ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Name: Robert C. Moore
Company Name: Recycling Organics, International, Inc. (ROI)
Company position: Chief Executive Officer and CTO
Mailing address: 1919 Hwy.35N, PMB# 358, Rockport, Texas 78382
Office address:10201 S. Padre Island Dr. #201 Corpus Christi, Texas 78418

Birthdate: 1942 ~ 69 years old in September 2011
Been lots of places and done lots of things – the vast majority of which, I’m quite proud of.

Born in Michigan and was moved to Freeport, Texas in 1951 at age 6. One older brother and a younger sister.

Mom was an elementary grade school teacher and Dad began his career as an Organic Chemist with Dow Chemical Company - originally in Midland, Michigan then was transferred to the Freeport, Texas Division.

Dad was employed by Dow Chemical Company for 36 years and became their 12th Research Scientist in the company’s history. He invented Gel Permeation Chromatography – a way to measure plastic molecules, that resulted in the manufacturing capability to commercially-produce plastic films. Point? I grew up in a very educationally and scientifically-oriented home. Dad and I “invented” (to me) lots of stuff. By age twelve, I was an experienced "Junior Inventor".

Dad was dedicated to organic chemistry and was an avid organic gardener. He began teaching me how to compost when I was four years old. My first responsibility was tossing the horse poop balls back onto the pile as Dad shoveled manure to make compost piles. At six years old I was put 'in charge' of weeding the one-acre vegetable garden...I learned quickly what mulch was for. At eight years old, my duties included telling Mom when there was a pheasant in the garden so she could shoot it with a .22 from the 2nd story window. She was "Annie Oakley" to me. Been composting and organic gardening ever since – with temporary hiatus during career/location changes.

My school grades were OK – nothing exceptional during public schooling. Junior & Senior years were spent at Allen Military Academy in Bryan, Texas. Changed my life for the better. First car was a ’51 Chevy 2-door coupe.

Graduated 6th in my class with National Honor Society membership. Straight A’s.

Then to Texas A&M University, but enlisted in the U.S. Army when the draft 'called' near the end of the Korean Conflict. Sent to South Korea as an E2 in the Adjutant General’s Corps, with a Company in the 1st Cavalry Division, stationed near the DMZ. Got shot at a few times. Fortunately (for me) they all missed. Yes, I shot back.

Back to the States with a 1st Degree Black Belt in ChiDoKwan karate. Completed active military service at Ft. Riley, Kansas.

Then to Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. Founded the Sam Houston Karate Club. Joined the United States Karate Association. Married a graduating Senior in my Junior year and left college to earn a living in professional martial arts. Also practiced fencing, boxing, judo and aikido.
Thirteen years later, a 4th Degree Black Belt and USKA Regional Director and Chief Instructor with several state championships. During which I became an instrument-rated private pilot, owned my own SEL airplane and bored lots of holes in the sky.

Retired from martial arts in 1976 and graduated from a New York City Hotel/Restaurant Management school.

Began a hospitality management career with Ramada Inn and was quickly promoted to Assistant General Manager. Then a one-year stint as General Manager of the Chief Gall Resort in Mobridge, S.D. on the Sioux Indian reservation. The local American Indian Movement (AIM) burned the resort down 'cause they wanted a casino. Got shot at there too, but didn't shoot back.

Back to Texas as a Ramada Inn Manager and Security Director. TAMU TCLOSE certified in law enforcement. Then to Dunfey’s Royal Coach Inn in Dallas, Texas as Food & Beverage Manager. Followed by a 3-year stint as Rooms Division Director for Waterwood National Resort near Huntsville, Texas - later promoted to Resort Chief Accountant.

Then several years as Vice President, Research and Development for Houston-based Corporate Lodging where I set new Texas records for occupancy rates (97.3% annual). The owner sold the company at a very high profit to a California firm, which initiated the extended-stay lodging industry based on my work. Proud of that, and the United Who's Who registry of Executive and Professionals in 2003 that resulted from that achievement.

Next was Assistant G.M. of the 17-story Savoy Hotel in Houston. When the Savoy sold, I became the Food & Beverage Director of the Harley Hotel in Houston. Leona Helmsley had bought the North Houston Ramada Inn and I had the honor of orchestrating the Grand Opening in the newly-renovated main ballroom - after which I retired from my career in the hospitality industry.

Then went into business for myself, as owner/Director of Mason, Moore & Chase, Inc. For three years, traveled from Florida to California representing new product manufacturers, test-marketing wares at large conventions, exhibitions, state fairs and so-on, and representing a host of talented inventors which led me to establish Guardian Lifestyle Group, Inc., a consulting company that focused on assisting inventors to develop new products - which I continued part-time, until retiring in 2005.

