30 November 2020

Soil Health
Soil Health

I’d like to spend a few moments discussing Soil Health.

There is currently a lot of talk about soil health, soil biology and nutrient management in regenerative farming but how do you know if you are on the right track? 

Let’s talk about soil. 

Soil health can be recognized as the soil’s ability to function. With the mounting pressure to produce good nutrient-dense food, feed for increased overall health of animals, fibre for manufacturing and even for fuel; soil health is gaining attention around the globe. More research is being done on this subject than ever before and more media has been covering this topic as well. Take into consideration the example of the “Kiss the Ground” movie that was recently released. Some of those guys are acquaintances of mine and they attended our course with Graeme Sait in L.A. a few years ago. With Graeme’s teaching, they began their mission and are doing a great job reaching the masses. While there is good progress being made, there is still a long way to go. 

So what is soil? Soil is the zone where rocks, organisms, air and water interact. It is not just the physical state that you see, hold and walk on; it has a biological state as well. The composition of soil is its main characteristic, and how nature or Soil in Shovel
human management  determines the way it functions. Soil is filled with life as you may have seen in soil food web charts. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NCRS) suggests that there could be more species of organisms in one shovel-full of garden soil than species that exist above the ground. The initial food source for all of these organisms is the broken down crop residue and root decay, as well as the exudates from the growing plants. In the same way that us humans need food to survive, so do these biota. In the farming or growing of any plant, it is the manager's responsibility to provide this excellent habitat for the ecosystem underneath our feet. 

Many books and articles are written about soil health and a modern consensus states that it can be defined as:

 “a continuing system of the soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals and humans” (NCRS).

As these organisms feed on the residue and exudates, they burn off or respire a lot of the carbon that they take in. They also keep some of the nutrients that they consume and in turn release it slowly or keep it from leaching away or running off with water. This activity of respiration can be used as a measurement of soil health as it is a sign of biological activity. 

As this soil life is managed in a way that encourages and promotes a healthy biosphere, there is an overall reaction that takes place. Not only will these microbes break down minerals in the soil to be readily available to plant roots, but they also become microbes that integrate and connect themselves with the plant's roots. You have your nitrogen-fixing bacteria that create nodules on the root of the host plant. An excellent fungi that many are aware of is mycorrhizal fungi. It connects to the roots and increases the plant's nutrient uptake - especially phosphorus. 

Healthy soil should have good tilth that has room for water and air to move through it and breathe. The healthy smell of nice soil is caused by the biology that exists within it…

Bacteria known as Actinomycetes thrive in moist warm soils with good levels of organic matter. When the soil dries up these organisms release a chemical compound called geosmin, which is a Greek word meaning “earth smell”. Many times as I have walked fields with farmers and as we dig plants, take soil samples and look at roots, we smell the soil together. It is a pleasant aroma when you can smell healthy soils and it’s great to see the smile on the faces of those I am with. Soils that are taken care of with management practices that build organic matter tend to require less added inputs and are more resilient to extreme weather patterns. When you take care of organic matter, you are essentially taking care of soil health. 

In my travels and on many farms across North America, I have been able to see growers make changes to increase soil health. Using nutritional inputs and monitoring how to utilize practices that promote living soil is an increasingly popular way to farm. 

Take time this winter to read more about soil and how to really take care of it. Read blogs and listen to podcasts from NTS & Graeme Sait, Joel Williams, and others. Plan your next growing season around the things you learn, and reap the benefits of your healthy soil. Let your soil work for you.

And as always, do not hesitate to reach out to me. 

Sincerely, 

Dave


Episode

Details

  • Author

    Dave de Vries
    This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

  • Date

    30 November 2020

Related Posts

Comments (12)

  • salgstjenester

    salgstjenester

    • 22 December 2021 at 05:27
    • #

    Heya i am for the first time here. I found this board
    and I find It really useful & it helped me out a lot.

    I hope to give something back and help others like you aided me.

    reply

  • Brook

    Brook

    • 22 December 2021 at 08:45
    • #

    fantastic publish, very informative. I'm wondering why
    the opposite experts of this sector don't notice this.
    You must continue your writing. I am sure, you have a hue readers' base already!

    reply

  • nrs-ndc.info

    nrs-ndc.info

    • 25 December 2021 at 00:13
    • #

    As alway, very good blog! I read your blog on a regular basis
    and you are always coming out with some very nice information. I'll make sure to share this on my FB page and
    my followers should like this as well. Keep up the good work!

    reply

  • we Buy Houses in Irvine

    we Buy Houses in Irvine

    • 02 January 2022 at 07:32
    • #

    Useful information. Lucky me I discovered your web site accidentally, and I
    am shocked why this coincidence didn't happened earlier! I bookmarked
    it.

    reply

  • Detailed Info

    Detailed Info

    • 02 January 2022 at 14:22
    • #

    I just like the helpful info you provide to your articles.
    I'll bookmark your blog and take a look at once more here regularly.
    I am reasonably sure I'll be told plenty of new stuff proper here!
    Best of luck for the next!

    reply

  • we Buy Houses fast Santa Clarita

    we Buy Houses fast Santa Clarita

    • 02 January 2022 at 19:12
    • #

    What's up to every one, as I am really eager of reading this web site's post
    to be updated on a regular basis. It contains nice information.

    reply

  • sell my house Irvine

    sell my house Irvine

    • 03 January 2022 at 03:56
    • #

    My spouse and I stumbled over here from a different website and thought I might check things out.
    I like what I see so now i am following you.
    Look forward to looking into your web page for
    a second time.

    reply

  • whyhow

    whyhow

    • 03 January 2022 at 12:28
    • #

    I like the valuable information you provide in your articles.
    I'll bookmark your blog and check again here regularly. I am quite certain I'll learn lots of new stuff right here!
    Good luck for the next!

    reply

  • diy land

    diy land

    • 06 January 2022 at 08:54
    • #

    Outstanding article over again. I am looking forward for
    your next post.

    reply

  • Www.Reverbnation.com

    Www.Reverbnation.com

    • 07 January 2022 at 15:28
    • #

    Howdy! I could have sworn I've been to this site before
    but after reading through some of the post I realized it's new to me.
    Anyways, I'm definitely glad I found it and I'll be bookmarking
    and checking back frequently!

    reply

  • boat hinge guide

    boat hinge guide

    • 12 January 2022 at 11:50
    • #

    You can certainly see your expertise in the work you write.
    The arena hopes for even more passionate writers like you
    who aren't afraid to mention how they believe. Always go after your heart.

    reply

Leave a comment

You are commenting as guest.

Subscribe to Dave's blog - 'Reading the Fields'

2079 Line 34
Shakespeare, Ontario N0B 2P0

© 2021 Agriculture Solutions Inc. All rights reserved. Powered by YOOtheme.