Above you can see a couple of handfuls of soil. The top ball is our garden soil after a few seasons. The compacted ball below is the native soil from our new plot that has been tarped since Summer, awaiting compost and bed formation and preparation. There are many reasons why we focus on our soil foremost. Not only does the soil impact the health and quality of growth in the garden, it is also a determining factor in flavor.

When quality comes first, you have to focus on the flavor. We specifically choose vegetable varieties that are revered for flavor, and have careful post production practices to keep produce looking field fresh until it get to your fridge. In the search for the highest quality any good farmer is farming soil and microbiology first.

The Scientific American writes about a study on the topic by Donald Davis and his team of researchers from the University of Texas (UT) at Austin’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry published in December 2004 in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. The study was based on U.S. Department of Agriculture nutritional data from both 1950 and 1999 for 43 different vegetables and fruits, finding “reliable declines” in the amount of protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, riboflavin (vitamin B2) and vitamin C over the past half century. Davis and his colleagues chalk up this declining nutritional content to the preponderance of agricultural practices designed to improve traits (size, growth rate, pest resistance) other than nutrition.(https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/soil-depletion-and-nutrition-loss/)

From Soil Health and Nutrient Density: Beyond Organic vs. Conventional Farming by David R. Montgomery and Anne Biklé: “More recent studies have shown how reliance on tillage and synthetic nitrogen fertilizers influence soil life, and thereby soil health, in ways that can reduce mineral micronutrient uptake by and phytochemical production in crops. While organic farming tends to enhance soil health and conventional practices degrade it, relying on tillage for weed control on both organic and conventional farms degrades soil organic matter and can disrupt soil life in ways that reduce crop mineral uptake and phytochemical production. Conversely, microbial inoculants and compost and mulch that build soil organic matter can increase crop micronutrient and phytochemical content on both conventional and organic farms. “(https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2021.699147/full)

According to this study, not only is it the genetics of the vegetable, the organic matter and nutrient profile of the soil, but also the amount of disturbance done to the soil which can impact the uptake of nutrients by the vegetable. This is why building soil and biology while minimizing disruption is so important to our practice, we want to add organic matter and stimulate the microbial life because that is what really feeds the plants. I have always likened crops fed primarily individual chemical fertilizers to people who eat junk food but take a bunch of vitamins and think they are healthy. Just like our body and the flora in our gut, it is the microbial life in the soil that eats, breaks down, lives and dies to make available the chemicals and nutrients in the soil. Fungi often have symbiotic relationships with plant roots, helping the plant to digest certain nutrients and likely getting some carbohydrates from the plant in return.

Without a good population of diverse microbiology, you could add all the organic matter you want and it would just pile up. We can see it in the gardens, new plots take much longer for plant debris to break down while our older plots with a lively population of soil life quickly eat up any grass clippings or pulled weeds even the compost.

From Noble Research Institute: “Nutrient availability is also positively impacted by microbial activity. Soil fungi plays a large role. Soil fungi form long strands called hyphae. These hyphae extend through the soil between soil aggregates, particles and rocks. Mycorrhizal fungi form mutualistic relationships with plants. Mycorrhizal fungi utilize carbon from plant roots. In exchange, the fungi helps solubilize phosphorus and other nutrients, making them available for plant use. This process essentially extends the reach of plant roots, increasing their ability to tap nutrients. Some soil bacteria form symbiotic relationships with plants to increase nutrient availability. Rhizobium bacteria infect the root hairs of specific legume species. In exchange for carbon, this bacteria fixes atmospheric nitrogen. This nitrogen is available for the plant itself to use. However, once the plant dies, the excess nitrogen is released and available for subsequent plant use.” (https://www.noble.org/news/publications/ag-news-and-views/2019/march/5-reasons-why-soil-biology-matters-on-the-farm/)

We use Laurel Valley Soils premium compost. Not a sponsor, we just truly attribute our improving soil quality to this great product and our minimal tillage practices. These are the benefits Laurel Valley Soils say compost brings to your soil: “Applying compost is the best way to build fertile, productive, and healthy soil. The fertility supplied by compost is released slowly, lasting for at least an entire growing season if not several years, providing safe and sustainable organic nutrients. The abundant microorganisms in compost act to enhance the soil’s immune system, helping to fight off and prevent soil diseases. The physical characteristics of the organic matter help build strong soil structure, creating well aggregated and porous, yet sponge-like soil matrix that is more resistant to compaction. This matrix provides for the right balance of moisture and oxygen in the root zone which promotes healthy deep rooting plants. It also improves the moisture holding capacity of light sandy soils while improving infiltration and permeability in heavier clay based soils. Compost also improves the cation exchange capacity (CEC) and can help adjust soil pH.” (https://laurelvalleysoils.com/our-products/all-products/premium-compost/)

According to World Wildlife Fund: “Half of the topsoil on the planet has been lost in the last 150 years. In addition to erosion, soil quality is affected by other aspects of agriculture. These impacts include compaction, loss of soil structure, nutrient degradation, and soil salinity. These are very real and at times severe issues.” (https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/soil-erosion-and-degradation)

The best way to build soil is through organic matter, which is to say the life and death of plants and microbiota. Through intensive growing we are able to keep most of our gardens covered with a plant canopy by planting our vegetables as close as we can to ensure optimal plant growth. Not only does this give us a good yield in a small area, we are protecting the soil from the sun and wind and heavy rains all the while the plants shed what are called exudates which the microbiology really enjoy. So by having plants, you are really feeding future plants. Another thing we try to do is leave some roots in the soil as we switch from crop to crop as this feeds the microbes, provides channels for oxygen and water, and adds organic matter below the soil.

Now that we are winding down, we will be cleaning up the beds of plant material above the soil, adding a generous layer of compost, and covering them with a tarp for the winter. Ideally we will have a majority of the farm prepped this way to have warm, dry, and composted beds ready to go in early spring. We are grateful to be stewards of the land, and hope you all enjoy the terroir found in our produce.

Full Circle CSA

Building Soil Builds Flavor