Ever Gro Agriculture

IHW agri-techonology researchers in association with Kent Brown & Associates of Ste. George, Utah, and the Rio Verde University Laboratory in Provo, Utah, began field experiments on the affects of VITÆ™-MYTE© and 11 other soil additive combinations to determine among others: sheen, volume, body, disease, water requirements, and overall growth. The first cuttings were done on July 23rd, 2005, and lab analysis is currently underway. A cursory ‘eyeball’ view of the grass samples showed marked differences in the sample areas utilizing the VITÆ™-MYTE© all natural micro-nutrient additive. Research on this and other aspects of vegetative incorporation of these depleted nutrients continue.
Some samples are also being sent to Utah State University for third party evaluation.

The turf grass sample bedding grid is prepared at the IIHW
research site in St. George, Utah

What is VITÆ©-MYTE™?
(04-01-05)

The calcite group is composed of minerals with the general formula of ACO3, where "A" can be one or more of several positive 2 charged metal ions specifically calcium, cobalt, iron, magnesium, zinc, cadmium, manganese and/or nickel. The symmetry of the members of this group is trigonal, bar 3 2/m. The structure consists of layers of A position metal ions alternating with stacks of carbonate layers. The carbonate layers are composed of flat triangular shaped carbonate ions (CO3), with a carbon at the center of the triangle and the three oxygens at each corner. This triangular structural element is the key ingredient in the trigonal symmetry of this group. Of course, the metal ions must also fall into place within the symmetrical arrangement in order to preserve the trigonal symmetry.

The Calcite Group is an interesting contrast to the Aragonite Group of minerals. The structure of the Calcite Group is stable at normal temperatures and pressures only with smaller metal ions than the Aragonite Group. The divide is right at the radius of calcium. If the ion is larger than calcium, the mineral's structure will be

of the Aragonite Group, otherwise if the ion is smaller than calcium than the mineral's structure will be of the Calcite Group. Ironically, the mineral aragonite is dimorphous with the mineral calcite in that they have the same calcium carbonate chemistry, but different structures. The size of calcium is the same in both minerals, but different crystallization temperatures, pressures and other parameters will decide the structure of the crystallizing mineral, that being either calcite's or aragonite's.

All members of the Calcite Group are important minerals. Calcite's importance is almost without saying as it is used in cements, the steel industry, chemical industry, optical uses, etc. The others in this group have their varied uses, but all are used as ores for their respective metal content.

VITAE©-MYTE™ is all natural. It is a hardened silica based clay mined from volcanic deposits and marketed as a free-flowing, often less than 200 mesh, tan to pink powder with a density of 48 pounds/cubic foot. There are no additives, synthetics or fillers.

Some composite of the mineral have been used by ranchers and alfalfa producers in varying forms and slightly varying formulas since WWII. These local ranchers mixed the ground up powder to feed sheep and livestock and used it as a soil amendment to augment fertilizers for fields of cover crops. Upon visual inspection users found that it improved plant growth, aided in fertility (due to more effective immune systems), and could be incorporated by animals into their blood stream and muscle structure. However, after almost fifty years of use by these regional husbandry specialists, up to the time of the new millennium, NO hard scientific or laboratory research, other than minor attempts, mostly cursory and very limited in scope, were ever conducted.

In the year 2,000 researchers at the International Institute for Health & Wellness, Inc., in Provo, Utah and research scientists from Rio Verde University – Juarez, MEX., created specific research protocols for the systematic study of VITÆ©-MYTE™. Soil samples were categorized; some plots received the trace mineral additive, others did not. A variety of vegetable producing crops were grown. Tomatoes were the first to receive this concentrated attention. Plants were germinated from seeds and taken through the fruition process. Then basic elemental studies were conducted and cataloged concentrating on the presence and content levels of iron, copper, and chromium. By 2003 these researchers were ready to analyze a cross section of plants. Chile peppers, bell peppers, several varieties of squash, eggplant, several varieties of tomatoes, rhubarb, cucumbers and green beans were carefully selected, germinated in self-contained hothouses, then transplanted to Gro-Sleeves™ for maximum control against contaminates which could compromise these soil mixtures.

