Volcanic ash? Yes please say farmers

THERE are some good things that come out of volcanoes. Mineral-rich rock dust from volcanic deposits laid down millions of years ago in Scotland is being sold abroad as an aid to growing giant vegetables.

Artists turned smallholders Cameron and Moira Thomson have spent three decades testing and perfecting a concoction of crushed-up volcanic rock dust from a Perthshire quarry to produce deep, fertile soils and gardens that produce huge onions, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbages, and strawberries - all without recourse to irrigation or artificial fertilisers.

Now the couple, who run an experimental soil research centre, have teamed up with a new export business to take their remarkable product abroad, and have shipped their first big order of 24 tonnes to hilly areas of Slovenia. They hope that their unique formula will help farmers in some of the world's most barren regions to produce a rich variety of crops.

The dust - a grey powder similar to the ash being blown out of Icelandic volcanoes over the last year - is a plentiful byproduct from the blasting taking place at local quarries in Tayside and is bagged up and delivered to the Thomsons by the lorryload. By sprinkling six acres of their previously infertile hillside near Kirkmichael with nothing more than ground-up volcanic rock, they claim to have created soils capable of producing huge yields of vegetables.

Cameron Thomson said: "The dust is 420-million-year-old volcanic rock, finely crushed to release a wide range of minerals and trace elements to boost organic fertility of soil and compost to grow higher yields, healthier fruit, vegetables, flowers, trees, lawns and pastures - as we have trialled and demonstrated at our centre.

"The Slovenia order is great news - 24 tonnes amounts to 1,200 bags, and it is being sold in stores across the country. We had a Slovenian gardening group come and visit the SEER (Sustainable Ecological Earth Research] Centre a few years back so word got around that way.

"We're also pursuing interest from people in India, and also Egypt, who are interested in using rock dust on olive farms right on the edge of the desert. It would be perfect for Third World countries that are unable to usually grow crops because the land is so dry, but we believe we could hold the solution for them. If we can do that here using it, then you can regenerate soil anywhere.We are just a local example of the global potential of the product."

The Thomsons' rock dust, which has been researched through the aid of a 100,000 Scottish government grant, has been sold in British garden centres but only in small quantities for just under 10 per 20 kilogram bag. The move into the export market signals a welcome upturn in fortunes for the hard-working Thomsons, who are pleased to have finally won some international recognition and to receive some financial return for their hard graft and dedication.

Moira Thomson said: "It couldn't go on any longer not making any money. It was either fold up and forget it, or try something different because we were going insane doing the same thing over and over again and not getting anything back for our efforts.

"Ideally, we aim to source potentially suitable dusts in several other countries and carry out trials of these dusts with the farmers and universities in these countries. We are working with an international organisation to achieve these aims and then we can start to produce and package SEER Rockdust in other countries.

"Then, we would receive royalty payments on each bag of Rockdust sold, which we retain the rights and trademark for. We might not make as much money as many people think we should, but we're just glad that it is finally working out and that the world is catching on."

The Thomsons were introduced and converted to the benefits of remineralisation in 1984 after reading The Survival Of Civilisation by American scientists John Hamaker and Don Weaver, and visitors to the SEER Centre are astounded by the health, size, vigour and flavour of the fruit, flowers and vegetables grown on land believed to be incapable of growing any crops.

Produce grown in rock dust has been found to contain higher nutritional values, have a longer shelf life and increased pest and drought resistance.

Jennifer Cook, the director of Aberdenshire-based Binn Soil Nutrients, which is exporting the dust, said interest in the product was high and the firm has ambitious plans to develop sales. "So little has been done on soil biology - it's a true frontier of science. We have had the product analysed and it has all the main trace elements apart from iodine. Some of those go straight to the plants, others to the microbes in the soil."

Gardening expert and horticultural consultant Jim Jermyn says he is convinced rock dust works. "Personally, I think it's a great thing. The minerals release over time and the soil gradually improves. There is a measure of faith involved. I have used this rock dust on my own plants and to begin with, you wonder if it's working, but you see a measured improvement in whatever you're growing.

"It's like when people go to a naturopath for a treatment, you won't see immediate results but over time you will. And that's what rock dust is like. It is certainly not a joke or a gimmick."