Rating: 
Summary: Read What Others Have to Say
Review: "With the environment in such a needy state, what a boon to move away from problems and hear about viable solutions. peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird go well beyond explaining how agricultural chemicals are poisoning our soil, our food and us. Spanning the globe from teh Himalayas tot he Blue Ridge Mountains, they look in on an emerging breed of farmers who, with rousing success, are kicking the chemical habit and going organic...Secrets of the Soil puts the spotlight on the benefits of traditional agriculture wherein the only chemicals used are the Earth's own." -- Ann Parson, Boston Herald
Rating:
Summary: A superbly detailed look at biodynamic agriculture.
Review: A superbly detailed look at biodynamic agriculture around the world, as it developed from the principles of Rudolf Steiner. All you ever wanted to know about Rudolf Steiner, Anthroposophy and Steiner's "Spiritual Science". Includes several wonderful appendices giving the story behind Steiner - his ideological origins in Theosophy and back to Madame Blavatsky, the nineteenth century phenomonon. Also includes detailed appendices for many of the agricultural specifics involved in making Steiner preparations for the soil. These are the wonderful writers who brought us "The Secret Life of Plants".
Rating:
Summary: Another round of applause for Tompkins & Bird!
Review: BACK IN PRINT!This is a thoroughly researched book that will astonish you in more ways than one. It is HIGHLY educational, but you won't find any of this valuable information in a standard textbook on soil science, gardening, or whatever. Some of it might seem a little far-fetched or at least put a little pressure on preconceived beliefs, but the nice thing is, Tomkins & Bird have found a way to present some rather amazing concepts in a take-it-leave it sort of way, because the most assured thing about this book is that you will be inspired with the DESIRE to do SOMETHING no matter how "small" the beneficial act! While the factual information about mankind's stupidity and carelessness over the last few decades will break your heart all over again, this book offers many different ways for each of us as individuals to help heal the soil - the very foundation of life under our own two feet - and to help heal OURSELVES in the process. Even if your custodial duties only incude managing your own lawn, a few trees, some flower beds or HEY a little compost pile with kitchen scraps and pulled weeds -- this book will inspire and empower you to begin helping to restore (or at least convince you to stop trying to kill) the vast UNIVERSE of microorganisms which live literally in your own back yard! Given half a chance, these little "buggers" will work hard to produce all the natural chemicals you will ever need to enjoy soft green healthy grass in your lawn, lovely fragrant flowers, nice sturdy and shady trees, and if you're into growing foodstuffs, wonderfully healthy food containing life-giving protoplasm and perfectly cheltated minerals... WOW... and all these things absolutely free of charge! This book will re-acquaint you with the "lowly" earthworm which is far from being a worthless creature! Ancient peoples who were far more "in tune" with the inner workings of nature and who demonstrated far better common sense than their modern counterparts (us) revered this gentle organism. You will quickly learn the reasons why! What is all the fuss about "hierloom seed" varieties? It's not just a bunch of sentimental folks who are trying to preserve their grandad's favorite tomato and great grandma's favorite pretty flowers, or who just like collecting a different sort of "antique". Do you get all upset with WEEDS? Think again. The neat information in this book puts the "we" back into weeds again. It's entirely possible to "make peace with these weeds" and end the bloody war with the use of our backyard chemical weapons. Weeds are visible indicators that our soil needs certain nutrients or minor assistance. If we pay attention, we can learn from them, and they will quietly become less bothersome. Think I'm kidding? No way. And there's much much more! This book will really change the way you think about the earth as a whole, about the "dirt" under our feet, and about Life in general. And the title is apt, the things you learn are real "secrets" that should no longer be kept secret. Your Soul will thank you for this read.
Rating:
Summary: Another round of applause for Tompkins & Bird!
Review: BACK IN PRINT! This is a thoroughly researched book that will astonish you in more ways than one. It is HIGHLY educational, but you won't find any of this valuable information in a standard textbook on soil science, gardening, or whatever. Some of it might seem a little far-fetched or at least put a little pressure on preconceived beliefs, but the nice thing is, Tomkins & Bird have found a way to present some rather amazing concepts in a take-it-leave it sort of way, because the most assured thing about this book is that you will be inspired with the DESIRE to do SOMETHING no matter how "small" the beneficial act! While the factual information about mankind's stupidity and carelessness over the last few decades will break your heart all over again, this book offers many different ways for each of us as individuals to help heal the soil - the very foundation of life under our own two feet - and to help heal OURSELVES in the process. Even if your custodial duties only incude managing your own lawn, a few trees, some flower beds or HEY a little compost pile with kitchen scraps and pulled weeds -- this book will inspire and empower you to begin helping to restore (or at least convince you to stop trying to kill) the vast UNIVERSE of microorganisms which live literally in your own back yard! Given half a chance, these little "buggers" will work hard to produce all the natural chemicals you will ever need to enjoy soft green healthy grass in your lawn, lovely fragrant flowers, nice sturdy and shady trees, and if you're into growing foodstuffs, wonderfully healthy food containing life-giving protoplasm and perfectly cheltated minerals... WOW... and all these things absolutely free of charge! This book will re-acquaint you with the "lowly" earthworm which is far from being a worthless creature! Ancient peoples who were far more "in tune" with the inner workings of nature and who demonstrated far better common sense than their modern counterparts (us) revered this gentle organism. You will quickly learn the reasons why! What is all the fuss about "hierloom seed" varieties? It's not just a bunch of sentimental folks who are trying to preserve their grandad's favorite tomato and great grandma's favorite pretty flowers, or who just like collecting a different sort of "antique". Do you get all upset with WEEDS? Think again. The neat information in this book puts the "we" back into weeds again. It's entirely possible to "make peace with these weeds" and end the bloody war with the use of our backyard chemical weapons. Weeds are visible indicators that our soil needs certain nutrients or minor assistance. If we pay attention, we can learn from them, and they will quietly become less bothersome. Think I'm kidding? No way. And there's much much more! This book will really change the way you think about the earth as a whole, about the "dirt" under our feet, and about Life in general. And the title is apt, the things you learn are real "secrets" that should no longer be kept secret. Your Soul will thank you for this read.