After the soils were analyzed, the first seedlings to begin budding were then placed in testing modes to determine if those in the VITÆ©-MYTE™ enriched soils showed a more significant level of incorporation of the trace minerals found in the additive. Leaves and stems were crushed and analyzed. The first tests from produce grown at both the Columbus, New Mexico, and Provo, Utah sites were very encouraging. When the two test groups bore produce, these fresh vegetables were also analyzed for incorporation levels. 25 different preliminary tests were run for the IIHW by the NMSU Soil Science Department in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The research hypothesis: feed plants VITÆ©-MYTE™. Analyze ripe produce. If the researchers’ theory was correct a marked increase in trace mineral presence should be evident. Each of the preliminary tests was encouraging.

Yes, prior to the dawn of the 21st century there had, and continues to be, limited mining assays recorded which revealed that this all natural material contains a broad spectrum of metabolically active minerals and trace elements. Most analyzed samples show the rock formations to contain in the neighborhood of 75 trace and essential minerals. But, it wasn’t as simple as taking a shovel full of powder, throwing it in a bag and marketing it. Other difficulties arose. Core samples taken at different sites only a few yards apart quickly let discerning and proactive investigators know there could be a significant variation in concentration and efficacy from one sample to the next. An answer to this dilemma: take the strip mined product from several different mining sites. When taking those to mill, mix the ‘batches’ for a more consistent mineral content level.

The pinkish rock when ground to 50-200 mesh standards has been determined to be odorless, and while not burning plants, doesn’t restrict aeration or water penetration. The product can range from solid chunks of rock, to a fine dusty powder. VITAE©-MYTE™ is most commonly applied as a very dusty, fine, free-flowing powder (-200 mesh) with a bulk density of approximately 48 pounds per cubic foot. Unlike many soil additive products, VITAE©-MYTE™ is not a true manufactured, or chemically modified fertilizer. However, because the product does contain Potash the distributor, Ever-Gro© Agri-Technology, felt it necessary to register the product as a fertilizer with a caveat in large print, “MUST ADD NITROGEN, POTASSIUM AND PHOSPHORUS for optimal results.” The Distributor has registered VITÆ©-MYTE™ with the New Mexico and Utah Departments of Agriculture-Fertilizer Divisions. Additional registrations are currently pending (08-15-05) in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Texas, and Idaho. VITÆ©-MYTE™ is 100% all-natural with no chemical additives, synthetics or filters.

A geological mineral analysis, describes the material as a rhyolitic tuft breccia. Occurring naturally in hard montmorillonite clay silica imbued rock formations, these deposits are the result of millions of years of erosion, the addition of layer upon layer of biodegradable materials settling to the bottom of ancient prehistoric oceans and a mingling with the dust of volcanic extrusions from earthquakes or ‘cold’ lava being squeezed up to the present day American Intermountain range surface. Similar deposits have been found in New Zealand, South America, and Central Europe.

In the early 40’s mineral prospector’s took ore samples from one of the deposits. This sample was sent to Salt Lake City to Dr. Charles Head, ranking scientific expert at the U.S. Bureau of Mines. Placing a tiny particle of the ore beneath the lens of his microscope, Head looked for a long time, and let out a long, low whistle. The ore contained a wide variety of minerals. Dr. Head explained that he had spent six years studying mineral reserves in South America on behalf of the U.S. Government. The multitude of minerals he detected in the pink ore reminded him of the caliché rock of Chile and Peru from which the world’s finest nitrates were mined. While there, Dr. Head had developed the conviction that much of the benefit plants were deriving from South American nitrates was not from the nitrates themselves, but from minute quantities of trace elements, which served as chemical catalysts in the developing plants. His theory contravened prevailing opinion that considered trace elements to be "impurities”.

The need for Trace Minerals by Living Organisms

   In the book The Story of Trace Minerals by Dr. Melchior Dikkers the medical researcher wrote: "Years of intensive study had convinced him that trace elements were the key to all living organisms, essential to the structure of certain complex chemical compounds that influence the course of metabolism, a vital factor in the health of every living being."

   "Metabolism--the sum total of all chemical reactions that proceed in every single cell of the body twenty-four hours of each day--is what keeps us all alive. Some thirty trillion cells are at work, constantly, in each and every human body, twenty million in the human brain alone. In each cell, the process by which foodstuffs are synthesized into complex elements is carried out by enzymes, large proteins which are themselves synthesized by the cells. And it became clear to Dr. Dikkers that trace elements were essential to the creation of these enzymes, to act as catalysts to bring about chemical changes by their mere presence, without themselves undergoing change. It is a phenomenon for which science has no real explanation, but which clearly cannot occur without both the enzymes and the elements taking in and radiating energy to achieve specific effects."

