The difference, it seems to me, is between soil that is alive and soil that is essentially "dead." I want my food to come from living soil.

There is research that has indicated that organically produced crops do have a higher nutritional level compared to crops grown using production ag methods. What has not been done is to determine why.

It could be that the varieties selected are different. It is well know that certain good traits have been breed out of production ag-oriented crops to achieve other things such as ease of shipping/longer storage life.

It is known that many production ag soils lack trace minerals whereas organic growers are more likely to apply rock dusts to enhance trace minerals.

In other words, the answer is yes, they probably have a higher nutritional value...but the really answer is "maybe". In my case I went from certified organic grower to terra preta chemical grower after I stopped selling. I use 20-20-20 soluble fertilizer with trace minerals just like hydroponic growers. For example, our strawberries used to get what is called cat faces, i.e., deformed berries. The boron in the soluble corrected this problem.

There were a number of rationales: I'm getting old and getting materials and making compost is too much work for our sized growing area. I actually think fertigation produces better yields and is more energy efficient.

Todd

Is there a useful definition that distinguishes 'Technology' from 'High Tech'?

Start at the Wheel, or Agriculture and run up the spectrum through NanoTech (or take your pick of what constitutes HiTech). What divides our tools and systems? Does it fall on a 'complexity' line which would help us understand which systems we might be able to continue using, teaching our children and redeveloping, and which are simply artifacts of a High-Energy Century?

I suppose there may be some threshhold where the processes and energy required to manufacture certain materials and tools depends upon a support system that goes beyond our basic requirements and can sustain a range of specialists and businesses necessary for them. But as with the Good Housekeeping promises of the Housewife's labor saving devices, much of Technology is aimed at making jobs easier or even possible.

What does it take to keep the Ball-bearing factory open, supplied with high-strength steel.. ( as one of the most useful tools for reducing the energy required to accomplish many a task?)

Like with 'Terrorism', we talk about Technology, but often have varying definitions and assumptions that go along with the word.

Ignorant writes:

Finally, I noticed that the organic soil was dark, while the hi-tech farm had something that resembled beach sand... it made me wonder if there are subtle nutritional differences in the plants.

This sounds like hydroponics.

Finally, I noticed that the organic soil was dark, while the hi-tech farm had something that resembled beach sand..

That beach sand appearance is pretty much describing the soil that I started out with when I got my small acreage. My soil is classified as Ava Silt loam. High in minerals but deficient in organic matter and gets as hard as a rock during the dry months of summer. Great for grapes, fruit bushes and orchards, as there are vineyards and orchards all over my county and the adjacent ones, but growing vegetables is very difficult without bombing the soil with ferts. It’s amazing how much fertilizer the farmers around my county use to get a decent yield on their row crops. I figured that it would take about three years of adding and tilling in organic matter - hay cut from my pasturage, and manure from local sources - to improve the soil to any kind of acceptable condition. I’ll just keep on adding more every year. My soil in my garden Chicago had organic matter added for thirty years and gave stupendous yields; I always was giving away stuff to friends and neighbors. It will be awhile for me to reach that stage again even with the far bigger area.