In 1981, retired from the new product development industry and moved to Lake Placid, Florida to aid my Dad, who had developed cancer. Dad beat the cancer with a healthy organic diet, then he and Mom moved back to Austin, Texas and was not diagnosed with cancer ever again. My sister is in the process of accumulating Dad's notes to write a book about that diet and his experiences in the fight that he won.

I stayed in Florida and accelerated my interest in organic gardening and composting when I became Manager of a peat farm. Learned to operate heavy equipment (drag-line, bulldozer, etc.) and learned how to weld in order to design and construct large soil-processing and composting equipment "from scratch".
The owner and I invented the Frame Technique of composting to 'get around' homeowner CC&R's. I still extensively use and train others in the Frame Technique, along with a myriad of other methods.

In those years I learned a lot about the differences between soil and dirt - and how to make professional-level plant-specific potting media and planting mixes, and during my tenure, started a full-scale plant nursery from 'scratch'.

Began installing vegetable gardens on straight 'sugar sand' with mixes of peat that I dug from the ground and blended into fine, plant-nutritious 'dirt' with my very high-grade compost and liquid compost - then had the joy of watching plants enjoy it to produce wonderful harvests. In 1981 began studying soil microbiology, which I applied to learning more about making high-quality compost.

Watched the Texas A&M composting website get out-of-date, and the Florida composting website become an amazing interactive composting instruction tool. That was the beginning of my desire to produce this site - now a reality.

During my tenure in Florida I studied and learned the importance of a variety of tests to determine the quality of compost - which included deeper analysis of microbial populations for the purpose of disease control. Also learned how to test for the full range of plant nutrients, pH, moisture and porosity, and how to test compost for microbe diversity, CO₂ and humus content.

Began studying about the effects of microbe diversity (in compost leachate) applied to vegetable plants – I still make compost leachate the way some ancient civilizations did - it is wonderful stuff - which most people just let soak into the ground when they water their compost - what a waste.

Spent several years studying vegetable plant insect pests and diseases. My Dad had taught me how to mix and apply a wide range of organic and biological pesticides (herbicides and insecticides).
Quality compost and microbial concentrates (some call it 'compost tea') are surely the organic vegetable gardener’s ‘best friend’ and much more effective long-term than synthetic chemical treatments.

Dad suffered a severe stroke in the late 90's, so I moved back to Austin, Texas to assist him and our family. Remained in Austin after Dad passed away from another stoke, and until Mom passed away several years later.

During that time I went back to work for 5 years as a shift supervisor for Pearson Educational Measurement, to fund the establishment of a wholesale nursery operation for ornamental shrubs and trees.

Bought some waterfront property near Rockport, Texas and retired again - now I garden, compost and fish as full-time as possible along with teaching Composter certification courses that I developed over the years - and still handle many tons of quality compost each week through our multi-county network of gardening enthusiasts. My company bags excess compost that our group produces - which is sold in local retail stores under the Hi*Harvest^TM^' label.

Currently studying and testing propagation methodology to produce microbiological "soldiers" - the microbes that have been proven to combat soil and plant diseases - and am learning more about leaf tissue analysis.

The microbial product that I produce is called Liquid Microbial Concentrate (LMC) because it far surpasses AACT (Activated, Aerobic Compost Tea) in ability to effectively restore beneficial microbiology to soil/dirt that has been damaged by synthetic chemical treatments.
I have developed a proprietary formula of fortifying the LMC product to ensure that the microbiology applied is able to survive and prosper in its new environment.

The machine I invented to produce LMC is called the Air*Force brand of Microbial Concentrator^TM.

I still compost today – and in a ‘normal’ month I’ll harvest about two tons of top-quality compost and 1,000 gallons of high quality LMC. I'm having fun - because I'm still sharing and learning.

Bet I can learn a few things from you, too.

So consider this an invitation to YOU, to be an author with me on this site – by contributing your questions, ideas, photos and tips/tricks you have learned along the way in your organic gardening experience.

Go ahead – click the Contribute link and share what you have learned – or want to learn. Check out the Forum/Blog link too… It's just a beginning, but there's lots to share.

Thanks for your time - and hope this site is useful to you,

Robert Moore
aka The SoilGuy

Owner and Author of www.TheSoilGuy.com
Owner and developer of www.ro-int.com (sales site)
Inventor of the Worm Basket^TM Earthworm Breeding Station
Inventor of the Air*Force^TM Microbial Concentrator^TM machine
Inventor of Liquid Microbial Concentrate^TM(LMC)
Soil Specialist and Dirt Specialist
Master Organic Gardener Instructor
Master Composter Instructor
Compost Tea Specialist
ARCSA Rainwater Harvest Systems Professional
Master Gardener Rainwater Harvest Specialist
Master Gardener Vegetable Gardening Specialist
Vegetable Plant Nutrition Specialist