A DECENT READ PART 2: Soil Health & Regenerative Agriculture

Welcome to the second week of A Decent Read! This week, we wanted to highlight some resources we’ve related to soil health. The Decency Foundation is dedicated to taking great care of the land we farm.  We believe DECENCY is rooted in the land from which we are nourished. Though farmers working in agriculture know about the importance of healthy soil, its importance is often understated. We are pleased to provide you with a handful of resources  connected to soil regeneration and the changes you can make in your life to protect this land that bears us fruit.

Growing a Revolution: Bringing Our Soil Back to Life by David R. Montgomery

Even though a third of the world’s agricultural land has been degraded, soil tends to be forgotten when it comes to discussing wider environmental problems. And, as David R. Montgomery points out, civilizations have fallen because they failed to care for the land. Growing a Revolution makes it clear that the time for conversation is now. “A growing movement of farmers around the world is starting to turn ancient patterns around, restoring health and life to their land.” Montgomery breaks down the importance of soil health and regenerative practices and actions that can be taken to make this shift, while weaving in the experiences he had on farms in both industrialized and developing countries. This book strikes a wonderful balance between presenting scientific facts and weaving together an optimistic narrative that is sure to inform and inspire you.

Click here to purchase a copy.

For the Love of Soil: Strategies to Regenerate Our Food Production Systems by Nicole Masters

For the Love of Soil also highlights the importance of regenerative agriculture practices, but this book is more of an instructional guide for farmers. Masters discusses various regenerative studies conducted by farmers, growers and ranchers and explains what the findings mean and how they can be applied to one’s own farm. A globally recognized soil advocate, Masters explains various regenerative methods that farmers can incorporate into their practices, regardless of the size of the farm. As a foundation dedicated to assisting small farms, this could be a great resource for us and other small farmers out there. One review states, “[Masters] modestly claims that the information in the book is not new thinking, but her resynthesis of the lessons she has learned and refined in collaboration with regenerative land-managers is new, and it is powerful."

Click here to purchase a copy.

Kiss The Ground Documentary & Podcast

Kiss The Ground highlights how imperative it is to protect soil; scientists speak about regenerative agriculture and climate change alongside celebrity activists like Woody Harrelson, Ian Somerhalder and Jason Mraz. Released in 2020, it couldn’t have come out at a better time. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many of the indecencies in the country’s industrial agriculture system to light. Countless people are calling for a shift in this system, and we’re excited to see people from many different backgrounds and careers come together to speak on the importance of soil health. In addition to the documentary, Kiss The Ground has several resources about regeneration, including an amazing podcast. Hosted by co-founder and executive director Ryland Engelhart, every episode features a different expert who speaks about the ways in which they’re working to heal the earth.

Check out the documentary on Netflix and listen to the podcast here.

Regenerative Agriculture Podcast

John Kempf is a prominent figure in regenerative agriculture and ecological restoration; he is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture, Crop Health Labs, Ozadia, and the Regenerative Agriculture Academy. On top of these projects, he hosts the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, in which he interviews a different farmer, scientist, or environmental activist for each episode. Kempf brings decades of farming experience and advice to every episode, and we think this podcast will be a great resource for farmers who want to learn more about regenerative practices they can implement on their own farm.

Listen to the podcast here.

Can Regenerative Agriculture Reverse Climate Change? | One Small Step by NowThisEarth

This video covers a lot of ground, from organic and regenerative agriculture to climate change, but the main point of this video is that healthy soil could reverse much of the damage done to our planet. NowThisEarth chats with Jeff Moyer, CEO of The Rodale Institute, about how we can save our soil, and how the soil could save our changing climate. J.I. Rodale, founder of the institute, pioneered the organic farming movement in the mid-20th century; his legacy continues as The Rodale Institute conducts research and educates people on the benefits of regenerative agriculture. Moyer states that we could sequester 100% of human-caused carbon emissions if we move away from an industrialized agriculture system to an organic, regenerative system.

To learn more, check out the video.

Soilworks Natural Capital

We’d also love to promote Soilworks Natural Capital and their newsletter, The Regeneration Weekly. They’re dedicated to accelerating the regenerative food movement and create a replicable, regenerative business model. If you sign up for the weekly newsletter, you’ll receive a great article covering topics in the agriculture realm, including meat & poultry, new policies, and of course, soil health and regenerative farming. The Decency Foundation has been working with Josh Kiman of Soilworks; we deeply appreciate their support, and want to show ours by promoting their mission!

To learn more, check out their website and weekly newsletter.

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What have you read, listened to, or watched anything related to soil health recently? What other environmental content have you consumed lately? Let us know on our Facebook and LinkedIn pages, and look forward to a new resource list next week!