How Important is it to Protect and Nurture the Soil?

Short answer, our life and millions if little lives depend on it. So yes, it is important to do our best to protect the bustling world below the grass. 

Folks who have studied soil under a microscope have some interesting things to report. 

Healthy soil isn't' just "dirt."  

Below the feet of the cow herd and the beautiful summer pasture is a world where science is just starting to scratch the surface. Just one single teaspoon of chemical-free, healthy soil can contain:

• Up to a billion bacteria, 
• Yards of minute fungi strands, and 
• Thousands of protozoa and nematodes. 

A delicate, living ecosystem all interdependent on each other. 

The role of earthworms, bugs and animals

Earthworms and other relatively giant bugs dig and burrow through all of this creating the perfect environment of pathways and nutrition to keep the ecosystem functioning. 

Every time the cows, sheep or pigs pass through, they lay down a fresh layer of food for the subsoil jungle in the form of grass and manure. 

The impact of conventional farming practices

On the flip side, tilling the soil kills off large percentages of this life. What the tilling leaves is often finished off with insecticides, herbicides and fungicides. 

On our farm we need insects, herbs, and fungus so we stay away from the 'cides. 

The effect of weather

When there is a drought like we just went through, these life forms can slow down a bit. They do need moisture to function properly. 

With the welcome rain over the last week, I can only imagine the parties and feeding frenzies that are now going on, microscopically, under the soil's surface. 

If you want to read more on this topic and what each of these life forms contributes you can check out this article on The Secret Life of Soil.