- Publisher |
- No-Till
- Media Type |
- audio
- Related Hashtags |
- #NoTillMarketGardenPodcast
- Frequency |
- Weekly
- Explicit |
- No
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Christine Sprunger is a soil scientist and head of the Soil Health and Ecosystem Ecology Lab at Michigan State University. With a deep-rooted passion for soil science, Christine's research doesn't shy away from the complexity of soil health and what it means for both the researcher and the farmer. Soil health is a laborious concept that requires a deep understanding of the ecosystem's overall functioning. To accurately assess soil health, it's crucial to identify relevant indicators that connect ecological processes with the practical management decisions farmers make.
Some of Christine's research has revolved around nematodes. Nematodes, as microscopic worm-like organisms, play a critical role in soil ecosystems by feeding on bacteria, fungi, plant roots, and each other! These diverse feeding groups can serve as vital soil health indicators, allowing researchers and farmers to measure the ecological functioning and productivity of their agroecosystems. In addition to nematodes, she has researched the perenniality of roots, especially deep-rooted perennial legumes, and how they can be a crucial component of soil health as they contribute significantly to not only soil carbon sequestration processes, but also nitrogen storage capacity.
Ultimately, soil health should be measured from various angles, prioritizing individual management goals and local contexts. Christine highlights the necessity of choosing suitable soil health indicators to link the scientific understanding of ecological function and practical farming approaches. She emphasizes that effective communication between researchers and farmers plays a vital role in selecting appropriate soil health indicators. By continuously collaborating and integrating farmers' concerns, researchers can ensure that these indicators address the desired outcomes and cater to farmers' specific needs.
Mentioned in this episode…
- Reach out to Christine Sprunger's lab at Michigan State University if you are a farmer interested in collaborating on upcoming projects and receiving a free soil health assessment!
- Learn more about nematodes, their role in soil health, and how to identify them through research and resources provided by the Soil Health and Ecosystem Ecology Lab at Michigan State University.
- Consider signing up for Real Organic Project Certification to differentiate your farm from mass-marketed corporate organic practices. Visit realorganicproject.org/notill to apply.
- Browse Johnny's Selected Seeds online for a variety of seeds, tools, and free educational resources. Visit Johnnyseeds.com to explore their offerings.
- Check out Rimol Greenhouses for your next quality greenhouse or high-tunnel. There are several style and options to choose from, check out rimolgreenhouses.com
- There’s no substitute for a high-quality seed starting mix. Get Sprout—a living-soil, compost-based, seed-starting soil mix—for you farm or garden at tilthsoil.com
- Get tickets for the Rough Draft Farmstead No-Till Farm Tour for April 25th or May 9th!
"Long term implementation of regenerative practices is actually shifting the nematode community, contributing to greater overall ecosystem services like carbon accumulation and nitrogen retention... Understanding the linkages between nematode communities and various soil health indicators is crucial in realizing the actual soil health outcome and overall benefit to the farmer."
- Christine Sprunger
Folks who make the show possible...
As always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, check out the No-Till Growers YouTube channel where we're posting weekly videos, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat
Deeply inspired by her work in ecology, Dr. Francesca Cotrufo defied the traditional view on litter decomposition and soil organic matter dynamics. An internationally recognized ecologist, she has made great strides in understanding soil organic matter and its underlying processes. With a diverse research background spanning forests, grasslands, the Arctic, and the Tropics, her work has led to pioneering discoveries in regenerative soil health practices. Francesca's groundbreaking contribution to the field is the Microbial Efficiency Matrix Stabilization (MEMS) framework, which has transformed how scientists view soil formation and carbon sequestration.
Mentioned in this episode...
- Dr. Francesca Cotrufo's MEMS (Microbial Efficiency Matrix Stabilization) framework and its impact on understanding soil formation and carbon sequestration.
- The two-pathway model of soil formation proposed by Cotrufo to better understand the role of labile compounds and microbial efficiency in soil health.
- The differences between mineral-associated organic matter and particulate organic matter and their impacts on soil structure and water retention.
- The role of microbial efficiency in the transformation of plant material and its impact on soil health and nutrient recycling.
