"So many of us associated with EFA, owe our businesses to the work of Ralph Jurgens" Tom Willey

 

Tribute to Ralph Jurgens by Stephen Pavich

I met Ralph back in 1973 when I had the privilege of meeting him with Ray Dual and the beginning of New Era Farm Service. Ralph came from Arkansas and was ready to take on the world of California Agriculture. He was an Animal Husbandry major in college and loved animals. He also loved the land and wanted to make it better. Ralph was a young whipper snapper at the time and was bent on changing Agriculture for the better. Ralph was part of a sales staff of 4 salesman. I was an owner of New Era in the early days, along with 4 other local farmers near Tulare. We wanted to make compost out of every ton of manure produced in Tulare County. We had a great group of guys. One was a man by the name of Russell Durber. Both Ralph and I learned a lot from Russell, a man Ray brought to Tulare to teach us how to make compost. He made the first windrow compost turner in 1952. He was a pioneer and brought compost technology to New Era and California. Ralph and the crew where amazed on how we could change smelly manure into this fine finished compost. Over the years Ralph was able to streamline and perfect compost making to the next level. He provided farmers with a fine quality compost for a reasonable price. He was the largest compost supplier in the valley.

Another person that was instrumental in the early days of our organic education was a man by the name of Watt McGugin. He was the most brilliant Soil Chemist on the planet. He taught us so much. Out of all the salesman working for New Era, Ralph was the only on who really understood the chemistry of the soil taught to him by Watt. Not that any of the rest of us were not paying attention, but this was a lot of complicated stuff about chemistry. Ralph and I use to spend hours with Watt trying to understand the chemistry that we didn't learn at the University. It was the real world of soil chemistry and how it worked. I can remember so many times that Ralph and I would refer to Watt when we were talking about limestone and Carbon Dioxide. Watt had passed away in the early 80's. We missed him dearly. Now I am going to miss two of my dear friends.

When New Era was sold in 1975 to Cain Trucking, Ralph was the person that was put in charge of New Era. He knew what it would take to educate the farmers to the importance of using compost and limestone. That Calcium was the most important element and that Compost would stimulate all the microbes in the soil to make it better.

Ralph developed the best soil test and petiole-leaf analysis anywhere, bar none, hands down. I remember at his seminars where he would explain the interrelationship between nutrients and how one element would intersect another. Remember that World Sphere of elements. He coined the "Systems Approach to Agriculture". He was always trying to fine tune the soils to a balanced state. Whenever I had a problem, Ralph would always take my call and work out the details with good recommendations. I remember the yearly luncheons that Ralph would put on that helped so many farmers in the San Joaquin Valley. I don't know how many times other farmers would praise Ralph for the unique way he would teach farmers about soils.

I also admired Ralph's dedication to spreading the word about compost and soil health. He probably drove over a couple million miles in various pickups to teach farmers about soils. The funny thing is, that even if Ralph didn't make the sale, he would always be available to discuss your problem. He gave away more free information than any soils person I knew. He had this energy that always kept on going. I remember the time I had a problem in Arizona with salt and nematodes. Ralph said that he would be there the next day. He would leave at 4 in the morning and get to my place by noon, and spend the whole day working on solving the problem. Then he would drive back to Tulare getting in at 2 in the morning. That was the kind of guy Ralph was. I remember when we worked on Compost tea and how Ralph was an early pioneer in its development. He brought yucca, seaweed, fish, humates, limestone, Nutra-Min, and micronized compost to the table before most companies even new what they were. There where many firsts with Ralph, but he never tooted his horn about how he developed many novel soil technologies. His company never bugged you for payment if you where a little bit late. He always understood farmers never got paid on time.

Ralph will surely be missed in the Agricultural community. He was a good man with a giant heart, and had a great sense of humor. I just hope that I remember half the things that Ralph taught me. He was also a great family man who loved his wife Wendy dearly. He always mentioned how lucky he was being married to her. She kept his home life stable. He loved his family and kids. He loved his work and the partners and employees he worked with. I will miss him many times over. I also know he loved the Lord in the end. He was ready for heaven. He cared for family and friends. I know he will be meeting up with his old friends in Heaven.

I give you this tribute to Ralph from his friend who will dearly miss him.
Stephen Pavich

 

Tribute to Ralph Jurgens by Amigo Cantisano

Ralph Jurgens, a long time friend, passed away this morning after a near year long battle with cancer. Ralph was well known in California organic farming circles as the long time owner of New Era Farm Service. New Era was the first biologically oriented farming supply in the San Joaquin Valley, operating since the early '70's. I got to know Ralph about 1982 when we met at a meeting of mostly conventional growers in Fresno. He was making a presentation on the use of compost and biological fertility management, and I was talking about cover crops, compost and biological soil management.

"Wow", I thought, "here's someone on the same track as me". That was pretty unusual in those days. Agri business was still many years away from embracing the biological approach to soils and farm management, and here I was sharing the same podium as a fellow traveler spreading the gospel on building a healthier agriculture. I was always impressed with Ralph's easy going, good natured approach and his storehouse of knowledge. I am not sure what he thought of this wild man hippy from the north, but he never showed me anything but respect and friendship.

New Era Farm Service was one of the first companies in California to produce high quality compost for agriculture. Ralph always insisted on producing a high quality product and not taking short cuts, yet he kept the pricing low so that any farmer, conventional or organic, could afford this important life giving miracle. He developed many products and concepts to assist his clients in producing top quality food and fiber using non toxic, ecological principles. Many companies and products have followed down the path blazed by Ralph and New Era, although I dare say none have surpassed them in client education and support.

I invited Ralph to speak at many Eco Farm conferences and other events over the ensuing 25 years. He would always find time in his busy schedule to help out with educating those new and old in the practical aspects of biological farming. He shared his vast knowledge without ego or expectation, always humble and gentle. Many people learned from Ralph, and too few gave him some business in return. That never stopped Ralph from giving more, although he didn't push his ideas on those that did not ask for his advice. He attempted to educate University and government officials, though he confided to me that it was frustrating to enlighten those who "already know what they know". He always gave with a genuine sense of gentleness and grace, and for that I always respected Ralph.

Ralph's long time commitment to sustainable agriculture was recognized publicly by the Ecological Farming Conference in 1994 when he received the highly prized Steward of Sustainable Agriculture award. The Sustie is awarded to those who stand out as stars in the field of sustainable agriculture. Ralph surely was a star.

I'll miss you my friend.

Amigo Cantisano

The following people have made contributions to EFA's Heartland Festival in Remembrance & Celebration of the Life of Ralph Jurgens:

Ken Abercrombie Ishii Brothers Roger and Ginger Sikes Hubert and Elaine Tempel Robert Jurgens Lawrence and Janice Thompson William Crossland Cain Family

May our work in sustaining California's heartland continue in the spirit of an incredible person.