The rhizosphere, rhizodeposition, the rhizosheath and rhizophagy form the biological basis of soil health
Lately I’ve been giving lectures to farmers and vineyard growers who’ve heard about regenerative agriculture but are curious to know more. Before and after images of soil humus transformation is a powerful start.
Worldwide, farmers experience a visceral feeling when they observe improvements to soil health. It is sometimes dramatic: impoverished, cloddy dirt transformed into humus-ey, crumbly, dark soil. When it rains, water infiltrates instead of puddling and running off. Awareness of this “living soil” resonates in the farmer’s whole being.
I think it’s helpful to view regenerative agriculture as a progression of holistic farming systems. We now have over 100 years of carbon farming experience since biodynamic agriculture was founded in Europe, and over 50 years in the United States since organic farming organizations mushroomed in the 1970s. Acres U.S.A. — the voice of eco-agriculture — was established in 1971. Regenerative agriculture draws upon and builds on this carbon-farming experience with cover crops, compost, organic mulching, humates, biological inoculants, no-till and holistic grazing.
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