4 The Soil: A Conversation

A desire and passion for caring for the earth, soil, and the natural environment can start at a young age.

Fatema Mohajir and her family are from the Bamyan province in central Afghanistan. As a child, Fatema's family lived in Iran, where her father worked at a large-scale vegetable farm. Fatema's father and older brother inspired her interest in soil science and farming.

Fatema studied at Kabul University and graduated in 2020. As a part of her studies, Fatema participated in a year-long Permaculture Program led by Rosemary Marrow from Australia. After graduating, Fatema received a scholarship...

How can we care for the soil and farm for better health outcomes?   

Dr. Christine Mahoney of the University of Virginia's Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and Wayflowering Flower Farm joins Mary and Eric for a conversation about soil health, regenerative farm design, and organic flower farming. 

Dr. Mahoney shares how better outcomes, such as health, peace, and tranquility, can be achieved through enriching the soil, enhancing biodiversity, sequestering carbon, strengthening local ecosystems, and supporting pollinator habitats. For Dr. Mahoney, caring for the soil and creating an incredible place for flowers, bees, butterflies, and...

How can social entrepreneurship help build soil health and achieve ecological goals?

Mary and Eric explore this question with Dr. Christine Mahoney of the University of Virginia's Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and Wayflowering Flower Farm. Dr. Mahoney shares her own experiences with social enterprises, systems thinking, and regenerative organic flower farming in this episode. 

Dr. Mahoney reflects on the catalytic effect organizations and businesses can have on innovation and change, such as enriching the soil, enhancing biodiversity, sequestering carbon, strengthening local ecosystems, and supporting pollinator habitats.

To learn more about c...

Health and nutrition start with caring for the soil. Food can and should be our medicine. Dr. Robin "Buz" Kloot of the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health and Soil Health Labs shares his perspective on connections with soil health and public health with Eric, Mary, and Jeff in this episode. 

Buz reflects on his own research but also points out what he has heard from farmers and ranchers he has worked with through the years. Building on the idea that eating is an agricultural act and food can be medicine, Buz would like health p...

Changing course is never easy, especially if the change requires a complete overhaul at the most basic, fundamental level. Dr. Robin "Buz" Kloot of the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health and Soil Health Labs talks with Eric, Mary, and Jeff about this paradigm shift among farmers and within the soil science community.

Buz explains how the shift in thinking and paradigms occurred. In many cases, people were focused more on the symptoms rather than the cause, for instance, soil loss through erosion or poor water infiltration. Understanding the underlying cause required a whole-system approach. F...

Did you know soil microorganisms of all sizes and shapes need water, air, shelter, and care to function and thrive? Dr. Ashley Jernigan, assistant professor and director of Virginia Tech's Sustainable and Organic Vegetable Crops Production Lab, returns to talk with Jeff and Mary about what farmers and gardeners can do to encourage a hospitable habitat for soil microorganisms.

As a soil ecologist, Ashley recommends keeping track of your soil organic matter level and its aggregate stability, and how these soil health indicators compare to native biological systems. Soils, like people, need quality food in diverse and complex...

Does your garden soil just fall apart in your hands? How do you regenerate and bring back life to worn-out soils? Dr. Ashley Jernigan, assistant professor and director of Virginia Tech's Sustainable and Organic Vegetable Crops Production Lab, in visiting with Jeff and Mary, advises doing your own test in your garden or crop field with a shovel.

As someone who enjoyed digging soil pits as a seven-year-old, Ashley recommends sampling to a six-inch depth to get a sense of your soil's tilth and aggregate stability. If the soil does not have a good, varied crumbly structure, the...

Is the economic rationale of soil health always the top priority for farmers? Or, do other soil values rise to the top of farmers' minds, for example, having a healthy habitat for soil fungi? Kasper Krabbe, a doctoral student at Aarhus University in Denmark and a visiting guest scholar at Virginia Tech, returns to talk with Mary, Jeff, and Eric about his research into understanding farmers' intrinsic and extrinsic values in caring for soil. 

Kasper states that a deeper understanding of farmers' values and motivations is needed because of the degraded condition of agricultural soils globally. For instance, p...

When you close your eyes, how do you envision your farm and soil ecosystem? What ideals, values, and priorities are part of your vision and farm business model? Kasper Krabbe, a doctoral student at Aarhus University in Denmark and a visiting guest scholar at Virginia Tech, talked with Mary, Jeff, and Eric about these questions and his research interest in farmers' perceptions and decision-making. 

Kasper is particularly intrigued by the human and cultural elements of farming and how context informs and shapes the agroecological system and soil health of individual farms and regional farming. Kasper's ongoing inquiry into t...

Feeding hay to livestock in the winter is very expensive, and often results in a sacrifice lot where manure gathers. At the same time, manure is considered gold because of its nutrient content, ability to supply organic matter, and to build soil life. In this second episode, Dr. Summer Thomas, education and outreach specialist with the Virginia Soil Health Coalition, takes us on a deeper dive into her research on the benefits of round bale grazing and how it pertains to the four core soil health principles.

Summer explains how livestock and round bale grazing are land and...

Everything good starts with the soil and a conservation stewardship mindset. In the 101st episode, Dr. Summer Thomas, education and outreach specialist with the Virginia Soil Health Coalition, explains how agriculture and soil health are good for everyone. As a third-generation farmer from Delaware, former watermelon queen, a trained soil scientist and educator, and an overall advocate for agriculture, Summer shares some of her earliest experiences of 4-H and FFA with Jeff, Mary, and Eric in public speaking, youth education, and land stewardship.

These early education and outreach experiences were a launch point for her passion for agriculture...

During this 100th episode of 4 The Soil: A Conversation, Jeff, Mary, and Eric take a look back at some of the most memorable topics and guests. They share how (and why) the podcast started in 2021, and also offer their vision for the future of the podcast. 

To help us commemorate this milestone, please share how and why you are 4 the Soil with us and others. 

As always, we encourage you to cooperate with other farmers, graziers, and gardeners for peer-to-peer learning and to follow the four core soil health principles: 

1) Keep the soil covered...

Building confidence and knowledge through mentorship is necessary for farmers to overcome fears and take bigger steps towards meeting their goals. Dara Booher wears many educational hats. Dara is the coordinator of the Virginia Forage and Grassland Council's farmer-mentor program and the facilitator of the Virginia Farmer Mentor Network, a collaboration of Virginia State University, the Virginia Forage and Grassland Council, the Virginia No-Till Alliance (VANTAGE), and Virginia Tech's Eastern Shore Agriculture Research and Education Center (AREC).