Rating:
Summary: I believe this book acheives it 's purpose!
Review: Entertainment... while not knowing entirely what to make of it swallowing my preconceptions gave way to bewilderment and wonder.. There remain many phenomina that sceintific knowledge will never explain. the natural world, the moon, emtions, and sound have many unexamined effects on plants and us. this book explores them all! Purhaps that is what makes the human quest ever scoping new horizons most exiting and meaningful... I went on to read all the biobliograghical citations of interest I could find in libraries. I realized my veiw into this books studies was a drop in the pool.. Many of the reference were old but classic nonetheless. The only reason modern sceince has not delved deeper into the works of these men is there has been of yet no practical way to make money off it! I wholeheartedly recomend this book
Rating:
Summary: I believe this book acheives it 's purpose!
Review: Entertainment... while not knowing entirely what to make of it swallowing my preconceptions gave way to bewilderment and wonder.. There remain many phenomina that sceintific knowledge will never explain. the natural world, the moon, emtions, and sound have many unexamined effects on plants and us. this book explores them all! Purhaps that is what makes the human quest ever scoping new horizons most exiting and meaningful... I went on to read all the biobliograghical citations of interest I could find in libraries. I realized my veiw into this books studies was a drop in the pool.. Many of the reference were old but classic nonetheless. The only reason modern sceince has not delved deeper into the works of these men is there has been of yet no practical way to make money off it! I wholeheartedly recomend this book
Rating:
Summary: Secrets of the Soils will open your eyes to unseen worlds.
Review: First published in 1989 by Harpers and Row, "Secrets of the Soil" not only breathed new life into an increasingly solipsistic U.S. Biodynamic movement, it also provided the initial pulse for the growing interest among American alternative agriculturists in the use of "subtle energies" to boost the productivity of their farms and gardens by enhancing soil fertility while providing new means of working with pests and plant diseases. Radionics, Cosmiculture, Chelation, Vortices, Agnihotra, are all covered in Secrets of the Soil with unerring insight and enough depth to keep the home researcher motivated for a lifetime. As if this were not enough, all the information about fringe science, the Towers of Power, the Cosmic Pipes, the Dowsing and the "Wishing," is sandwiched between four thick chapters and two fat appendices that cover Biodynamic agriculture in about as straight forward and practical of a fashion as you will find anywhere. If you work with plants or eat food and don't own this book, you better buy it now! It will give you something to think about, or, in other words: thought for food!
Rating:
Summary: This book bring together metaphysics and physics.
Review: I read this book and found it to be outstanding way of changing the planet. One chapter on Bio-dynamic farming could revolutionisze this planet and increase farming & live stock production around the world. I have use some of the products and witness others using them with results promised. A true undertanding of the metaphysical wold explained by the physsicist. This book should be in the hands of our agriculture depatements aroung the world. This is a book written before its time, and should come back into print. Its time has come.
Rating: 
Summary: Is there nobody with a critical mind?
Review: Interesting to compare the reviews of this book with the widely avaialble reviews that debunk the authors' previous 'secret life of plants'. The SoS book is better put together, but again seems to be part of the genre of uncritical hanging together of a whole lot of suggestive bits and pieces with little critical weighing of the evidence. Frankly if you believe some of this stuff (round towers and all that cow dung buried in horns) then you are indeed 'away with the fairies', although some of the material in the book is respectable enough (e.g. the stuff on remineralisation of soils). What I'd like to see is a proper review by someone who understands soil science, yet has an open mind to there being 'more to the universe than we know'. The problem is that to evaluate knowledge claims you have to have some kind of standard and method - otherwise it is just 'say what you like' time, and this is what gives the green and radical movements a bad name.
The two stars are because it is thought provoking, but ultimately it remains unconvincing.
Rating:
Summary: Life changing reading
Review: Secrets of the soil changed the way that I approach life. The book details the wonders of how everything is connected in the cosmos, and we are but a tiny but powerful influance on our home.This book led me to discover the life saving benifits of minerals. it is simply a good good read.there are NO chemicals used in our garden or home thanks to secrets of the soil. it's a shame this book is out of print. it should be required reading in all of the school systems in the world, it's that informative. Best book I have read to date. Rev.Bruce Curtis
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