   "Combinations of trace elements have been found, under certain conditions, to acquire entirely new properties, very different from those of individual elements acting singly. There is a noted interaction among trace elements, such as iron and copper, both of which are concerned with blood formation. In plants, iron and magnesium are associated in chlorophyll formation." "Without chlorophyll there would be no life on earth, the very first green plants being the understood link between the energy of the sun and life on the planet. Only green plants and certain microorganisms are able to absorb the sun's energy, store it, transform it, and then transfer it to man in the form of wheat, corn, vegetables, and fruit. Uncooked and unprocessed food will supply enzymes directly to the blood. Some two thousand different enzymes, every one a protein, are synthesized by every cell from amino acids furnished by the blood, obtained from ingested food, best eaten raw."

   "The activities of enzymes are extremely susceptible to foods. The mere presence of chemical additives in food may cause some trace elements to become unavailable. The same applies to chemical fertilizers to the soil. They can cause trace elements to become unavailable to plants. Enzyme reactions are influenced by a deficiency of any functional nutrient."

   Dr. Melchior Dikkers, Professor of Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry at Loyola University in Chicago Illinois, felt that malnutrition is the most important problem confronting mankind at the present time. With the integration of manmade agrochemicals into agriculture, the premise was advanced that plants can only absorb nutrients the size of ions. The theory here is that nothing larger than ions are able to cross the cell membrane. With this premise the concept of "cation exchange" became the accepted theory with the "CEC" as the be-all of soil testing. This concept would rule agrichemical farming science for the next 100 years.

   In the late fifties/early sixties Dr. Dikkers, found that plant cells in reality are able to take in whole molecules. His findings were contrary to the prevailing consensus. Scientists Saatoshi Mori and Naoko Nishizawa from the University of Tokyo, and N.M Stark of the US Forestry Service, along with W. Flaig from the Institute Fur Biochemie in Germany and Dr. Fritz Went of Earhardt Laboratories supported these findings and further found: (1.) Given a choice, plants will intentionally take in organic molecules and not inorganic ions from fertilizers. (2.) Unlike whole molecules, ions have to be chelated by the root’s metabolism before they can go into action and move through the plant. This is an unnecessary energy expense for the root. (3.) Whole molecules of any size and even clusters of molecules can be taken directly into plant cells. (4.) Electron microscope pictures can track the absorption and progress of molecules moving through the cell where as no one has ever seen ions (such as K+) go through the cell membrane. (5.) Mycorrhizals pass on to plants, nutrients they have absorbed directly from leaves not yet completely decomposed. This strongly suggests the passing of whole molecules, since the compounds in the leaves have not been broken down into ions.

   The process, which occurs when a cell absorbs a molecule, is called Endocytosis and briefly it occurs like this. After the molecules have passed through the cellulose mesh of the cell wall, it settles onto the cell membrane. The membrane engulfs the molecules forming a coated pit and then a coated vessel, which moves into the cell cytoplasm. The vessel then embarks upon its predestined path to unload its cargo of large molecules or particles at predetermine locations. Once unloaded, the vessel picks up matter to be used to build cell walls, membranes, or to be passed on to other cells.

   Dr. Bargyla Ratheaver, a retired professor of Botany who has taught at most of the California Universities spent the last 64 years studying relationships between plants, soils and nutrients. One such area is the ability and preference of plants to take up and use whole molecules instead of ions. Dr. Ratheaver contends the research shows "the process is not a small, erratic, exceptional, unusual phenomenon. Rather it is one of nature’s normal ways of circulating whatever cells need from one to another, from the environment to the cell’s interior metabolism, or out of it to the environment."

   Conclusion: Plants can easily take up and use whole molecules from organic sources, or must spend unnecessary energy that could be used elsewhere to process chemical fertilizer ions. This information emphasizes the value of using crop and other organic residue to amend the soil, because their whole molecules can go right into the root cells and carry out their tasks, as molecular entities, without having been degraded first to the size of ions.

   Another challenge to the concept of chemical agriculture centered on the idea that healthy plants are also disease and pest resistant. Increased crop growth and residue inputs resulting from fertilizer applications provide energy and nutrient sources which support higher microbial populations. However excess chemical fertilizer needs to be avoided. In trials conducted in Australia and Canada, researchers found that 75-100 lbs. of Nitrogen fertilizer per acre caused the microbial population to fall by 25% and it took an average of 40 days to recover.

