Our Soils.

Latest Update 31st December 2023.

I'm an admirer of Dr Elaine Ingham, and I believe her work could inspire us all by providing the tools to save our farm lands and gardens. She is one of the worlds foremost soil microbiologist specialising in regenerative farming. She oversees projects throughout the world where degraded land is rescued from its current parlous state caused by modern agricultural practices.

When these practices deplete the soil's carbon content its living organisms decline. Heavy plowing and tillage of the soil slice and dice Mycorrhizal Fungi. Removal or burning crop residues deprives the soil of an important carbon source. Use of synthetic chemicals for fertility and pest control poison the soil's living creatures. Gradually over many years, our soil carbon has been converted by the microbes into greenhouse gasses and emitted into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO2) and Methane (CH4).

Dr Ingham uses compost and its derivatives to mimic the natural supply of waste organic matter provided by above ground plants and animals. She teaches farmers how to make these products including how to use small inexpensive microscopes to examine them for microorganism diversity and density. Any deficiencies found are corrected by refining the balance of nitrogen and carbon rich organic waste used in their compost piles and applied to the soil. Because of this accuracy, they are able to apply the correct type and dosage of compost and compost extract to their soil to provide optimal crop performance.

Another approach to regenerative farming used by organic ranchers running herbivores like cattle and sheep is typified by Greg Judy, who manages herd movement from one small pasture to another staying only long enough to take the fresh, nutritious, young growth tips off the grass, trample what's left into the soil, poop and pee all over it and then move on. 60 days later the pasture has regenerated and is lusher and sweeter than it was before. His cattle's condition is amazing and he rarely has to treat disease in any of his herds. I am a regular follower of regenerative ranchers Greg Judy, Joel Salatin and Allan Savory on YouTube.

Charles Dowding, is an organic market gardener, and a proponent of the 'no dig' approach to horticulture. Charles publishes a wide ranging library of YouTube videos covering all aspects of his business including compost making and application, propagation of seedlings, planting, pest control and harvesting.

A significant problem for most organic gardeners is the problem of weeds. Charles shows, and I can endorse the fact from my own experience with no dig gardening, that soil disturbances cause dormant weeds to germinate, but undisturbed soil does not.

Charles only uses sustainable organic inputs to grow his plants, and yet produces high quality, high yielding, tasty and nutritious vegetables. At the same time his highly structured and fertile soil has a very high carbon concentration offsetting some of the CO2 built up in the atmosphere.

In organic gardening and farming, plants feed with the help of microorganisms living in their root zones. These microbes extract the minerals they need to reproduce and grow from the soil's sand, clay and organic materials. When these plants reach the end of their life, the minerals in their bodies are made available to new plants to help them grow.

To grow these colonies of microbes in their root zones, plants exude food through their roots, energy food which is photosynthesised in the plant's leaves. Beneficial soil microbes live on the plants roots and create a barrier to soil borne pests and diseases. I have found in my own garden, that soil pests and soil nutrition are under control without using expensive synthetic fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides.

Modern agriculture's synthetic chemicals, and heavy machinery used for soil preparation, planting and harvesting, consume large quantities of fossil fuels in their manufacture and use, and as a consequence, emit large quantities of greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere. Organic farmers and gardeners who do not dig or till their soil use only light implements, and no synthetic chemicals on their soil or plants. Abandonment of these high energy, high cost methods of modern agriculture in favour of no-dig organics would have a significant effect on our CO2 emissions.

Notes.

1. Plant exudates and root growth, plus the huge mass of animal and microbial life they support in and on the soil is all carbon based and this carbon originated in CO2 absorbed by the plants during photosynthesis from the atmosphere.
2. Not much carbon is left in degraded soils caused by modern agricultural practices, so if we could return the soil carbon to levels which existed before then using organic farming practices, it would significantly reduce atmospheric CO2 concentrations.
3. Fruit, vegetables and broad acre crops grown in natural, highly active microbial soil is nutrient dense, and if eaten raw or lightly cooked, will benefit your health. (see blogpage on 'Human health').