George Altgelt

 Preparing Your Spring Garden; Growing Food in Containers; Food Storage and More!

George studied Chemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology at The University of Texas, Austin and started Austin’s first organic nursery in 1971 before organic was cool. He has considerable knowledge in all areas of food production, including the proper care and feeding of animals for food. He has a deep understanding of the principals of agriculture and nutrition. We think you’ll find George a delight to spend time with.

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Soil and gardening biologist George Altgelt is located in Wimberley, Texas, right down the road from Patrick.
How many days worth of food is stored in the average grocery store? What is “just in time delivery”?
Which grocery store chain has the most organic food available?
What is rBGH., and how does it affect cows?
“Dead people don’t eat ice cream,” says George. What did Ben & Jerry’s owners mean by that?
Does McDonald’s use GMO potatoes? What did their choice have to do with the rat experiments done by Ãrpád Pusztai?
(Patrick interviewed Dr. Pusztai in 2009 and 2011.)
What happened to the lettuce and onions in George’s garden during the Texas freeze of 1985?
Patrick asks about baby carrots. George jokes about the time he ate so many carrots he could “close his eyes and see the ceiling.”
Why are trace minerals (copper, boron, etc.) important for garden vegetables?
Patrick and George discuss the benefits of “pot likker” (pot liquor).

Who in your county has the highest authority, and can he protect you from “the jab”? Who is “the number one dude in the county to protect the U.S. Constitution”?

Hayes County Sheriff Gary Cutler “is on our side,” according to George.
What kind of soil and container does George recommend for growing vegetables on the balcony outside your apartment?
Which vegetables can you grow year-round?
Sprouts are easy to grow, and they’re anti-carcinogenic.
Bill Gates is the largest farmland owner in the United States. Does he put vaccines in any of his agricultural products?
How did Vandana Shiva protect the farmers in India against Bill Gates?
How did the agricultural giant Cargill and NAFTA affect the farmers in Mexico? What did it have to do with immigration?
Why is 54% of U.S. food imported from other countries? How did the U.S. degenerate from “feeding the world” to being fed by the world?

What happened to the rice supply in the Dominican Republic compared to what happened in Haiti?
Why should we boycott corporate food?
Patrick jokes about “looking forward to a Soylent Green sandwich.” Patrick and George discuss the 1973 movie, Soylent Green.

How long do enzymes and minerals last after being picked fresh out of the garden? Matthew asks George about hourly, daily, and weekly rates of nutrient degradation.
How does zinc help men hold on to their hair? What is reactive zinc?
Does aluminum interfere with boron? Are bromine or vanadium toxic?
Reno in Canada asks whether raised beds should be positioned east-west or north-south.
Is raw milk safe to drink? What did Arnold Schwarzenegger say about raw milk that got him in trouble?
Patrick and George discuss terrain theory.
What does vitamin D protect against? Is too much vitamin D toxic? What about vitamin A?
Jillian asks how to grow sweet potatoes. She also asks about corn.
Why is blue corn healthier than white corn?
What’s the advantage of planting corn in concentric circles rather than in rows?
What is nixtamalization? Patrick supplies the details.

Master Gardner, biologist and chemist George Altgelt, food, gardening and more, March 8, 2021