   Of more concern: applications of liquid nitrogen fertilizer’s short term negative effects on microbial activity required a minimum of 5-6 weeks to recover from a single application. This may leave a crop vulnerable from an imbalance in 'predator-prey' organisms. High levels of fertilizer can reduce the symbiotic effectiveness of soil organisms.

   For example, high P inputs reduce beneficial effects of Mycorrhizal and high N inputs reduce N2 fixation by microorganisms e.g. Rhizobium. However when all is said and done, crops which have an adequate and balanced nutrient supply are less susceptible to damage by plant pathogens, e.g. applications of Zn reduce the level of Rhizoctonia damage in medics and cereals when Zn is limiting to plant growth.

   Foliar applied chemicals appear to be less harmful to soil organisms than those applied into the soil. Sources: Dr. Bargyla Ratheaver Organic Method Primer (64 years of research); Dr. Elaine Ingham, Oregon State Researcher, www.soilfoodweb.com

   Observations: (1) Forty five percent of the dry weight of plants is carbon. Plants obtain the carbon mostly from the CO2 (carbon dioxide) in the air through the photosynthesis process. A healthy soil web can naturally produce 20 tons of CO2 per acre annually. (2) A healthy soil web will include up to 100 species of nitrogen fixing bacteria making otherwise unavailable nitrogen available to plants. (3) A healthy soil web includes many species of bacteria, which reduce the pollutants in the air. (4) A healthy soil web creates the soil texture and tilth, which allows the retention of rain and irrigation moisture that would other wise be lost to leaching and run off. (5) A healthy soil web provides more naturally produced nutrients, resulting in healthier plants, which are able to withstand the extremes (for a particular plant) in environmental conditions and produce more H2O.

   Philip Callahan of the University of Florida has proven that insect antennae are like semiconductors. They are paramagnetic structures able to receive wavelengths of the infrared spectrum.   Plants like all living things give off infrared radiation. Each plant has a frequency that is a combination of all the vibrational frequencies of all its parts. This "combined frequency" varies based upon the health of the plant. If the plant is missing a mineral it vibrates at a different composite frequency that tells the insect it is a food source. If on the other hand, the plant is so healthy that its brix reading (measuring sugar content) is very high, the composite frequency emitted will tell the insect to look elsewhere.

   Robert Haack and other USDA forestry researchers found that ultrasonic acoustical emissions (waveforms) can be recorded from tree sapwood which is detected by insects. These emissions are consistently associated with drought stress (it doesn’t occur in well watered trees) and changes, as the drought intensifies. They suggest that certain emission combinations signify susceptibility for insect infestation.

   The best remedy for most insect pest problems is to have a perfect soil or medium that supplies all the natural nutrients required by the plant and an environment where there is no stress on the plant. (i.e. perfect water, light, air and temperature.) Even though perfection may be out of reach, knowledge and products are available to help us come much closer to the ideal. When plants have the proper enzyme activity, nutrient balance, hormone control and certainly other factors yet unknown to us, they all work together to induce the insect pest to stay away, or to taste and be repelled, or to be stunted in development, etc. The health of plants can be measured and followed by using a refractometer to test the plant’s sugar content. The goal: keep the readings above 12 for the whole season.

   According to Dr. Rateaver’s research found in the publication, “The Organic Method Primer” molecules we call ‘Biostimulants’, such as enzymes, hormones, amino acids, etc. when combined with various nutrients have a tremendous potential for creating all kinds of beneficial improvements within plants. Example: Cytokinin, a natural Biostimulant, is one of the major plant hormones which have been identified by science and which they have been able to synthetically duplicate. Normally produced in the root system of plants and then transported to that part of the plant where it is needed, it has among other effects, a tremendous influence on cell division, preventing of aging, and initiating of new growth. It takes a very small amount to have a major effect upon a plant. If we were to take an acre of ground containing 26,000 plants and 10 ounces of liquid was evenly spread over that acre, and if, 4 hundreds of one percent of that 10 ounces was Cytokinin, then each plant would receive over 780,000,000,000 Cytokinin molecules. With that type of stimulation we can see how such a small amount can have major effects. Researchers at Purdue University have isolated the genes that help plant roots take up phosphate and their work was reported to the Proceeding of the National Academy of Science. "Lack of phosphorus fertilizer is going to be a serious problem in the future in certain parts of the U.S. unless we find another source of Phosphorus in the world or create plants the are more efficient phosphorus users." according to Purdue researcher Dr. K.G. Raghothama, Purdue assistant professor of Horticulture. In the alkaline soils we have in the West, calcium reacts with the phosphorus and essentially fixes it. When soil phosphorus is sparse and plants can't get what they need, they are required to make some internal changes to bring in more of the mineral. Some plants have to develop more extensive root balls, some produce and release organic acids and enzymes that can pry nutrients away from the attraction of the oil clay and organic matter.