In her work with youth and farmers, Dara recommends getting to know people and meeting them where they are, particularly for...

Soil and agriculture provide us with something every day. Dara Booher is an agricultural educator with Shenandoah County Public Schools and a farmer-mentor coordinator with the Virginia Forage and Grassland Council and the Virginia Soil Health Coalition. Dara loves talking to youth and others about soil and agriculture. In this episode, Dara shares her enthusiasm for youth education and soil health with Mary, Eric, and Jeff, along with many teaching and demonstration resources (e.g., Enviroscape, Soil Your Undies, etc.) for immersive experiences and classroom fun.

Dara recommends the National Agriculture in the Classroom teacher center for lesson...

In this episode of the podcast, Jeff Ishee chats with Susan Watkins of Watkins Farms in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, a 3,500-acre farm growing soybeans, corn, and wheat. Susan shares information about the long history of her family far, their transition to cover crops and no till over twenty years ago, and their approach to cover cropping. She shares about the cost and labor savings that have come from transitioning to these practices.
 
Watkins Farms is located in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, which means conservation practices like no-till planting and the use of cover crops have an impact beyond t...

The three-year transition to certified organic farming can present a formidable challenge for farmers. A whole community working together can make the process smoother. In this second episode, Elizabeth "Liz" McMullen and Garland Mason of Organic Valley Cooperative (OV) share how the company and its farm membership nourish a whole community perspective to benefit existing farmer member-owners and reduce obstacles for farmers who are curious about organic production and joining the cooperative as members.  

Liz and Garland state that OV regional pool managers can talk with farmers about the certification process, requirements, and specific on-farm organic practices. Liz an...

Public Relations Specialist Elizabeth McMullen and Sustainability Funding and Communications Specialist Garland Mason of Organic Valley Cooperative join Mary and Eric to share about the common ties that are essential to the farmer-owned cooperative. Cooperation and a strong commitment to the sustainability of small and mid-size family farms, local culture, and community are the most basic ties. In this episode, Elizabeth and Garland outline the history of Organic Valley and how the business started as a vegetable cooperative in 1988 and now has over 1,500 dairy farmer-member owners in 29 states with an average herd size of 70 cows per farm. 

Preserving s...

Farmers talking with farmers is key to building soil health, encouraging innovation, and expanding peer-to-peer mentoring. Anthony Beery of Beery Farms and Cumberland Hay and Straw LLC shares his journey of learning, mentoring, and on-farm experimenting with Mary Sketch Bryant and Jeff Ishee. In the previous episode, Anthony talked about how his father's counsel and encouragement benefitted him. Anthony provides similar mentorship to his children and fellow farmers through the Virginia No-Till Alliance (VANTAGE) and Virginia's Integrated Cropland Agronomy (ICA) program so others can generate new ideas and enjoy success.  

Like the majority of farmers, Anthony is constantly le...

Soil health is attainable. Anthony Beery of Beery Farms and Cumberland Hay and Straw LLC shares that message with Mary Sketch Bryant and Jeff Ishee based on his farming experience and journey. Anthony grew up in the Shenandoah Valley, where he and his father, Danny, raised dairy cows and poultry. Anthony benefitted from his father's mentorship and encouragement to be open to new ideas and to experiment.

Anthony and his family moved to Cumberland County in 2018 to begin custom crop production and start Cumberland Hay & Straw LLC. Anthony received the 2024 Carl Luebben Soil Health and Water Quality Award...

In this episode, Nicky Schauder of Permaculture Gardens continues the conversation about permaculture and the ins and outs of compost tea with Mary Sketch Bryant, Marian Dalke, and Jeff Ishee. Nicky received two USDA-Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Producer Grants to specifically research the benefits of compost tea and its effects on plant growth, yield, soil biology diversity, and the stability of soil health. Nicky's research question was: Does compost tea make certain leafy vegetables grow bigger or not?

To read the Permaculture Gardens blog and other resources about soil regeneration, compost tea, permaculture, and growing food...

Nicky Schauder and her family started Permaculture Gardens to make permaculture and growing food accessible to everyone - especially families and children. Nicky shares her story and experience with learning, researching, and growing food with Mary Sketch Bryant, Marian Dalke, and Jeff Ishee. Nicky is constantly learning by experiment. Nicky is a two-time recipient of USDA-Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Producer Grants for Research and Experimentation with permaculture and compost tea.

Permaculture Gardens' Grow-It-Yourself (GIY) program stems from Nicky's learning, experimentation, and efforts to debunk the idea that growing food is neither accessible nor possible. The Live...

Nicole Shuman is a community agriculturalist and educator at Cornerstone Farm at Fairfield Middle School in Henrico County, VA. Nicole shares that education is the first and foremost goal of Cornerstone Farm. As a functioning farm, students and the school community learn what and how food is grown, while also gaining hands-on knowledge and experience growing food for a farmstand cost-effectively. 

Nicole outlined the big picture and how the farm provides additional service learning opportunities and a place to learn about sound nutrition, environmental sustainability, food security, and ways to contribute to the community in tangible ways.
Duration: 00:18:04

Context is foundational to authentic, experiential learning, and understanding how to build soil health within a landscape context. Hands-on educational activities and programs help students of all ages better understand the context and real-life application of learning objectives, principles, and practices. Nicole Shuman is a community agriculturalist with Henrico County Public Schools. Nicole shares her experience with Mary, Jeff, and Eric and how she became interested in soil health and agricultural education work, Nicole specifically talks about her community agriculture work at Cornerstone Farm at Fairfield Middle School and how the farm helps get the students outside and gives them...

Clarenda "Farmer Cee" Stanley of Green Heffa Farms is someone who does not take health and wellness for granted but actively seeks to catalyze and cultivate wellness from the soil up. Farmer Cee is the founding CEO and owner of Green Heffa Farms, a black woman-owned Certified B Corporation, wellness brand, and herb farm based in North Carolina. Farmer Cee believes everyone can start on a path to wellness with care of the soil beneath their feet. 

In this episode, Farmer Cee shared with Mary, Jeff, and Eric what Green Heffa Farms does to care for the land, s...

