Soil is a System-SHA Day 3

Day 3 of the Soil Health Academy was all about understanding soil as a living system, not just a medium for holding plants upright.

Key Takeaways:

1. Soil is alive - A teaspoon of healthy soil contains more microorganisms than there are people on Earth. These bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and nematodes form complex food webs that cycle nutrients and build soil structure.

2. The 6 Principles of Soil Health:

• Know your context
• Minimize soil disturbance
• Keep soil covered
• Maintain living roots
• Integrate animals
• Maximize diversity

3. Carbon is king - Building soil carbon through photosynthesis is the key to regenerating land. Plants capture CO2 and pump carbon into the soil through their roots, feeding the soil biology.

4. Water follows carbon - Soil with high organic matter can hold 20x its weight in water. This is why regenerative farms are more drought-resistant.

The Big Picture:

Agriculture can be a positive force for the environment. When we work with nature instead of against it, we can produce abundant food while healing ecosystems, sequestering carbon, and improving water cycles.

This is why we farm the way we do at Wild Type Ranch.