Articles: Soil

worms in soil

Soil Is Alive: What Lives In Our Soil?

Ever wonder what worms and centipedes are doing as they crawl through your soil? They’re actually working to improve the soil’s health, which benefits the environment and all…

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vermicast bin

Vermicast Structures: Worm Real Estate

Farmers rely on earthworms to create vermicomposting systems to improve seed germination, enhanced seedling growth and increased plant productivity.

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tractor and dirt

The Importance of Planting Cover Crops

If you want to improve your soil, one of the most important things you can do is to plant cover crops. But they need to be selected with a purpose.

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Compost

A Guide to Great Compost From Eliot Coleman

Compost is the key to an abundant garden. Learn the basics of making compost from gardening expert Eliot Coleman, and enjoy the joy of growing your own food.

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soil in hands

Focusing on Soil Remediation with Fungi

Nature does what needs to be done if we let her. The fungi and the plants will sing this soil redemption song for us. As the fungi and the plants always have.

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sheep and goats

The Art of Grazing: What Is “Good” Silvopasture Grazing?

If you’re not familiar with silvopasture, you should be. The integrated system offers both the promise of land regeneration and economic livelihood.

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highland cattle

How Cattle Grazing Improves Soil Diversity: Saving Our Soil

In Our Wild Farming Life, Lynn Cassells and Sandra Baer recount their experiences as they create Lynbreck Croft—a regenerative Scottish farm rooted in local food and community. As…

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Designing A Food Forest: The Seven-Layer Forest Garden

Get ready to create your own seven-layer forest garden! Food forests, or edible forest gardens, are life-filled places that provide habitat for wildlife and food for humans…

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thistle against blue sky

How to Manage Invasive Thistle and Improve Your Soil

Invasive plants creeping into your yard is frustrating. Particularly for thistle, there’s a better approach than yanking it out at the root or worse spraying herbicide. Work…

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no-till beets

Drop the Beet: Growing No-Till Beets

Let’s drop the beet! Beets can be grown year-round and are a perfect, flavorful addition to meals. Get started on growing your own no-till beets with help…

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local rocks & soil

Rock & Grow: Adding Local Rocks & Soil To Your Garden

Looking for ways to naturally enrich your garden? The answer is all around you….literally. Add local rocks & soil to your garden to improve soil health and…

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soil fertility

A Guide to Soil Fertility and Crop Health

Want to see your crops thrive this upcoming growing season? The key is in soil fertility and health. Spend time maintaining your soil’s health to guarantee bigger and better…

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9 Simple Steps to Sheet Mulching: Turn Barren Soil into Black Gold

To turn a barren lot into a permaculture paradise, you’ve got to start from the ground up — and sheet mulching is an easy way to start.…

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testing soil

Testing Soil: Healthy Soil is Just A Test Away

Testing soil in your garden is the first step to a more bountiful harvest. It’s not as hard as you might imagine, either — simply take a small…

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soil health

5 Principles of Soil Health

Wondering how to make your soil (and plants) thrive? Use these principles of soil health to properly prepare your farm or garden to grow. The following excerpt…

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planting site

7 Factors to Consider When Choosing a Planting Site

With spring starting soon, now is the perfect time to start planning out your garden. For those new to gardening or homesteading, the location of your planting…

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cover cropping

Optimize Your Soil with Cover Cropping

Make use of these slow gardening months by preparing your soil for the year ahead! Cover cropping creates nutrient-rich soil for winter gardening AND provides an extra…

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salad

How to Grow a Year-Round Indoor Salad Garden

Does the cold weather have you dreaming about fresh greens and colorful salad? Grow and harvest sprouts indoors to make those dreams a reality! The following is…

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fallen leaves

How to Make Mulch With Fallen Leaves

The leaves are falling, which means it’s time to start raking and figuring out what to do with them. This year, try turning your fallen leaves into…

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building your own greenhouse

9 Things to Consider When Building Your Own Greenhouse

Daydreaming of extending your growing season and building your own greenhouse? After considering the following factors and making a few additional preparations, you’ll be all set to…

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Soil Remediation: Restore Your Soil With Woodchip

If you’re in need of some soil remediation, give woodchip a try! One of woodchip’s secret superpowers is its ability to restore soil. From bioremediation to erosion to…

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Mulching 101: Why Mulch Matters

Mulch is essential to soil health because it acts as a barrier against water loss and heat, reduces weeds, improves soil structure, and provides a habitat for…

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soil health

The Soil Of A Nation: How To Save Our Soil

“The soil is the great connector of lives, the source and destination of all.” —Wendell Berry, The Art of the Commonplace Humans, animals, and plants all rely…

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5 Uses for the Mighty Woodchip

Very often, the best things come in small packages, and the humble woodchip is no exception. We’re all familiar with the use of woodchips in mulch, and…

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Learning to Work With Nature: Finding Common Ground

When Sandra Baer and Lynn Cassells founded Lynbreck Croft in Scotland, they had no money, no plan, and no experience in farming. But they did have a…

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