   Here at the IIHW we are studying the effects of a combination of natural trace mineral deposits and humic deposits. In preliminary grass turf studies in St. George, Utah out of eleven combinations of peat, and a variety of other amendments the most successful combination at this point is that of humic acids and montmorillonite clays, along with calcite.

   University of California scientists have agreed on the benefits from humic acids and their derivates. These researchers note: “they have growth promoting effects, improve trace element nutrition by providing both nutrients and chelating agents, improve soil moisture conditions, improve the physical properties of soils, hold exchangeable plant nutrients thus reducing leaching, have a high exchange capacity which is critical to soil fertility and improve the release of plant nutrients through increased microbial activity”. The literature suggests that the commercial use of humic acids and Humates are more effective in soils that have less than two percent organic matter, and in dryer alkaline soils. Tests on soils with high humus content, and acidic conditions have show much less to no positive effect. Also, it appears that when applied at a rate that is too high, nutrients become tied up rather than being released for plant use.

Sources: Dr Nyle C. Brady, The Nature and Properties of Soils 8th edition, Macmillan Publishing Co; Senn, T.L. & Kingman A.R. 1973. A Review of Humus and Humic Acids. Clemson University, Dept of Horticulture # 145. Also see “The formation of humic substances” www.ar.wroc.pl/~weber/powstaw2.htm

U.S. Bureau of Mines analyses show the clay-rock deposits are similar to Chilean/Peruvian cliché rocks, where as noted previously, much of the world's nitrate is mined. What makes these unique deposits so special is the conspicuous presence of most of the vital micro and nano-nutrients that dietary scientists only recently are beginning to claim as very necessary for the smooth performance of many the catalytic reactions that the living organism must perform. Biochemists who analyzed the mineral noted with the addition of a couple of key yet common all natural minerals you in effect create an even more efficient catalytic reaction process simply by supplementing these pink clay-rock deposits. Result: you have a product that can address a multitude of varying mineral deficiency situations using all natural agri-technology©.

The Kreb’s Cycle in Action

   One of the studies that researchers at the IIHW/RVU laboratory center are looking at is how some the relationship between certain trace minerals and organic acids can play a pivotal role in the generation of cell energy. By understanding a physiology of the individual test results (gleaned from hair, blood, urine, tissue-and other unique samples) it is felt that this research can among other goals, reveal metabolic distress associated generalized pain and fatigue, which may arise in response to toxic exposure, nutrient imbalances, digestive dysfunction and other causes.

   Plants synthesize and store energy from sunlight and nutrients. How efficiently the human body recovers this energy from plants or animals that eat plants can have a profound effect on physiological function. To use an all too worn out phrase, “this is exactly what ‘the inquiring minds’ of researchers at IIHW/RVU ‘want to know’. Fundamentally, optimal health and well-being depends on the healthy functioning of the cell. The mitochondria of each cell functions as its energy "factory" also know as the ‘Kreb’s Cycle’. The primary function of the mitochondria is to efficiently produce the energy we require to live vital lives.

   Studies continue by measuring a special grouping of organic acids and micro-nutrients. These metabolites primarily reflect carbohydrate metabolism, mitochondrial function, and the oxidation of fatty acids that occurs during cellular respiration. The organic acids measured in the targeted panel are central components or intermediates in metabolic pathways of energy conversion related to the Kreb’s (citric acid) cycle and the production of ATP---‘each cell's main fuel source’.

