This blog is about why we need a healthy soil to sustain our planet. In this blog, I will also describe how some of the work that we are doing to make a healthier soil and improve our ability to grow healthy sustainable food locally.
My name is John Paul. I was raised on a farm and have a PhD in soil science from the University of Guelph. I find soil fascinating in part because of the billions of microbes present in every gram of soil. Although it is 95-99% bits of rock in the form of sand, silt and clay, the 1-5% organic matter in a healthy soil changes the bits of rock into “dirt” that sustains our planet. If you wish to understand more about our soil, I highly recommend the movie “Dirt”. Its a great explanation of why our topsoil is so important, and why organic matter is the key to a healthy soil.
I’ve just started reading the book “Teaming With Microbes: A Gardener’s Guide to the Soil Food Web” and am just realizing the importance of good soil and supporting all the life within it. I will never use any chemical fertilizers again. I am looking forward to using your products to improve my Soil Food Web.