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Lesson 1: Healthy soilOverview
No matter what soil type or types you have, a sound soil-building program that includes the wise use of tillage, attention to soil organic matter, and the use of crop rotations, cover crops, soil amendments and compost will improve the health of the soil. Furthermore, this improved soil health will translate into more predictable yields, higher-quality products and greater returns.
Your soil is the foundation of your organic future. The beauty of "farming the soil" is twofold: You increase your ability to succeed year after year, and you leave a legacy of fertility and resilience for the next generation of farmers.
Through our decades of farming and research, my colleagues and I have learned a lot about developing poor soil into healthy, productive soil. As we move through this course, I'll share that knowledge, along with the experience of other farmers and researchers around the country. Our goal is to help you make a successful transition to certified organic production.
By the end of this lesson, you should appreciate the importance of soil biodiversity and know how to develop a soil fertility plan in keeping with NOP Standards. Understanding soil biodiversity and fertility is critical to how you will meet your obligation to improve soil under the USDA organic standards.
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 Soils from our organic (right) and conventional (left) research plots are very different in appearance due to the increase in soil organic matter in the organically managed soils. The organic soil is darker and its aggregates more visible, compared to the conventionally managed soil. (Photo: TRI)
"The soil is not, as many suppose, a dead, inert substance. It is very much alive and dynamic. It teems with bacteria, actinomycetes, fungi, molds, yeasts, protozoa, algae and other minute organisms."
~J.I. Rodale
Pay Dirt: Farming and Gardening
with Composts (1945) |