Defying obstacles, honoring the land, and giving voice to sustainability and business ethics requires commitment and dedication to a vision. Clarenda "Farmer Cee" Stanley is a visionary entrepreneur, farmer, herbalist, and advocate for ethical business and sustainable living. Known affectionately as "Farmer Cee," she is the founding CEO of Green Heffa Farms, a wellness brand and herb farm that celebrates the power of nature to heal and nourish. 

Beyond her work as an executive, farmer, and herbalist, Farmer Cee is also a passionate educator and community leader. Her farm has achieved the distinction of becoming the nation's premier B...

Understanding context and establishing baselines are critical for developing systematic approaches to change for the right reasons. Rick Clark of Clark Land & Cattle and Farm Green Consulting is a fifth-generation farmer who farms 6,000 plus acres of certified organic crops in Warren County, Indiana. In addition to cash, oilseed, and cover crops, Rick raises cattle and sheep using his system of regenerative organic stewardship with no tillage. Through the years, Rick has worked to reduce synthetic inputs on his farm and focused on the return on the investment of any input and how that affects overall profitability.

In talking...

Building soil health and finding system balance requires commitment, fortitude, adaptability, and working with Mother Nature. Rick Clark of Clark Land & Cattle and Farm Green Consulting is a fifth-generation farmer in Warren County, Indiana. Rick farms corn, soybeans, wheat, milo, cover crops, small grains, and other oilseed crops using regenerative organic no-till methods and systems thinking on all his acreage. Rick refers to his system as regenerative organic stewardship with no tillage. Rick was a guest speaker at the recent Profitable Soil Health Field Day held in Franklin County, Virginia.

In talking with Mary, Jeff, and Eric about...

Our conversation with Maureen McNamara Best and Maureen "Mo" McGonagle on regional food system development and networks continues this week with a specific focus on food as medicine. Maureen McNamara Best is the executive director of LEAP (Local Environmental Agriculture Project) and Maureen "Mo" McGonagle is the director of the Roanoke Foodshed Network. In this episode, Maureen and Mo discuss educational and community outreach programs that connect to soil health and medical approaches to healing and prevention of diet-related illnesses. Maureen shares about the Virginia Fresh Match program and LEAP's Kids Bucks program. These two programs are aimed at promoting...

What does a regional food system network look like? Maureen McNamara Best is the executive director of LEAP (Local Environmental Agriculture Project) and Maureen "Mo" McGonagle is the director of the Roanoke Foodshed Network. Maureen and Mo provide a perspective lens into food system relationships and community collaborations emerging and developing in the Roanoke region of Virginia. Maureen shares that stories and relationships are critical in coming together; community and farm connections must be visible and more tangible. Mo offered that food system networks also require good soil health to cultivate change, where choice, dignity, equity, and values are encouraged...

Nate Sloan, executive chef and owner of Bloom Restaurant and Wine Bar in Roanoke, Virginia shares with Jeff, Mary, and Eric how restaurants can be a conduit of flavor, sustainability, health, and food security.  Nate grew up on his parents' farm in Franklin County, Virginia and these roots inspired his vision as a restaurateur and commitment to local farms and food entrepreneurs. Nate has worked in restaurants across the country and understands the importance of flavor and ingredient quality. Nate encourages everyone to have a conversation with farmers and explore their curiosity and what excites them about food and farming. S...

In this episode, we journey from soil to plate with Nate Sloan, the visionary owner and executive chef of Bloom Restaurant and Wine Bar in Roanoke, Virginia.  Nate speaks with Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt about his journey from his roots in farming in Franklin County, Virginia to being a restaurateur committed to farm-to-table production. Nate has worked in restaurants across the country and understands the importance of flavor and ingredient quality. Nate sees the deep connections between food, soil health, eating well, and being in community; and he shares that we all can make choices to s...

Are you interested in community collaboration and finding your agroecological voice and lens? Nicole Masters, founder of Integrity Soils and author of For the Love of Soil, discusses how an agroecological lens is used to view entire farm systems and value human dynamics with Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt. Nicole has a love and fascination with soil but understands the risks involved with farming and starting new approaches to regenerating landscapes. Nicole highlights how "Biological Barbecues" were used in New Zealand to allow men and women to share their ideas and hear about emerging innovations in a...

How do we create a love and fascination for the soil to better fit into the landscape? Nicole Masters, founder of Integrity Soils and author of For the Love of Soil, shares with Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt how central people are to agroecology. Nicole grew up in New Zealand and developed an early love and fascination with soil. As an agroecologist, educator, systems thinker, and author, Nicole has extensive practical expertise and experiences in regenerative soil and landscape practices and coaching and training the trainers.

Nicole will be a keynote speaker at the 2024 Virginia F...

Are you interested in improving the water and nutrient-holding capacity of your soil? Have you heard about biochar as a soil amendment? Dr. Wayne Teel of James Madison University has studied and researched biochar for more than 15 years. Wayne discusses the promise and potential of biochar with Mary Sketch Bryant and Jeff Ishee as a follow-up to their conversation about agroforestry. 

Dr. Teel describes how biochar is formed through a combustion process with little or no oxygen present. Wayne distinguishes between types of biochar and those combusted at high and low temperatures as well as those types that m...

We all could benefit from reconnecting to soil, land, trees, and where our food comes from and how food is produced. Dr. Wayne Teel is a professor of geography at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He shares with Mary Sketch Bryant and Jeff Ishee how he works with his students at JMU to connect them to a farmer or field experience so the connection is real and tangible. 

Dr. Teel shares stories of his own experience working on a farm in the Columbia River basin in eastern Washington and his international experience working with farmers in Kenya a...

Do you like to volunteer, dig in the soil, and get your hands dirty? Planting and harvesting vegetables, experimenting with cover crops, and reducing tillage can be great fun as well. Virginia Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener program and the Fauquier Education Farm offer two tangible ways to volunteer, dig in the soil, get your hands dirty, and give back to the community. 

Tim Ohlwiler elaborates on how these volunteer-based programs serve as living laboratories where theory and hands-on practice merge for the benefit of participants and communities. Tim is an extension agent for horticulture with Virginia Cooperative Extension (V...

What are the realities for building soil health in orchards and vineyards? Tree fruit and grapes require different strategies for reducing competition from other woody perennials and weeds. Tension can exist between balancing crop needs and building soil health in orchards and vineyards.  

Tim Ohlwiler is an extension agent for horticulture with Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) in Fauquier County, Virginia. Tim works with nurseries, landscapers, orchards, vineyards, small fruit growers, and vegetable growers in the Northern Piedmont Region. In this episode, Tim talks with Jeff, Mary, and Eric about horticultural realities and soil health and how he is wo...

