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Ron’s ArticlesA Few ThoughtsNovember 2006
There are lessons to be learned from hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In the first case far too many people felt invincible. They put their trust in man and his cleverness only to see so much destruction and far too many lives lost when levees failed and supposed safe havens didn’t meet expectations. With Rita, Nature’s lessons were heeded and the damages were kept to a minimum. But it appears that the message nature sent via Katrina will be ignored. The plan is to rebuild levies higher and stronger. This will only give false hope and set us up for more destruction and loss of life when the next big hurricane comes. Why not give Nature what she wants - to reclaim the below sea level site that was New Orleans? We could invest billions of dollars, tax abatements and incentives in building a new self-sustaining biodynamic city above sea level using fireproof, waterproof and windproof materials. There are species of bamboo that are ten times stronger than steel. But, before we can change a neighboring city, we must change ourselves. Let’s improve our personal environments, our properties, our parks, our schools, our cities, and then the world. There are so many things we can do if we let nature nurture our minds. The possibilities are endless. When I started this business, I thought I had all the answers. After all, I’d read some books and listened to some radio programs. I had a full head of steam. You might have called me cocky. I found out in short order that I was far from perfect when my first endeavors into organics were less than successful. WBAP radio personality Howard Garrett “The Dirt Doctor” was one of the harshest critics of my early stupidity. Thankfully, he was also instrumental in helping me seek out the leaders in organics to find the true answers. I came to appreciate all those who have plowed the field before me and to see the wisdom to consulting with them. I’m thankful that they took the time to talk to me, teach me and mentor me even though they knew I would one day be a competitor. From each of these people I’ve learned key lessons that we should apply in our endeavors. Malcolm Beck, the father of organics in Texas and founder of GardenVille, taught me the most important lesson. Always look to nature for your answers. I thank Greg Rohde, the founder of GreenSense, who showed me that it’s okay to do it my own way, and to have fun while I’m at it. From Sabino Cortez, the founder of Erath Earth and a key figure in the early success of GardenVille I learned the importance of testing carefully before going into something full scale. John Dromgoule the founder of the Ladybug brand taught me that the job was never done. I must continually seek to improve my products. From Nick Christianson of Iowa State University, who discovered the weed control powers of corn gluten meal, I learned to seek out new applications for common materials. Stuart Franke of Medina helped me to do just that when we experimented with my early formulations of Rons Blends. Jim Marshall, the owner of Marshall Grain and the founder of Natures Guide, cautioned me that I couldn’t do anybody any good unless I paid attention to business and paid my bills. Bobby Spence of Harvest Supply spent countless hours discussing products with me even though I didn’t spend countless dollars with him. I learned a valuable lesson from Michael Melendrez of Trees that Please and Soil Secrets in New Mexico. Persistance pays off. Michael travels the world to collect tree seeds. He has the only recognized private arboretum in the country. On his property he has every native oak to New Mexico and more. In China he discovered a tree that was thought to be extinct. They named it after him - The Melendrez Oak. I am thankful for all these lessons. These people have helped me in my quest to produce the best organic products in this region - products that work well at an affordable price. And I am thankful for Barbara Pletcher. She was instrumental in the formation of the Dirt Doctor’s Ground Crew and the production of its publication, the The Dirt Doctor’s Dirt. She helps me organize my thoughts so I can put them down in writing and will be a great help to me as I prepare to write my first book. And last and most important I am thankful for my employees, my loyal customers, and my wife who has been at my side through the entire journey. Nature takes and nature gives. We will enjoy life more if we learn nature’s lessons and share them with others. 
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