   Defects of mitochondrial metabolism are associated with a wide spectrum of illness and disease. Medical test’s can reveal metabolic distress that can arise from toxic exposure, nutrient deficiency, intestinal dysbiosis, dysglycemia, oxidative stress, poor diet, and other causes. The profile is particularly relevant for the chronically "unwell" patient. (In this case, IIHW/RVU reseachers are looking at a targeted population -- those with type II diabetes, MS, MD, and teen drug/alcohol addiction), and in the general population, those who may be experiencing multiple chemical sensitivities, fibromyalgia, fatigue, malaise, hypotonia (loss of muscle tone), acid-base imbalance, low exercise tolerance, muscle/joint pain, or headache. With such results, specific nutritional and medical actions can be more effectively geared towards the individual’s specific current condition.

   Organic acids also play a pivotal role in generating energy for muscle tissue. For this reason, mitochondrial defects are associated with a variety of neuromuscular disorders. Imbalances may also influence cardiac function, glycemic control, and behavior. Moreover, because the mitochondria modulate cell death, their dysfunction is closely linked with the aging process and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and ALS.

It is hoped that continued research will result in concrete pro-active life-style alterations and serve as a diagnostic aid for acquired, as opposed to in-born, errors of organic acid metabolism. In the research studies to date each analyte is reported in relation to creatinine levels to ensure normal renal function and representative results. Significantly abnormal findings may be due to inborn errors if they persist after removal of toxics, nutrient supplementation, dietary adjustments, and correction of intestinal dysbiosis or infection. For these cases, further specialized follow-up testing is needed to identify congenital organic acidopathies.

What Reseachers Hope to Learn

It is felt these studies will reveal important clinical information about:

The thirteen organic acids that specifically reflect carbohydrate metabolism, mitochondrial function, and beta-oxidation of fatty acids

Mitochondrial dysfunction which may be underlying chronic symptoms of fibromyalgia, fatigue, malaise, hypotonia (loss of muscle tone), acid-base imbalance, low exercise tolerance, muscle/joint pain, or headache

Acquired errors of organic acid metabolism that can arise from toxic exposure, nutrient deficiency, intestinal dysbiosis, dysglycemia, oxidative stress, poor diet, and other causes

Non-clinical studies using the base materials found in VITÆ©-MYTE™ exhibit characteristics that certain biochemical reactions are necessary for optimal metabolism in living things. Hence the concept: ‘vital minerals’. When used in animal feed, mixtures of the product are ground to a fine powder (-200 mesh), which allows these silica based mineral grains (just imagine: trace and life essential elemental enriched sand), now small enough, to pass through the cell walls of many non-human organisms to be incorporated as part of the process of ingestion. Some studies have been specifically focused on broiler chickens. The reason: they have a 7 week life span and broilers are smaller and less expensive to grow than larger animals such as goats and cattle. Some scientific work has also been conducted on citrus trees and plants.

Working with the montmorillonite clay was a constant learning experience for Rollin Anderson, one of the first to ‘discover’ and claim some of the deposit sites. "We learned that by applying the minerals directly in contact with the seed or root structure one could get much quicker action. We tried it on lawns, but people complained they had to cut the grass too often. On pasture and perennial crops the best results were obtained by applying about fifteen hundred pounds to the acre. Results were even more noticeable after the second or third year." He waved toward the valley, where fruit trees grew in an orchard. "Trees seem to respond to this dusted clay about as readily as any vegetation, especially fruit trees. One orchard had leaf curl, sluggish growth, poor-quality fruit and many pests were the problem. The montmorillonite clay corrected the conditions within a year. By the end of the third year, none of the conditions existed."

Rollin further explained, “montmorillonite clay” should be applied to trees in the fall, just after harvest, starting about eighteen inches from the trunk and spreading as far as the drip line, then disked in." Anderson of Central Utah also known as one of the first users of the montmorillonite clay is quoted as saying, “but the real payoff came when we fed it to cows through silage. Animals showed a definite preference for silage treated with montmorillonite clay and for pasture grown with it. Cows, horses, sheep, goats, rabbits, turkeys, all preferred the clay treated hay. I've had animals walk right through belly deep lush-looking pasture not treated with the clay to get to that part of the pasture which was treated, and then eat it until you'd swear there was nothing left to chew on. Failing to get an adequate supply of any one trace element, animals have difficulty reproducing; calves are smaller, litters of pigs, weaker. Beef cattle fail to make the best use of their feed. Dairy cows produce less milk; sheep have thinner fleece."