Farming and market gardening require continually learning and appropriately managing risks. Robert "Bob" Waring of Brandon Farms in Essex County, Virginia is a proponent of cover crops, soil health, and on-farm research. Bob states he sees the beginning of a movement, particularly as farmers learn from other farmers. He has embraced cover crops, and he consistently maps biomass yields and samples his fields' soil nutrient levels.

In testing theories and making observations through the years, Bob has been able to reduce external inputs of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and lime, while increasing yields and return on investments. Bob attributes...

The economics of farming are always tenuous and subject to many market and climatic forces. Robert "Bob" Waring of Brandon Farms of Dunnsville, Virginia describes himself as a return-on-investment (ROI) kind of guy. With the tenuous, volatile nature of farming, Bob is constantly evaluating Brandon Farms' cropping system as a whole and looking for sound input reduction strategies. Over the past fifteen years, Bob has focused on growing his fertilizer (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) and farm profitability through timely cover crop mixtures and management. Hairy vetch and black oats have worked well in his corn and soybean rotations and helped...

To know where our food comes from, we are encouraged to know the farmer who grew our food. Nicolas "Nico" Melas of Mill Song Bakery approaches his craft as a farmer-miller-baker in the tradition of the artisans he apprenticed to in France. Nico emphasizes that you should know your local baker to fully understand and appreciate the quality of wheat and other grains. Nico reflects on how the growing, sourcing, processing, milling, fermenting, and mixing of grain and flour all play a role in the artisanal baking process. For Nico, flavor and health go together; and bread needs to smell...

Nicolas "Nico" Melas of Mill Song Bakery is a thought leader within Virginia's regional food systems and a catalyst with the expanding Common Grain Alliance. Nico and his family, along with a growing network of farmers, millers, bakers, and food businesses in Virginia and the greater Mid-Atlantic Region, are working through artful farming, milling, and baking to seed and feed a strong, resilient, diverse localized food grain economy. Jeff Ishee and Eric Bendfeldt talk with Nico about his journey in farming and baking and how healthy grains and bread benefit soil health, water quality, food security, and community nutrition. 
Duration: 00:17:11

Ennis and Phil Carter of Flip Charts and Social Impact Studios bring together their expertise in social sciences and education to amplify a simple message that soil health and music are for everyone. We can all "literally" dig soil health and music in a multitude of ways. In part II, Ennis and Phil explain how memories and stories help us find common ground, connect dots, and stir our imaginations. Ennis spoke of the recent 4 The Soil coloring book developed by Social Impact Studios and the playful characters of an owl and a worm (Hoot and Annie) that stirred their imaginations...

In anticipation of National Soil Health Day, Ennis and Phil Carter of Flip Charts and Social Impact Studios composed a fun 4 The Soil song to celebrate and emphasize how we can all take action for the soil and planet. Ennis and Phil bring together more than forty years of life and creative work. Their collaboration and creativity integrate music, culture, anthropology, graphic design, and community organizing. Ennis and Phil highlight how music and art translate our emotions and hearts into action.

The upcoming Hoot-n-Annie event will be held on National Soil Health Day, Sunday, June 23, 2024, at Camp pHyre...

The aroma of freshly milled and ground grain is distinct and inviting whether in preparing bread, pizza, or a vat of beer. Madelyn Smith of the Common Grain Alliance offers a freshly milled perspective on a range of topics needed to strengthen the regional food system and build the supply of regional grains to meet consumer demand. Madelyn says that bakers and chefs are often the best storytellers of why local grains are so important to their businesses, however, it is often the taste, flavor, and aroma of the food and beverages that create a lasting love and commitment to...

How can we reinvigorate the local and regional grain economy? What is possible if grain farmers, millers, maltsters, bakers, brewers, pasta makers, educators, and researchers dream and work together? Why are local, high-quality, sustainably raised small grains like rye, oats, and others not more easily available in the Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic Region marketplace? Mary Sketch Bryant, Jeff Ishee, and Eric Bendfeldt speak with Executive Director Madelyn Smith of the Common Grain Alliance (CGA) about these questions and the growing effort to reinvigorate the local grain economy. Madelyn shares her journey of working on conservation and facilitating policy development for...

Can we emulate nature with our soil health-building systems? Where do local small grains fit in the soil health puzzle? Ray Archuleta of the Soil Health Academy and retired soil health educator with USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service discusses why working in concert with nature is important to farming. Ray is a big proponent of no-till farming and putting life back into systems. Tillage disrupts and kills soil fungi and sets the system back. Ray sees food and the health of the soil as medicine and critically intertwined with nature. 

Dr. Heather Coiner of the Common Grain Alliance adds t...

Have you ever been on a walk and observed a dung beetle or two rolling a bit of dung down the path? Have you wondered what conditions make a good steady rain? While many things are out of our control, we can control some things if we are willing to learn and work together as a community.

Dr. Elizabeth Heilman, Professor of Education at Wichita State University, elaborates on the power of observation in ecology and farming with Mary Sketch Bryant, Jeff Ishee, and Eric Bendfeldt, specifically as the power of observation relates to weather patterns, peer-to-peer learning...

Are you resistant to change or risk averse? You may need to calm your lizard down and understand how important safety and security are to change, risk aversion, and the adoption of new behaviors. 

Dr. Elizabeth Heilman, Professor of Education at Wichita State University, talks with Mary Sketch Bryant, Jeff Ishee, and Eric Bendfeldt about how our "lizard brains" relate to farming and ranching. For farmers and ranchers, many day-to-day factors (i.e., markets, weather, public policy, etc.) are out of their control. The lack of control can cause stress and anxiety that activate our lizard brains. 
Duration: 00:18:53

A passion for gardening and tasty, flavorful tomatoes, cucumbers, and hot peppers continues to drive Bill Patterson's experimentation with crop rotations, mulching, composting, and winter and summer cover crops in his home garden. Mary Sketch Bryant and Eric Bendfeldt talked previously with Bill about his conservation work with soil health and grazing lands. Bill is equally passionate about his home garden as he is about farmers' grazing lands.

He uses his garden as an experimentation station to test and observe the soil health-building principles. Bill emphasizes: "rotations, rotations, rotations," and allowing the critters to do the tillage for...

