The New Zealand Humic Compost Society : more than a garden club

The 1940s were a period of crisis for many people around the world. The Second World War created many fears and doubts that resulted in the questioning of the current way of life and provoking thought about the future of mankind. New Zealand, although far from the Nazi threat, had to cope with the possibility of a Japanese attack, as well as facing the reality of a rapidly changing world with increasing mechanisation and urbanisation, and new advances in the fields of science and technology. A world, moreover, in which the values that had stood people in good stead for many years now came under attack. Faced with these threats, as well as the spectre of a potential food shortage because of the demands of war and the perceived inability of land to keep up with demands, certain groups of people reacted differently. Some turned towards science as the answer to all problems, while others turned away from science and technology towards the individual and his relations with the land, advocating a better understanding of the basics of life to improve the quality of life and pave the way for the future. The New Zealand Humic Compost Club was an example of people favouring the latter approach. To such people the maintenance of the nation's health was vital for the continued existence of democracy, and at the root of their health was the health and fertility of the land. The soil's fertility had been put at risk by its exploitation over previous years, and during wartime the maintenance of the supply as well as the quality of food was vital for survival. To ensure this, efforts had to be made to guarantee the fertility of the soil in the present and for the next generations. To do this, the correct methods of cultivation had to be promoted while at the same time, changing people's attitude to the land, and treat it with the respect that it deserved