"We got started with poultry quite by accident. It was difficult to get all the montmorillonite clay ground to a fine powder. There were a lot of pea-sized nodules left over. So I had the bright idea of feeding the chunk-sized minerals to poultry as a grinding agent. When a neighbor placed some montmorillonite clay in the pen where culled hens were housed, by morning it was gone. None of the hens died; all started laying (eggs) again. Baby chicks would take to the clay from the very first day, if it was ground fine enough; it seemed to stimulate their appetite. They developed more evenly, feathered out sooner, and later gave a greater percentage of fertilized eggs. Pullets were laying a week before they were supposed to, and their shells, which had been fragile, were now much harder. Did you know that it costs the U.S. poultry industry $60 to $70 million annually for broken eggshells?"

Rollin paused for us to appreciate the importance of the remark, then hurried on. "With turkeys we had even greater success. The additive gave them earlier maturity, greater weight, stronger legs, and a greater number of prime-grade quality. Then we found that it was just as good for cattle. A farmer's cow got loose in the barn, where she found a bucket of some montmorillonite clay and licked it up as if it were lush feed. So we spread the word and cattle ranchers starting mixing it in with feed. One rancher wrote that since he'd included the ground clay the average gain per head per day was much higher and the quality of the beef was greatly improved. Another farmer wrote that seven Holsteins which had been bred four times artificially failed to settle until the mineral additive was mixed into their daily feed. On the fifth breeding, all the cows settled. So we fed it to hogs, and by market time the runts had caught up to the others. With sheep we managed to breed culled ewes past lambing with a ram that was supposed to be infertile; and we got plenty of lamb twins, plus more wool from the sheep." (Azomite.com)

   A chemical analysis of the natural mineral deposits shows that it is a hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (HSCAS) containing other minerals and trace elements which the National Research Council recognizes to be essential to the existence and continuation of life. Hence the name: VITÆ©-MYTE™ (vital minerals). HSCAS is listed in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (21 CFR 582.2729) as an anti-caking agent, and is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA. In a nutshell the mixture contains most of the vital minerals necessary for a smooth running biological machine. Any contaminants are within American Feed Control Official guidelines. It's "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) by FDA for feeds up to 2% by weight. The additive is also odorless, and insoluble (1%). Current research recommends 300-600 lbs/acre broadcast, or 2 lbs/10 sq. ft in gardens.

   One of the keenest supporters of the use of this montmorillonite clay is Dr. C. S. Hansen, who attributes the extraordinary powers of trace elements to the microwaves they radiate. He maintains that insects have an innate intelligence that respects a vigorous growing plant, capable of producing seed for reproduction, and will somehow have the sense to avoid it. He said that when this natural trace element material is supplied to a growing plant, he has failed to find any insects present. Insects avoid such treated plants. But when a plant is not vigorous and sound, nature gives insects the job of cleaning it up. "Anything that becomes inferior in quality," says Dr. Hansen, "becomes food for insects, so that only the healthy plants capable of developing seeds for reproduction are left to mature. Imperfection in life has a way of being destroyed if left to the devices of nature."

   In 2004 in Coeur d’Lene, Idaho, one contract researcher for Rio Verde University began testing a variety of foliar application options. He has succeeded in the most difficult part: getting the insoluble minerals to remain suspended in solution.

   In 1999 Undergraduate researcher Randy Ottgen of Michigan State University did a comparative research project to study the “Effects of Montmorillonite Clay and Compost Supplementation as Compared to Sustaineú NPK Plant Food on Turf Grass”. {editor’s note-one of the mandatory items of understanding in using any Montmorillonite Clay additive is that it simply must have NPK augmentation. NPK is virtually absent in the deposit. As Horticulture 101 teaches us, Nitrogen-Potassium-Phosphorus are essential growth elements. They must be part of the total mix.}

Here are notes from Mr. Ottgen Research:

PREPARATION:

“Previous studies have shown trace mineral supplementation improves the germination rate of various grasses. This study investigated the effect of montmorillonite clay (the trace mineral supplement which is the basis of Vitae-Myte) compared to a conventional fertilizer, “Sustaineú NPK Plant Food”. On February 6, 1999, one flat was divided into two equal compartments. The control side received topsoil only and the Sustaineú plant at the recommended label application rate. The treatment side received 2/3 topsoil and 1/3 compost with montmorillonite clay addition at the rate of 1 lb./10 sq. ft. Each side of the flat was sown with an equal weight of PGA standard fairway grass. The treatment side also received foliar dusting after all the grass emerged on February 12, 1999. Both sides of the flat received similar water, light, and heat. Visual observation of seed germination was monitored and five 1 square inch plugs from each side of the flat were taken to determine stem counts on April 3, 1999.

