Neal Kinsey's Hands-On Agronomy (Paperback)

~ Neal Kinsey (Author), Charles Walters (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The soil is more than just a substrate that anchors crops in place. An ecologically balanced soil system is essential for maintaining healthy crops. This is a comprehensive manual on soil management. The "whats and whys" of micronutrients, earthworms, soil drainage, tilth, soil structure and organic matter are explained in detail. Kinsey shows how working with the soil produces healthier crops with a higher yield drawing on his wide range of experience as a master consultant. Learn how to balance soil nutrients for maximum yield. Discover why simple N-P-K fertilization isn't enough. Understand the proper use of manures, compost, tillage, micronutrients and more. Kinsey gives first-rate science that brings organiculture and conventional farming together on speaking terms and indicts toxic rescue chemistry at the same time.

About the Author

Neal Kinsey grew up in southeast Missouri and worked on the farm for his father until he graduated from high school. To make his way through college, he worked part-time and summers as a crop reporter for the USDA's ASCS in Missouri and Illinois. He obtained his B.S. degree in marketing from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. In the fall of 1966, Kinsey enrolled in a master's degree program in Food Industry Logistics in Agricultural Economics at the University of Missouri, Columbia. Here is where he first met Dr. William A. Albrecht, who later provided the technical training in soil fertility required by his present profession. In 1968 Kinsey moved to Texas and took a job with a large environmental research project conducted by Ambassador College at Big Sandy. He eventually became assistant to the Director. Later, he became business manager followed by agricultural operations manager for the Ambassador College Agriculture Department. While serving in this! capacity, he became a certified consultant for Brookside Farms Laboratory of New Knoxville, Ohio. In 1977 he established Kinsey Agricultural Services. His workshops and seminars take him all around the world to train hundreds of growers in soil balancing utilizing cation exchange specializing in building and maintaining soil for quality crop production.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Acres U.S.A. (August 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0911311599
• ISBN-13: 978-0911311594
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,470,734 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It makes sense!, June 3, 2004

By	Ian Langridge (Australia) - See all my reviews

At a guess the reviewer "A reader from New York" has never had anything to do with soils and farming. He/she just eats the end products.
I am a farmer in Australia dealing with some of the hardest yet some of the most potentially productive soils as any in the USA. This book was recommended to me by a fellow farmer. After reading it I was stunned as to how much sense it made. I can now relate soil test data to what I see in the field and understand why some areas always produce more than others. It's not "quackery" when you can understand how mother nature and basic chemistry allow some areas of a field to outperform others by sometimes 3-1.
Readers of this book should be farmers who are willing to take a close look at their soils, work the numbers, think about it and then be prepared to accept what they WILL see in it all.
I am by no means an organic farmer, I still use some commercial fertilizers and spray about as much as anyone. After reading this book I have started working on balancing the soil because I see from experience the most balanced soils producing the best crops.
I don't really care if Neal Kinsey has a consulting practice on soils. And as far as the book being a bit "light on" for detail is concerned, well it's not. It is a great first step to understanding the soil we grow things in. Fertilizer brouchures are light on for detail.
Happy reading and I hope the little light bulb gets turned on in your head like it did in mine.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A serious work for farmers for understanding soil fertility., December 4, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Neal Kinsey's Hands-On Agronomy (Paperback)

An in depth discussion of soil fertility issues and how to use specific fertilizers to achieve balanced crop nutrtion. Excellent statagies for soil testing. Answers to soil problems not easily found.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mr. Kinsey gets it right, January 29, 2004

By	"goldeneaglefarm" (Minneola, KS United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Neal Kinsey's Hands-On Agronomy (Paperback)

Attending one of Mr. Kinsey's seminars and visiting with the farmers who have implemented his programs will convince the most staunch skeptic. His concept of "Feeding the soil and let the soil feed the plant" makes perfect sense. All elements in the soil must be within specific parameters for any plant to grow and produce to its full potential. Too much of the research results and recommendations that are available are tied to some corporate sponsorship that is ultimately tied to a product they wish to sell whether it is needed or not. Mr. Kinsey's success in 50 states and 50 countries speaks for itself. If you are a serious steward of the land and intend to stay in business in agriculture this book will help you get the not only more yield but higher quality products from your operation.