A love and curiosity for soil sparked a fifty-year career in soil and natural resources conservation. Mary Sketch Bryant and Eric Bendfeldt talk with Bill Patterson, retired district conservationist and present grazing specialist with Virginia USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, about his career and to hear his insights on soil health and grazing. Bill is affectionately called "Pops" and has served as a mentor for many farmers and soil conservationists. Bill was recently recognized at the Virginia Farm to Table Conference for his lifetime achievement with the 2023 Carl Luebben Soil Health and Water Quality Award.

In reflecting on his...

Are we there yet? Have we arrived at the intended destination? Have we reached the goal we set out for improving soil health and how soil functions? Have our good intentions of attempting to loosen the soil resulted in negative unintended consequences?

In part one of our conversation with Dale Stricker of Regenerative Wisdoms, Dale stated that tillage and soil disturbance make farmers very susceptible to drought. However, in relying on deep tillage and subsoiling to remove a mechanical barrier (i.e., a compacted layer or hardpan), farmers may exacerbate the problem, and tillage can result in unintended...

How functional and drought-resilient is your soil? Is your soil a week away from a drought and an hour away from a flood?

Dale Strickler of Regenerative Wisdom talks with Jeff Ishee and Eric Bendfeldt about ways to increase drought resilience moving forward. Dale draws on his experience and expertise as a farmer, cattle rancher, college soil science instructor, and current agronomist to provide sound information for restoring soil function so the soil can hold water and allow water to infiltrate.

Does tillage and subsoiling pay and make soil more drought-resilient? Dale states that tillage and...

How does a purposeful mindset contribute to soil health and rebuilding soil fertility? What can we learn from culture, history, and mindset in storing our farm landscapes?

Rebekah Slabach recently became the associate director for the Alliance to Advance Climate-Smart Agriculture within Virginia Tech's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Formerly, Rebekah was an extension agent for agriculture and natural resources with Virginia Cooperative Extension in Halifax County. Rebekah reminds us that culture and history are part of agriculture and that managing soil health through changing weather, markets, and environmental demands requires a purposeful mindset. In striving to...

What are the ingredients of change? How can you fuel and be an agent of change in your community? Rebekah Slabach serves as an extension agent of agriculture and natural resources with Virginia Cooperative Extension in Halifax County. Rebekah shares her early involvement with 4-H and Youth Conservation Camp as two educational opportunities growing up that sparked her interest and passion in agriculture and the environment. Rebekah sees her work with Extension to fuel and encourage positive change on farms and the broader community. Mindfulness, passion, and perspective are key elements for fueling change but also knowing your goals and...

The power of observation and a receptive mind are critical to farming, soil health, research, and all discoveries. Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt start the New Year and third season of the 4 The Soil podcast with another conversation with Dr. Stuart Grandy, Professor of Natural Resources and the Environment, at the University of New Hampshire (UNH). It turns out the most powerful tool farmers and gardeners have regardless of size is taking time to observe and reflect on what is happening and observing how soil and plants respond to different management strategies. This tool can be used...

How does one measure and monitor what's happening below the ground in the soil food web? Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt caught up with Dr. Stuart Grandy, Professor of Natural Resources and the Environment, at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) to discuss the diversity of soil life and emerging sensor technologies to probe soil organic matter, soil carbon, and overall health. Dr. Grandy outlines why core soil health principles are essential for encouraging fungal hyphae, increasing the diversity of habitats, and enhancing food substrates needed to build a robust soil food web. He emphasizes how important...

Since October 2021, Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt have had sixty conversations about the health and fertility of soil as part of the podcast. To celebrate World Soils Day 2023, we are sharing three recaps of conversations that were quite memorable with Dr. David R. Montgomery and Anne Bikle authors of What Your Food Ate and Growing a Revolution; Clare Tallamy of Virginia Tech's 2022 Soil Judging Team; and Lee Rinehart a grazing specialist with the National Center for Appropriate Technology.

World Soils Day was organized to bring attention and focus on the importance of healthy soil and...

How do we identify community and natural resource needs? What are people doing to thrive as well as survive? Executive Director Nelson Muiru of Kijabe Environment Volunteers (KENVO) talks with Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt for a second episode on how they seek to balance the everyday social and financial needs of people and communities in the Central Highlands of Kenya in East Africa with important natural resource needs. Farming is a primary livelihood and source of sustenance for many people in rural Kenya. At the same time, people and communities rely on forests for timber and...

How do you work with communities and individual farmers to build trust and achieve multiple social, financial, and ecological goals? Executive Director Nelson Muiru of Kijabe Environment Volunteers (KENVO) talks with Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt about how their organization seeks to maximize biodiversity, ecosystem services, and food security in the Central Highlands of Kenya in East Africa. Like many countries, Kenya is working to conserve and preserve non-renewable resources (i.e., soil, water, culturally significant forests, etc.) to benefit people's livelihoods and communities. KENVO provides leadership and education to conserve biodiversity in the Kikuyu Escarpment, while...

How do we improve lawn soil health by adjusting mower deck height? Can adjusting your lawnmower deck from three inches to four or more inches save you time and energy? Is genetically modified turfgrass in the future of your lawn?

Extension Turfgrass Specialist Dr. Mike Goatley of Virginia Tech (Dr. Turf) talks with Jeff Ishee and Eric Bendfeldt about emerging and applied research in turfgrass and lawn management including developments in turfgrass breeding. For overall lawn care and health, Dr. Goatley recommends adjusting the lawnmower deck height upwards starting on Memorial Day and until Labor Day to encourage...

President Abraham Lincoln stated in 1858 that "Every blade of grass is a study; and to produce two, where there was but one, is both a profit and a pleasure." The profit and pleasure of turfgrass still require observation, care, and ongoing research. Extension Turfgrass Specialist Dr. Mike Goatley of Virginia Tech (Dr. Turf) talks with Jeff Ishee and Eric Bendfeldt about his journey into studying and researching turfgrass and lawn management. Mike provides guidance on the value of turfgrass for water quality, erosion control, soil stabilization, temperature moderation, and drought resilience. Knowing the eight different types of grass that grow...

Like author Simon Sinek, Daniel Austin of Green Sprig Ag and Little Hen Farm encourages people to start with their “why.” Doing so will help people understand their motivation and refine their purpose in life and work. Knowing both the “why” and the “how” of farming and building soil health is critically important to economic viability, community well-being, and true sustainability. Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt continue their conversation with Daniel by phone to learn more about his “why” and “how” of farming and growing local grains.

