11/28/97 12:41 PM Colorado Time. 6:41AM 11/29/97 Sydney time. This is a record.

It begins with a drive to the Napa Valley on Wednesday, November 27. The traffic was heavy but made it to Davis only about a half hour late for a 4:0opm apppintment with Nathan Boone of Agricola Partners. Handed over a signed confidentiality agreement but forgot to ensure a copy was on hand when Ieft at about 6:30PM. An interesting meeting. It apperas that there is considerable resistance to the concept of use in agriculture of nitrogen manufactured synthetically from air and partially oxidized organic fuel even if the inorganic nitrogenous commodities (urea etc) are forst converted into organic forms by cultivation of micr0-organisms to convert urea into organic nortogen identical the forms generated from plant sources. Where do plant organisms get their nitrogen from/ Could it be the inorganic nitrogen in the atmosphere? Nathan appears to have a strong familiarity with organic agriculture and sustalinable agriculture as well as experience in renewable energy projects. He showed a particular interest in the potential of the Ati technology to provide energy independence for communties or even individual homes. It was disappointing to discover that their web site info regarding performance of work on new projects without requiring immediate payment is; to be kind misleading: and to be more precise: deceptive. Nathan informed me that they require sepcific tasks and can quote time requirements and also require that fees be paid in the form of a fifty percent retainer, up front - a direct contradiction of the info on the web site. They do however appera to have in depth practical experience in areas critical to the implementation of a sustainable Ati community although they also seem to be infected by the money bug. Funding of a very specifically define task may be an important first step for funding. Like for example. A research project to look

at the maximum posible yield that can be expected from the hoighest and most precise nutrient supply regimin for the highest possible oil yielding crop for a specific piece of land. This may involve purchase of a piece of land and test plot cultivation under varying conditions of water and nutrient supplies to demonstrate maximum possible yield taking advantage of the concept of a full recycle of plant nutrients after the extraction of hydrocarbon. Nathan mentioned a project in Tenesseee or Kansas in which the over-all energy balance favored animal power over biodiesel driven traction but it seems clear that the energy balalcne included fertilizers which consume fossil energy.