RESULTS:

The montmorillonite clay and compost treatment side germinated in two days; whereas, the control side with Sustaineú took over a week. Fourteen days after planting, the researcher described the control side as “slight” germination, but the treatment side as “almost total” germination at an even height of four inches. Stem counts from one square inch plugs of the control side averaged 49.8 compared to an average stem count of 152.2 for the montmorillonite clay and compost treatment side as shown in Figure D.

The treatment side of montmorillonite clay and compost increased the speed of germination rate by greater than three fold compared to the control topsoil treatment with Sustaineú plant food.

In 2003-2004 the International Institute for Health & Wellness (IIHW) of Provo-Orem, Utah conducted controlled studies on eight different vegetables to determine rates and access of incorporation by plants when VITÆ©-MYTE™ was applied to the soil in a highly regulated growing environment. Those studies conducted at growing sites in Provo, Utah and Columbus, New Mexico were significant, although preliminary. In initial tests of plant stems, leaves, soil samples, and ripe fruit, there was shown to be significant incorporation of virtually all of the minerals found in VITÆ©-MYTE™. Soils absent and deprived of the addition of the product showed virtually no presence of a vast majority of all the trace minerals found in VITÆ©-MYTE™. As previously mentioned a total of twenty five samples were analyzed by the soil science department of New Mexico State University. In every case the vegetables that had been ‘fed’ VITÆ©-MYTE™ were found to have significant gains in the presence of these ‘absent’ nano-nutrients; nutrients that have long since been depleted from the growing soils, in America. As one country gentleman succinctly surmised, “you can’t get out, what ain’t in thar’”.

In early 2005 the IIHW, in conjunction with Rio Verde University researchers, again planned a larger testing of the incorporation of the vital minerals. But this year, the next step is being taken. Although it is limited in scope, this precursory research shows where the science needs to go. After having a small group of humans consume many products enhanced with VITÆ©-MYTE™, blood samples from these participants will be compared with base-line blood samples to determine the incorporation amount, if any, of these vital micro-minerals. Additional tests will be conducted using hair sampling specifically looking at trace minerals levels.

Medical doctors and scientists know that patients stricken with the most common chronic diseases rampant in our society today, (i.e type II diabetes, MS, MD, and even some types of drug and alcohol addiction), have a common medically discernable thread running through them. Their shared commonality: the virtual absence or major deficiency of most trace minerals in the blood system and body.

As a follow-up on the work done by Randy Ottgen at MSU, the IIHW-RVU in collaboration with Kent Brown & Associates of Ste. George, Utah and others, have begun a more extensive study comparing the VITÆ©-MYTE™ base with several other fertilizers, including Humic Shale, compost, NPK products, and several ‘created’ additives. The grasses have just been harvested and the clippings sent to the Agronomy Department at Utah State University for analysis (07-2005). As of this date researchers are looking at volume, sheen, stem count, germination rates, flexibility, health, and required minimal water needs. This initial research will add to our overall knowledge of turf grass germination, growth rates, water consumption, hardiness, disease resistance capabilities, color, and stem size.

How can VITÆ©-MYTE™ help?

Studies in broiler chicken, mycotoxin, citrus, and crops indicating benefits have been done by the University of Wisconsin and others. Cattlemen report faster weight gain, improved feed efficiency, upgraded meat quality, greater disease resistance, and reduced mortality. Dairymen report increased milk, higher butterfat. Poultry producers report enhanced egg fertility and shell quality. Crop farmers report improved growth, health, size. Potatoes report a 19-60% increase in yield; sugar beets are larger, with higher sugar content. Citrus growers report improved recovery from decline, and overall healthier trees. (Davis, NC)

Because so much of today’s produce is grown in soils virtually depleted of most trace and many essential minerals, we grab for bottles of pills or drinks hoping to make up the difference. But, as the old man said: “you can’t get out, what ain’t in thar’”. Producers of fresh produce in the future are going to have to be more attuned to the chemical analyses of the products they are growing. Someday, like packaged products fresh produce may require an actual content label to make the buyer aware of what the item contains, NOT what it should contain. Time is getting short. We have to put back into our soils what we have so callously taken out for so long.

A Product of Ever-Gro™ Agri-Technology