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Determining the broad strokes of soil quality could all boil down to 
doing the math.
Did you know?, News

Soil adds up

The way soil properties combine can be used to 
mathematically determine soil quality

By
To most people the quality of a soil is the sum of its physical properties — is it healthy and full of microbes? Does water infiltrate it readily or run off? How much air and water can it provide plant roots? Is it hard for roots or equipment to penetrate? Robson Armindo, a professor at
A multi-species cover crop can mimic how soil was initially created, with a collection of root exudates from each individual species.
Crops

Cover cropping improves land and bank balance

Ontario farmer Blake Vince has harnessed the power of cover crops on his operation

By
Despite not having cattle on his operation, Blake Vince says he is still a livestock farmer. “Where my livestock are is below my feet and sadly we forget that. The soil is alive, it is a collection of living organisms,” Vince, a Canadian Nuffield Scholar and fifth-generation Ontario farmer, said during a presentation at the
Blake Vince, fifth-generation Ontario farmer, offers up a homegrown suggestion on how to test the microbial activity in your soil.
Crops

What does your underwear say about your soils?

The underwear test can be a visual indicator of the activity 
that is taking place in your soil

By
A lot, providing you bury it in a field, according to Ontario farmer Blake Vince, a cover crop and soil health advocate and Nuffield Scholar. Doing so will help you understand what’s happening beneath your feet, he says. “We understand things we can see,” Vince said at the recent Canadian Forage and Grasslands conference in
Research at the University of Alberta looks to identify how land use and grazing impact soil carbon levels.
Livestock

Study shows grassland environmental contributions

The University of Alberta in partnership with Alberta Environment and Parks has undertaken 
a number of studies looking at the impacts of land use and grazing on soil carbon levels

By
Grasslands punch above their weight when it comes to carbon sequestration. That’s the conclusion of a researcher who started his career on an Alberta-wide study of how land use affects that province’s carbon pool. Daniel Hewins, now an assistant professor at Rhode Island College in Providence, R.I., says grasslands can and do store an enormous
A healthy soil that’s high in carbon can make your farm a more efficient user of nutrients.
Crops

Carbon key to building resilience on farms

Building soil carbon supports soil biota 
and makes for a healthier farming system


By
Farmers often see themselves as feeding the world, but farmers attending the Organic Connections conference here recently were told the first step towards that goal is feeding the “starving and homeless” micro-organisms in their soil. “Your job is to feed them and maintain their habitat,” Kristine Nichols, the chief scientist with the Rodale Institute told
Editorial, Opinion

Editorial: Hedge your risks: go underground

By
The dust is settling in the wake of last week’s U.S. election but it will be a while yet before we understand what the results mean for Canadians, including farmers. It’s an understatement to say Donald Trump’s election win came as a surprise, quite possibly even to him. The fact that his opponent received more
The project may look simple from above ground, but underground many sensors and scales take complex soil measures.
Crops

Soil health sensor project largest in North America

By ,
A new $2-million soil health research project aims to figure out the impact of different cropping systems on the environment. Research will also be conducted on crop productivity relating to soil health. The result should be new knowledge on productivity of traditional cropping systems versus those with cover crops. The project, at the new Soil
Getting fall fertility just right requires attention to detail
Crops

Getting fall fertility just right requires attention to detail

Keep your fertilizer on your land and out of the spring run-off

By
As the crop comes off some farmers are already thinking about next spring — specifically about getting a jump on things by fertilizing this fall. There are lots of compelling reasons to follow this strategy. Fertilizer prices tend to be lower this time of year, and spreading the workload out lets them get the crop
Six limiting factors in your soil that will make or break your operation
Crops, Forages

Six limiting factors in your soil that will make or break your operation

Without these six key ingredients, your soil — and your farm — could be in trouble

By
Farms and grazing operations — organic or otherwise — are only as good as their worst resource, according to Oregon-based grazier Abe Collins. “Soil is our primary infrastructure on the farm,” said Collins, who spoke at the recent Organic Alberta conference. “Biologically, chemically, and physically, you need to be looking at the limiting factors in

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