Daniel emphasizes that farmers need to know and understand their "wh...

What are the resource concerns and aspirations for your farm and land? Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt catch up by phone with farmer, entrepreneur, and soil health champion Daniel Austin of Little Red Hen Farm and Green Sprig Ag. Daniel is a fifth-generation farmer in Franklin County and shares the history of how his interest and passion for soil health started with a loathe of picking up rocks and erosion. In a nutshell, he and his family grow, process, and package local grains (wheat, spelt, buckwheat, and open-pollinated corn) for as direct farm-to-table sales to families, bakers...

What is your passion? Where do you experience a sense of wonder and hope? Jeff Ishee and Mary Sketch Bryant talk with Kate Bracken and Craig Fracker of the Goochland-Powhatan Master Gardener Association about how they empower communities with research-based garden education from the soil up, and specifically about their HOPE (Helping Our Planet Endure) initiative. Kate and Craig as Master Gardener volunteers with Virginia Cooperative Extension share how their local association builds and maintains active interest among their community in the care of lawns, trees, shrubs, flowers, gardens, and most importantly soils. Without soil, there are no gardens.
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How do we encourage stewardship of the land and our communities in the next generation? In this episode, Jeff Ishee, Eric Bendfeldt, and Sarah Koth continue their conversation with Kathy Yoder, the Education Outreach Program Director at Vine and Fig in Harrisonburg, Virginia, about the organization’s work to get youth outdoors and experience nature. Kathy discusses the mental health and learning benefits she sees in students from experiential learning in the garden and in nature. She also dives into the integrative farm-to-school work that she is involved with in Harrisonburg and how it has increased access to healthy nutritious fo...

Healthy soil means healthy plants which means healthy people and a healthy planet. In this episode, Jeff Ishee, Eric Bendfeldt, and Sarah Koth speak with Kathy Yoder, the Education Outreach Program Director at Vine and Fig in Harrisonburg, Virginia, about the nonprofit’s local programs to strengthen local food systems, ensure access to wholesome nutrition for underserved communities, and educate youth on food production and sustainability.

Kathy digs into the importance of empowering young minds to understand the connection between the life in the soil and a sustainable environment, specifically as relates to compost production and use. Listen to...

Soil is important infrastructure on our landscapes and in our communities. Jeff Ishee, Eric Bendfeldt, and Mary Sketch Bryant talk with Carl Stafford of Virginia Cooperative Extension in Culpeper County about the George Washington Carver Center, a food and business incubator and agricultural service center serving communities in and around Culpeper County. Carl is the Agricultural and Natural Resources Extension Agent in Stafford County and has expertise in livestock forages, beef cattle management, and has been an active member in the community for years. In this episode, Carl discusses the intersection of food, soil, history, and community that the Carver...

What does the health of plants and animals have to tell us about life underground? In this episode, Jeff Ishee, Eric Bendfeldt, and Mary Sketch Bryant talk with Carl Stafford of Virginia Cooperative Extension in Culpeper County about the importance of grazing with intent for the benefit of plants, animals, and the soil. Carl is the Agricultural and Natural Resources Extension Agent in Stafford County and has expertise in livestock forages, and beef cattle management, and is an active leader in the Graze 300 program. In this episode, Carl discusses the importance of paying attention to the biological components of soil...

How can you really know your soil is alive, biologically active, and not sterile? Well, the answer is brief. Yes, really! Soil your undies, that is, bury a pair of your 100% cotton undies in an area of your garden or cropland where you are curious about its biological activity and wait about 60 days to see what happens and if the undies decompose through time due to the microbial life in the soil.

Elizabeth Mullins Baldwin and Meagan Dyer of Virginia Cooperative Extension's (VCE) Page County Office share with Jeff Ishee and Mary Sketch Bryant how they first learned...

We can all make a difference and construct the world we want to see and experience now and into the future. In part one, Taona Makunje Chigwenembe, the executive director of Creative Solutions for the Environment of Malawi shared with us the importance of honoring indigenous knowledge, practicing permaculture, and integrating agroforestry systems. The conversation continues about cover crops, compost, legumes, nitrogen-fixing trees, green manures, and ongoing resolute support of family, neighbors, and community in making a difference for soil health, water conservation, and educational leadership.

Taona also highlighted an educational initiative titled, "A Girl and a Bike,"...

Whether you live in the United States or Malawi in southeastern Africa, you can be 4 The Soil because soil health has national and international inspirations and applications. Soil health is foundational to food security and can catalyze community change. Taona Makunje Chigwenembe is the executive director of Creative Solutions for the Environment in Malawi and a board member of the New Community Project. Taona shares with us the mighty, great things she and her colleagues are doing to rebuild and regenerate soil health by honoring indigenous knowledge, practicing permaculture, and integrating agroforestry systems.

Being in touch with the...

Cover crops have many different functions and benefits from adding biomass to alleviating compaction to providing habitat for beneficial pollinators. People may be hesitant to plant a mixture of cover crops if they have not previously planted cover crops. Mike Parrish, senior extension agent with Virginia Cooperative Extension in Dinwiddie County, discusses the ins and outs of cover cropping and how different cover crops can serve specific roles in farming, gardening, lawn renovation, and land reclamation. Mike highlights the benefits of buckwheat, cereal rye, and pearl millet. He discusses how winter and summer cover crop mixtures can provide a bridge...

Farmers, gardeners, and homeowners can face different challenges in managing and building soil health. Mike Parrish, senior extension agent with Virginia Cooperative Extension in Dinwiddie County, encourages everyone to do their own research and side-by-side trials. Learning by trial and error allows for direct comparisons and works in a specific context. Mike works closely with commercial growers who grow everything from corn, soybeans, cotton, cereal rye, and other agronomic crops, but also provides educational programming to homeowners and other landowners who might have a problem with soil compaction, water holding capacity, or other common soil ailments.

Mike emphasizes...

In celebration and recognition of Earth Day 2023, we are resharing a deeply meaningful and inspiring conversation with Karen Washington of Rise and Root Farm about soil health, intergenerational knowledge, and heeding nature's wisdom that was really well-received last year. Karen recently received and shared the 2023 James Beard Humanitarian Award with Olivia Watkins for their ongoing leadership and vision for community-focused change. Karen recalled how planting a tomato seed changed her life and introduced her to nature, land, and soil. She emphasizes the importance of having hard conversations about eating healthy so people and communities are all part of the solution...

