Soil Health

In 2013 we discovered Dr Elaine Ingham and she taught us the deep dark  secret of soil fertility….It  is in the number and diversity of food resources for beneficial microbes. Soil is in fact a biofilm created by bugs from Archea to Zorapterans out of the plants and animal residues and remains which fall on it. During our courses we teach you how to foster the benefical microbes which build soil ! Just some tips here: Don’t poison them with fertilizer and pesticides ! Protect them from UV light! And to keep them well fed and active, ensure the following :

*Armour on the soil…keep it 100% covered , 100 % of the time.

*Minimal disturbance

*Biodiversity above and below ground*Keep some living green plants all year long ( go the perennials!)\

*Animal integration

You may wish to purchase some “starter culture” for your garden beds or compost pile, otherwise known as compost or vermi cast . See more under the product tab along the top of home page. We also do seeding of multi species cover crops in orchards and vineyards with our low disturbance seeder. See more on that below.

See information on our course “From Dirt to Soil”  under the COURSES and EVENTS tab.  

Gut Health

In 2014 we heard of another great woman who made big discoveries about microbes…..Dr Natasha! Dr Natasha Campbell McBride wrote the book Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS). We love her because she says things like ” The closer we can get to Nature and all its wonders, the healthier our bodies will be.”

In 2020 Bee completed GAPScoach training, and learnt that our gut wall  is packed  by trillions of beneficial microbes in a healthy person, very much like the soil under our feet is teeming with life. Microscopic critters convert the food coming along into absorbable nourishment for the  cells that line the digestive tract. Some species generate a 2mm layer of biofilm over the villi which form the huge absorptive surface of our gut wall. this biofilm of mucous forms a barrier against ingested toxins,  heavy metals, bacteria, moulds, viruses and  parasites . There are also some Opportunists and Transitional bacteria there , but  their populations are tightly controlled by the friendly bacteria and fungi ( called Commensals), who guard the “walls of the city.” They digest our food and create vitamins and “feel good”hormones and neurotransmitters for us, and the gut wall is the seat of our immune system. Dr Natasha says of this biofilm “ This is our own soil and the roots of our health are sitting in that soil.” Modern life unfortunately is full of substances that knock out our beneficial flora ( eg antibiotics) which then allows oportunists to take over and pathogens to bloom. And as Hippocrates twigged to 4000 years ago “All disease begind in the gut”

Bee is a certified GAPS coach  and delights in teaching clients  the GUT HEALTH PRINCIPALS:  

* Reduce toxins in your environment

*Stop irritating the gut wall with fiber

* Starve out pathogens ( ban sugar & starch, feed fats and ferments )

*Heal and Seal the gut wall with fatty meat stock.

*Build gut flora diversity with kefir, kraut, kombucha and kvass

See  more under the GAPS Coaching tab along the top of our home page.

Merri Bee Organic Farmacy in Nannup has demonstrated that soil can be regenerated and landscape function restored on  a property within 3 years. There are less weeds and the  grass is greener on the organic side of the fence!

Merri Bee Organic Farmacy’s Stewart Seesink and Bee Winfield have the knowledge, skills and resources to regenerate soils and boost fertility and yields for growers in the south west of W.A.

Regenerative practices Merri Bee uses  include cell grazing, swales, multi species cover crops, perennial pasture establishment and quality compost , compost teas and extracts. The compost contains probiotic microbes which act as bio stimulants for plant growth. Symbiosis between grazing animals, plants, and special fungi and bacteria,  achieves topsoil creation…… soil being the habitat that microbes actually create for themselves!  Soil microbes perform other vital eco services too,  eg water holding and  the extraction and delivery of minerals from the pebbles, sand, silt and clays of the land, to plants ( in plant available form).

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No matter what your dreams for your property, or your current enterprise/s, Merri Bee can advise you correctly due to decades of experience as  Permaculture practitioners, teachers, and designers, as well as 16 years in business as organic producers of over 100 different horticulture crops, and raising 10 different species of livestock.

But nothing thrives without living soil, and at Merri Bee Organic Farmacy, we had to grow  soil primarily. Now we would like to help you do the same!

 Get Bee in as your Soil Health Coach and put her 3 year program into place to bring your property to life. During this time Bee and her partner Stewart Seesink will :

*Conduct initial and ongoing testing, including microscopic biology assessments of your soil, charting improvement in ecological function, soil carbon increase etc.

*Provide custom made composts for your soil

*Make and apply compost teas and extracts as required

*Help you with a  Permaculture Design for your property.

Supply a range of organically raised seeds,  plants and animals to begin implementing the design.

*Provide training to owner and/ or staff in soil health principles.

*Sow multi species cover crops and/ or perennial pastures , with our minimal disturbance seeding machine

*Trouble shoot  problems

*Provide ongoing Soil Health improvement reports and coaching.

Merri Bee Organic Farm Location: 48 Thomas Rd, Nannup, Western Australia

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