THEN THE LORD GOD FORMED [THAT IS, CREATED THE BODY OF] MAN FROM THE DUST (SOIL) OF THE GROUND, AND BREATHED INTO HIS NOSTRILS THE BREATH OF LIFE; AND THE MAN BECAME A LIVING BEING [AN INDIVIDUAL COMPLETE IN BODY AND SPIRIT].GENESIS 2:7
ALL (MAN & ANIMAL) CAME FROM THE DUST AND ALL RETURN TO THE DUST.ECCLESIASTES 3:20

SOIL HEALTH

The following information will help you learn more about the proven (tried & true) principles, practices, solutions, and benefits of healthy soil.

Amazingly, the essential elements found in healthy living soil are also found in people, animals and plants.

When you come to understand the mutually beneficial integrated relationships among people & nature, hopefully you'll take noble action.

HEALTHY FERTILE LIVING SOIL

Nutrient Rich, Biologically Active, Ecologically Sound

Proper soil stewardship encourages healthy, thriving and resilient soils, plants, food, people, animals, and planet.

Good Soil Health Initiatives

Observe nature, learn from nature, embrace nature, imitate nature, and properly accelerate nature's process. Uncompromising collaboration with God & nature (for optimum success), rather than working against God & nature (inevitable failure). Intimate, intelligent and honorable participation.
Improve the nutrient, mineral, carbon, oxygen, water, and biological cycles in soil. Accelerate/energize these cycles.
A full spectrum, well-balanced soil food web. This consists of: organisms (earthworms, springtails, millipedes, beetles, ants, spiders, birds), microorganisms (fungi - mychorrhizal & saprophytic, bacteria, nematodes, arthropods, protozoa - amoeba & flagellates & ciliates), organic matter (decaying substances like grasses, leaves, plants, trees, bugs, insects), soil parent material (rocks, pebbles, sand, silt, clay), and living vegetation (plant roots, bulbs, tubers, rhizomes).
Increase beneficial biology & microbiology (microbes) in the soil. We are not short of nutrients in our soils, we are short of beneficial biology in our soils. We need to make existing nutrients in our soils available to plants, which can only come via beneficial biology & microbiology (microbes) in the soil. We need to feed the beneficial biology & microbiology (microbes) in the soil, so they can in turn feed the plants (it's about feeding the biology & microbes, not plants). Focusing on beneficial biology & microbiology (microbes) in the soil starts with proper soil stewardship. We must create a healthy environment for beneficial biology & microbiology (microbes) to thrive in the soil.
Microorganisms that are found dormant in soil (as well as other sources like compost or worm castings) can be awakened to grow/multiply under good conditions. Given the proper environment, microbes will grow/multiply to extraordinarily high concentrations. After all, microbes are living organisms that can populate and reproduce by themselves.
Increase organic matter in the soil. Organic matter in the soil is the "house" microbes (microorganisms) live in, and water extractable organic carbon is the "food" microbes eat.
Limit soil disturbance. Never till the soil.
Keep soil covered at all times (compost, mulch, rocks, living plants). Never keep the soil bare.
Keep proper plants growing on the land as much as possible. The greater diversity of living plants the better (trees, shrubs, ground covers, grasses, forbs, legumes, perennials, biennials, self-seeding annuals).
Integrate beekeeping (honey bees, mason bees). Bees provide many benefits including plant pollination, ecological health, food, honey, beeswax, medicine, useful products, etc. Learn more about the importance of bees.
Integrate managed rotational grazing of animals. The greater diversity of livestock the better (herbivore/ruminant animals like cattle, sheep, goats; poultry animals like chickens, turkeys, ducks).
Only use inputs & resources that are all-natural, non-toxic, free of pollution & contaminants. Do not use chemical or synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, GMO's. Utilize beyond-organic, beyond-sustainable, ecologically-friendly, regenerative practices that are safe & healthy for people, animals, plants, environment.
Use safe/healthy hi-quality mulch, compost, vermicompost, compost tea/extract, vermicompost tea/extract, soil amendments/minerals (wood ashes/charcoal/biochar, volcanic rock dust, pumice, pebbles, small rocks). The greater diversity of these resources/inputs, and locally sourced; the better.
Use fresh hi-quality water. The more natural sources of water the better (rainwater, rainwater harvesting, pond, lake, stream, river, aquifer, spring, well). If necessary use filtered water (water purification methods include reverse osmosis, activated/catalytic-carbon, KDF, distillation, ion-exchange). Keep in mind, healthy soil requires much less water than unhealthy soil.
Provide a home and habitat to attract pollinators (bees, butterflies, hummingbirds), predator insects (ladybugs, praying mantis, spiders), earthworms, and beneficial wildlife (birds).
Apply managed intensive/stimulating pruning of plants (especially plants that can handle it and/or grow quickly). Doing so stimulates the roots of plants, which encourages beneficial interactions among the plant, the soil, the life/biology within the soil, and the ecosystem - to invigorate the collective whole.
Employ proper land & soil evaluations, and lab testing methods: Haney Test, PLFA Test (Phospholipid Fatty Acid), TNE Test (Total Nutrient Extraction). The TNE test looks at how much of both organic and inorganic matter/compounds (nutrients & micro-nutrients) you have in the soil. Most soil tests only show the inorganic matter/compounds (not the organic matter/compounds). These 3 tests will indicate the amount of biology in your soil, and how your soil is set up biologically in order to cycle nutrients. Also use SOC Test (Soil Organic Carbon), Jornada Soil Stability Test, Ag Stability Test, Infiltration Assessment (both saturated & unsaturated hydraulic conductivity), Compaction Layers (using penetrometer or shovel), Water Holding Capacity Test, Wet Aggregate Test, Solar Capture Evaluation (through plant canopy measurement). Soil Health Sampling for Testing Standards (recommended sampling instructions). Be sure to use Reputable/Accredited Labs (for quality, integrity and accuracy in every analytical test result - recommend using the same lab every time). Follow Regenified Verification Standard.

Properly caring for the ground beneath our feet creates soil that is healthy, fertile, nutrient-dense, vast in beneficial biodiverse/microbial diverse life, oxygenated/aerobic, well structured, moist, and rich in highly decomposed organic matter. This kind of living soil will be resilient to cold, heat, drought, flood, soil, erosion, rain, sun, wind, fire, pollution/contaminants, etc. Plants that grow in this soil will thrive. Vegetation will be resilient to disease, parasites, harmful insects, adverse climate & environmental conditions; and produce abundant nutrient-dense food for people & nature.

Achieving desirable results will not come overnight, but striving to impact people, nature, and food for the better is certainly worth it.

Have any questions? Feel free to reach out.