Who inspired you in your career and spurred your interest in soil health? Beth Sastre is an extension agent for commercial horticulture in Loudoun County with Virginia Cooperative Extension. Beth was inspired to pursue a career in agriculture and natural resources by her grandfather and by Mother Nature. Beth's grandfather was an agronomist in Mexico and worked closely with farmers on soil and water conservation-related issues. Additionally, Beth was fascinated early in her life by Mother Nature, the beauty of natural resources, and how our farming practices affect soil health. Beth shares her own inspiration and fascination with soil health...

Get to know your 4 The Soil: A Conversation podcast team. Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, Sarah Koth, and Eric Bendfeldt share their background and aha moments in learning about and building soil health. Jeff mentioned the influence of his father but also his library of soil health books he has accumulated since his retirement from the U.S. Navy. Mary recalled her earlier work in environmental and conservation studies and the importance of the human dimension in soil health and the protection of natural resources. Sarah highlighted her background in environmental communications and advocacy at James Madison University and her...

Why do I farm this way? Context, values, and passion are all part of the equation and reason. Becky Szarzynski of Mountain Glen Farm is a well-spoken, highly knowledgeable young, innovative farmer in the Shenandoah Valley. Becky shares specifically why she farms the way she does and emphasizes the importance of walking your land, observing what is happening in the ecosystem, and not being afraid to try something new because you might be surprised by a hawk, Bobwhite quail, or dung beetle.

Becky serves as a coordinator of the Virginia Forage and Grassland Council's and Virginia Soil Health...

How do you work with nature to build soil health? Do diversity and pasture bouquets fit into your grazing management regimen? Becky Szarzynski of Mountain Glen Farm shares her own journey in building soil health, raising South Poll cattle, managing animal impact, and growing a bouquet of diverse forage species.

Becky also serves as a coordinator of the Virginia Forage and Grassland Council's and Virginia Soil Health Coalition's farmer-to-farmer mentor programs. Becky emphasizes that people and systems have to be adaptive to meet challenges and take advantage of the opportunities that emerge with soil health, grazing management, and...

Delving into soil health is like peeling the layers of an onion back: new layers to soil health are brought to light every day. David Montgomery and Anne Bikle share what they learned and synthesized about soil health and food connections in writing their latest book: What Your Food Ate. As we learn about soil ecology and nutrient cycling, the urgency for caring for health from the soil up is increasingly apparent. David and Anne mention the importance of phytochemicals, micronutrients, fat balances, and microbial metabolites to plant and animal foods, and that new layers and directions for study continue...

How do we nourish people rather than just feed them? Is there a more direct link between soil health and human health than we thought? David R. Montgomery and Anne Biklé, authors of What Your Food Ate, talk with us about the deeper, more intriguing aspects of soil health, nutrition, and its implications for human health with us. David and Anne emphasize the importance of asking questions about the foundations of health: soil and nutritious food.

David is a professor of Earth and Space Sciences at the University of Washington. Anne attended the University of California, Santa Cruz e...

You might know soil remembers and has a long memory but do you know soils continually tell stories? Soils often tell an overarching story based on history and geology that includes how soils were formed due to factors such as parent material, climate, landscape position, time, and the presence or absence of soil organisms. Current and past management of topsoil and the soil ecosystem adds new chapters to a soil's history and memory.

Clare Tallamy, a recent graduate of Virginia Tech's School of Plant and Environmental Sciences (SPES), shared several stories from her experience as a member of...

Do you have a vision and picture of what happens in a soil judging pit? Clare Tallamy, a recent graduate of Virginia Tech's School of Plant and Environmental Sciences (SPES), shared her passion for soil health and soil judging in this episode. Clare was a member of Virginia Tech's Soil Judging Team and helped the team win its seventh collegiate national championship. Clare also distinguished herself as the individual winner at the 2022 International Soil Judging Contest that was held in Scotland. As an avid gardener growing up in Northern Virginia, Clare took a keen interest in soil science and joined...

What are the foundations of happy soil biology? Jon Stika of UnderstandingAg, a part-time research professional at North Dakota State University's Dickinson Research and Extension Center, and author of A Soil Owner's Manual shares his perspective on keeping soil biology alive and happy.

Jon draws his soil biology insights from his career as a conservationist, agronomist, soil scientist, researcher, and teacher with USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service. He discusses how integrating livestock as a means of energizing with diversity can stimulate plant growth and biological activity when grazing is properly managed.

For Jon, feeding the soil is...

How does soil actually function? Jon Stika of UnderstandingAg (recently retired from USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service) emphasizes that all of us as students, managers, and caregivers of soil need to understand how soil functions as a living ecosystem with biological, physical, and chemical processes. All of us must become students of what makes soil healthy. It’s that simple and there are no shortcuts. Jon states from this starting point farmers, graziers, gardeners, and landowners will then be able to treat the problems limiting soil health and not just the symptoms.

In Jon's career as a conservationist, agronomist, so...

Who inspired you in your soil health journey? Lee Rinehart sustainable agriculture specialist with the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) shared about two people who inspired him in his journey into sustainable, regenerative agriculture and soil health. In sharing about his maternal grandfather's influence and the writings of Wendell Berry, Lee reiterates stories about the care of land and people being critically important for affecting change, building camaraderie, and inspiring new ideas that can be adopted and implemented.

Lee also emphasized how we need to learn from one another what has worked, what continues to be a...

What are appropriate and inappropriate technologies for soil to benefit water? Lee Rinehart of the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) shares the history behind this question as well as how the question relates to their ongoing Soil for Water initiative. People may hear of appropriate technology in relation to an international context but Lee reminds us that no matter the context appropriate technology should be locally-adaptive, place-based, and people-centered to be most beneficial socially, ecologically, and economically.

Lee tells several stories of when technologies were introduced and did not have the desired anticipated benefits but disrupted relationships...

If you were an earthworm, what type of farm would you like to be living on? This question was posed to Mike Phillips of Valley View Farms in Mauzy, Virginia, who is a student of history and a champion of soil health. Jeff Ishee was able to catch up with Mike at a recent Soil Health and Cover Crop Field Day in Rockingham County to learn how Mike seeks to mimic nature in his farming and soil health principles.

Mike is always cognizant of keeping soil covered, nurturing soil biology, and managing his above and below-ground livestock. He...

