This Swift grow field trial tells the story of the significant and multifaceted rapid benefits that came when the Thai family adopted Swift Grow soil conditioner and fertiliser on their rice farm. The Thai farming family followed instructions on the Swift Grow drum label sent from an Australian relative familiar with the benefits of Swift Grow. Published with permission of the Thai family and their Australian relatives who conducted the trial on their Thai rice paddies. Introduction to that family for further details is available on request.
In the centre of Thailand in the farming province of Phetchabun where the average annual family income is less than AUD2,000 (USD1,300), 20 litres of Swift Grow certified organic fertiliser was sent to a farming family to field trial on their 16 acres of rice paddy that had a bank loan that the family was struggling to pay off.
Thai family based farming is manual labour where a backpack is used to spay three separate Swift Grow applications, the first being at the time of rice seed sowing, the second six weeks later, then the final application12 weeks after sowing. Harvesting normally takes place around 16 weeks after seeding.
On the right hand side is the Swift Grow trialled rice paddy. Across on the left hand side of the dirt road the same family owned another slightly larger rice paddy, at 26 acres, where they continued to use the conventional chemical fertiliser protocol (as the trial control) that they had been using for decades.
The same rice variety was sown in both paddocks. For the Swift Grow paddock the rice seeds were soaked in a Swift Grow solution the night before the planned sowing, so the seeds started to germinate. For the control paddock the rice seeds were soaked in water. The next day the seeds were sown by hand over the prepared rice paddies as per the traditional rice farming practices.
Progressive photos were taken by the family capturing both paddies in the same photo to show the time lapse difference between the two fields' rice crop colour, height, density, stalk yield and eventually the overall rice yield differences.
At four weeks after sowing, the control paddy on the left is yet to sprout into seedlings. Swift Grow paddy on the right hand side rice seeds have already sprouted 3 weeks earlier and are a few centimetres tall, are green, dense and growing uniformly.
Eight weeks after sowing, the left hand side rice plants started to emerge, but are not uniform or dense. The Swift Grow paddy on the right has grown taller with dense and uniform growth formation.
Before harvest at 12 weeks, the left hand side control paddy plants are still greening and the rice stalks are not fully mature or filled up with rice. The right hand side Swift Grow paddy the rice plants are shorter diverting the plant nutrients to the rice panicles instead of plant height. The colour is turning from green to yellow earlier indicating readiness for harvesting, the panicles are laden with rice and bending over by their weight, being 3 weeks ahead of normal harvest time.
Harvest Results
The Swift Grow rice paddy sprouted 3 weeks early and was later harvested 3 weeks early, yielding a 35% increase on last year's crop yield for that same rice paddy. The Swift Grow rice grains (right hand side) were reported to be rounder, fuller and more grains per panicle. No specific measurements were taken, but a denser grain is an indication of more protein per grain, requiring less number of grains per kilogram weight, hence would generate a higher sales profit margin per acre. The human health benefits of increased protein would be obvious, needing more detailed and scientifically controlled measurements, not yet undertaken.
Economic Benefits
The Swift Grow crop was sold, generating an extra AUD1,000 (USD650) for the family, compared to last year's crop yield. With the extra income from one Swift Grow crop, the family paid off the outstanding bank loan on the land. They were excited by the Swift Grow yield increase and economic benefits, they were emboldened to look for another rice paddy to buy after the next Swift Grow crop! A yet extra time benefit arising from the earlier germination and earlier harvest time saving, the family can grow three rice crops per year, instead of the normal 2 crops, thus enabling them to generate more income.
Human Implications
This field trial with a typical low income Thai farming family working their land to produce rice for their own needs and to generate sales income from the extra yield has, after just one crop application of Swift Grow, learned to better manage their land naturally by commencing to restore the power of nature, started to experience the joy of seeing their soil produce food in abundance, experience increased financial security, and materialise the hope of climbing out of the vicious debt cycle! The good news was contagious with the neighbouring farmers observing the marked difference in the Swift Grow paddock, became inquisitive and wanted to also experience the benefits of Swift Grow.
Environmental Implications
Using Swift Grow on their rice paddy, this Thai family has started to regenerate the damaged and depleted soil microbiome, improve the soil structure and restore the soil's microorganisms natural ability to play a key role in sequestering harmful atmospheric carbon and locking it in as beneficial soil carbon. On a large scale, the usage of Swift Grow on farmlands in Thailand and around the world would rapidly restore the natural role of healthy soil microbiota, have a measurable rebalancing of the natural equilibrium of greenhouse gases, thus helping to reverse and reduce the catastrophic effects of climate change
