricultural consultant and current kiwifruit grower.
Rotorua
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"I manage a 100ha vineyard of super premium wine grapes. I have been growing various crops all my life. After having done two of Arden's courses now I have been taken back by just how logical this approach is and how wrong I have been growing in the past. I totally believe that this is the way of the future. So much so, that this year I have converted 13ha of my vineyard over to biological growing and it has never looked better."
Bruce Smith.
Vineyard Manager,
C.J. Pask Winery,
Hawke's Bay.
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"A timely message; Arden's common sense, well informed presentation broadened my horizons and challenged me to think differently both about the process of growing food and its resultant quality. I highly recommend this course to everyone associated with agriculture and horticulture."
Dave McKie
Soil Scientist (MAgSc Hons)
Christchurch
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"I am a scientist (plant pathologist) with 35 years experience with MAF Research, MAFTech then HortResearch, in disease management research and consultancy in a wide range of crops from stonefruit, apples, berryfruit and vegetables to kiwifruit and winegrapes. My eyes were opened to this about seven years after resigning from HortResearch. I heard a simple truth which resounded in me at an organic conference. The answer lies in the soil! It takes a major mindshift (paradigm change) to see that we are focusing on the symptoms instead of the problem.
As a microbiologist and plant pathologist with my eyes opening, Arden Andersen's scientifically-sound message spelt truth, and the sooner New Zealand agriculture and horticulture can see this, the sooner New Zealand will really clean up its act and export produce that is superior because it is nutritionally superior and health-giving to consumers and not just good-looking. We ignore this at our peril. Like Arden said, the nutritional value of agricultural and horticultural produce has gone down since western agriculture began focusing on NPK, and a host of 'modern' metabolic (nutritionally-based) diseases has arisen both in New Zealand livestock and humans. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what's happening in our crops and pastures. As soon as you bump up these three nutrients in the soil in unnatural forms you create imbalance in the whole spectrum of nutrients and trace elements, and just adding the odd trace element won't fix the problem because the whole microbiology is affected.
Arden is unique in that he has made the correct connection between soil health, animal and human health, he practices what he preaches and gets superior results both with his patients and with his agricultural and horticultural clients around the world. I cannot fault his approach. It all makes perfect sense to me. You re-mineralise and ionize (energise) the soil, build an active and balanced soil food web, feed the microbes so they can do their job feeding the plants and building humus.
It's a holistic approach that involves not only soil chemistry and physics but microbiology which is largely ignored by our current soil management practices. There are many practising consultants around the world who are successfully using this bio-ag approach to higher, more nutritious yields, from which both organic and conventional operations can greatly benefit. We have forgotten some basic science and gotten off-track in our pre-occupation with NPK and the resulting war against the terrorists (weeds, pests and diseases) and turned our pastures and orchards into a chemical minefield for the real plant feeders in our soils (beneficial microbes). Only fertiliser and pesticide companies (and many scientists) profit from this approach.
My only wish is that more scientists, growers and farmers would invest the time to attend Arden's next workshop in New Zealand. We all have a lot to relearn about soil and plant nutrition. I just wish I had learnt this 20 years ago!"
Dr Greg Tate, CPAg Crop Health Services
Phone 07 828 9978
0274 458 480
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"There is no input that has a greater influence on your orchard than your knowledge.
Dr Arden Anderson's teaching of biological principles is about balancing the chemistry and enhancing the biology in the soil. The goals are high. Fertilisers are more efficient, less is needed, less is lost through run off and leaching. With balanced nutrient and biological activity soils build the humus content, holding water more effectively and draining better in wet conditions, soils are less susceptible to compaction and nutrient holding is increased. Change the conditions away from that which is favourable for the disease organism and that pathogen will not flourish.
The primary function of a leaf is sugar production. How much sugar it produces is a measure of how effective the entire system is functioning. This is a primary focus of the biological grower.
Arden Anderson pays a lot of attention to fruit quality. The bottom line is nutrient density. The food is meant to provide the nutrient for human consumption, when high nutrient density has been achieved the fruit is highly resistant to rots, shelf life is longer, the food value is where it should be.
This is what biological growing is ALL about. Other industries in New Zealand, but particularly in Australia and the US, are sitting up and taking on board these principles, they are improving productivity and food quality."
Matt Leamy
Avocado Orchard Manager
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