The 4 the Soil: A Conversation podcast was collaboratively launched on October 12, 2021, to bring farmers, graziers, market gardeners, agricultural professionals, educators, researchers, conservationists, and community leaders together to hear and share stories about agriculture, soil health principles, and shared values. The First Anniversary Edition is aimed to be a "best-of" episode to celebrate the milestone and offer a sample of memorable conversations of the first year.

Special thanks to all of our guests and listeners. We hope you will join us in this celebration and continue to support and share the 4 The Soil: A Conversation podcast as we work...

Will soil health work on your farm? That is a question that farmers often ask related to soil health-building principles and practices, particularly in relation to multi-species mixtures and diversified enterprises. Brian Downing of Crooked Row Farm is a second-generation farmer located in Randolph County in central North Carolina. He shares his perspective on farming by the square foot and making soil health work on his farm. Faced with a soil compaction resource concern, he began experimenting with cover crop mixtures, a diversity of livestock and crop species, and enhancing the carbon currency on his farm. Brian highlights the need...

What do you want to accomplish on your farm, in your garden, or in business? Do you have a specific resource concern such as lessening tillage? Do you want to provide your family, friends, and customers with nutrient-dense food? Cover Crop Coach Steve Groff shared in the previous episode about keeping the soil alive and well. The conversation continues with Steve emphasizing that farmers need to learn all they can and understand how soil health concepts, principles, and practices are applicable to their individual farms and context. Similarly, Steve encourages farmers, graziers, and gardeners to visit with other farmers locally...

What research is emerging around plant health and soil biology in relation to nutrient-dense food? What role can farmers and gardeners play in building soil health to grow nutrient-dense food? Farmer, on-farm researcher, author, and Cover Crop Coach Steve Groff shares his experience and insights on keeping soil biology alive and well for soil and human health. Steve is a third-generation farmer based in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, who was an early innovator in using a roller-crimper in his no-till commercial vegetable operation to manage and terminate his cover crops. His grandfather was an early adopter of cover crops in the 1950...

How does soil health relate to clean, abundant water? Dr. Ryan Stewart is an Associate Professor in Virginia Tech's School of Plant and Environmental Sciences. Ryan's research focus is on the interactions between water, soil, and plant communities. His sustainable water resource management work spans soil science, ecology, engineering, agriculture, and urban systems. He shares the science of measuring and quantifying soil health and the effects of management principles and practices on how soil functions. Ryan and his research colleagues identified 42 different indicators, but in our conversation emphasized the importance of systematically building soil organic matter and enhancing biology for...

There cannot be agriculture without culture. Duron Chavis executive director of Happily Natural Day shares his passion for soil health and cultural activism as a means to address systemic issues and transform the built environment. Duron is a thought leader, educator, activist, and changemaker in the Greater Richmond region. He integrates music, art, and cultural identity in his work in urban agriculture, gardening, farming, and orchards as a tool for social change, public health promotion, and community transformation. Duron emphasizes that healthy, fertile soil is an imperative and the crux of landscape resilience, food security, and environmental justice.

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How can we purposefully enhance soil life? Lydia Fitzgerald is an integrated cropland agronomist with Virginia's USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Virginia Tech. Lydia grew up on a family farm in Nelson County, Virginia, and was inspired by her family to take active participation in Future Farmers of America (FFA) in high school to dream of and pursue a career in agriculture and natural resources. In her outreach and education role, Lydia uses hands-on soil health demonstrations and research to encourage farmers, ranchers, market gardeners, and land managers to take an integrated approach to soil, crop, and...

Keeping local waterways and the Chesapeake Bay clean requires everyone to be actively involved in protecting water quality, managing nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, and building soil health. Jeff Ishee and Eric Bendfeldt caught up with Matt Kowalski of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) at a recent field day to talk about soil health and water quality. Matt serves as a watershed restoration scientist in Virginia for CBF and specifically focuses on agricultural best management practices and projects to restore wetland and riverside areas. Matt emphasizes that keeping water clean needs to happen farm by farm and lawn by lawn...

In this second part of our conversation with Michael Carter Jr. of Carter Farms in Orange County, Virginia, Michael shares his unique insights and perspectives on history and its ongoing relationship to soil health and farming. Michael is a fifth-generation farmer with a passion for small farm outreach, the decline in the number of black farmers and black-owned farms, and efforts to restore equity and justice in farming and access to land. Michael recounts the foresight his grandmother and her family had in buying their farm and land in Orange County after World War II. He also shares the significant...

How do culture, history, and mindset influence soil health? Michael Carter Jr. of Carter Farms in Orange County, Virginia shares his insights and perspectives in this 4 The Soil: A Conversation episode. Michael is a fifth-generation farmer who grew up on a century farm and learned from the many agricultural teachers in his family and community. Michael provides historical context and examples of mindsets that can affect and limit soil health much like a compacted hardpan layer below the soil surface. Michael offers that cultural richness, racial literacy, and microbiological diversity are essential to soil health-building processes and community life.
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How did a grandmother's passion for gardening inspire her grandson's career in taking care of the soil? In this episode, Cory Guilliams, district conservationist with Virginia USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), recalls the influence and lessons learned from his grandmother about soil health and winter cover crops as he helped her as a youth in picking and weeding beans and potatoes. Cory shares the history and definition of no-till farming in Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic Region and how important the practice is for aggregating soil particles and reducing erosion. Tillage can be extremely destructive so minimizing soil disturbance is...

Soil is an amazing foundation for all of us. Soil nourishes, fuels, and sustains all life. In this episode, Janet Aardema and her daughter Sylvie of Broadfork Farm share their enthusiasm and experiences with farming and soil health as the basis for their business and educational outreach. Janet and Sylvie discuss how they use the core principles of soil health but also composting, permaculture, forest farming, and food recovery to capture carbon and decrease our carbon and ecological footprints. They elaborate on specific practices they use to keep the soil covered and maximize living roots as they grow more than...

In the episode, Virginia's Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matt Lohr shares his passion and perspective on soil health, conservation, and the future of farming. As a fifth-generation Virginia poultry and beef farmer, Secretary Lohr sees the progress farmers are making to move the needle and build soil health to benefit water quality, agricultural production, and climate resilience, specifically with cover cropping, crop rotations, conservation tillage, and farmer-to-farmer mentoring. Virginia farmers are doing well but farmers and all of us can do our part and do better. Education, outreach, and peer-to-peer learning continue to be important to make people aware...