- Host Natalie Lounsbury's Priming for Production
- The Rough Draft Farmstead No-Till Field Day
“We need to think about not just what leads to more persistent carbon, but what makes the soil healthier, retain more water, maintain an active biology, so that we can have the recycling of the nutrients… We can only rebuild our richness by caring about soil… We have consumed our soil's organic matter capital; now we better start working to build it again.“
- Francesca Cotrufo
Folks who make the show possible...
RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels.
Certified Naturally Grown grassroots, peer-to-peer, holistic certification.
Farmers Friend for caterpillar tunnels, harvest equipment, tarps, & more! Get free shipping through ->> farmersfriend.com/notill
BCS America for two wheel tractors + implements.
... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, check out the No-Till Growers YouTube channel where we're posting weekly videos, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat
Despite the risk of pivoting their business, Lindsay Steele of Garden Fort in Dexter, Michigan (outside of Ann arbor), chose to switch from farmers markets to direct-to-retail sales and ended up reaping unexpected rewards - from more time with his family to increased profitability.
In this episode, Alex Ball of Old City Acres and Lindsay dig deep into successfully shifting from farmers markets to direct-to-retail sales, selecting profitable crops for year-round production, how clever packaging and branding set their products apart, scaling-up and effectively managing farm labor, and how all of those things contributed to a better work/family balance while farming.
Also mentioned in this episode...
- Follow Garden Fort on Instagram.
- They use Rimol Greenhouses Nor'Easter series for year-round greens production.
- Consider focusing more on high-profit-margin crops like salad greens for year-round production and potential wholesale opportunities.
- Evaluate your farm's workflow (i.e. wash/pack) and systems (i.e. tarping, reduced tillage) to increase efficiency for a better work/life balance.
- Consider the benefits of incentivising well-trained and returning farm workers and how that can contribute to the overall success of your farm.
The Rough Draft Farmstead No-Till Farm Tour!
Folks who make the show possible...
RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels.
Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends.
Orisha for wireless greenhouse+ automation, get 15% off with code "No Till Grower"
Real Organic Project for a whole farm certification program to distinguish crops grown in health soils.
... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat
We all know how important it is to start with a quality plant.
With a degree and experience in applied industrial ecology, Kurstin of Purple Springs Nursery discusses the transition from IPM to regenerative agriculture in the nursery space. Her work at Purple Springs allowed her to explore innovative ways to improve plant health and soil quality. Kurstin's dedication to sustainable practices and her understanding of the intricacies of soil health and plant nutrition make her a great guest on perinneal production. Check out their website where you can download their free guide to regenerative agriculture. Also, garlic? Yes, garlic.
In this episode...
- Explore Advancing Eco Agriculture's website and learn from John Kemp's core concepts for plant health.
- Read the book Science and Agriculture by Arden Anderson to understand the importance of soil health.
- Implement the Morgan Extraction Method soil test (developed by Dr. Kerry Reams) to analyze and improve soil conditions.
- Apply plant SAP analysis to determine the nutritional needs of plants at different growth stages.
- Adopt regenerative principles in managing tree nurseries, including using mulch, living mulch, and cover crops.
- Utilize tools and equipment that help manage regenerative practices in tree nurseries without causing soil compaction.
- Focus on increasing plant growth efficiency to improve inventory management in tree nurseries.
- Read Agriculture and Transition by Donald Schneissman and Albrecht on Calcium to further enhance understanding of soil health and plant growth.
Quotes:
"Weeds tell you a lot about the condition of your soil. It can be messy when you're transitioning, but you're really challenging the status quo."
—Kurstin Barta
"A healthy plant will resist pests and disease, so how can we make these plants healthier?"
—Kurstin Barta
"Redefining what beauty means: does beauty actually mean clean rows or does it mean that rejuvenating your soil and focusing on what plants are actually doing?"
—Kurstin Barta
Folks who make the show possible...
Certified Naturally Grown grassroots, peer-to-peer, holistic certification.
Johnny's Selected Seeds vegetable, flower, and cover crop seeds.
BCS America for two wheel tractors + implements.
RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels.
... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat
Hi everyone, it's Natalie again, and I am putting the ecologists back-to-back here on the podcast. This time with microbial ecologist Terry Bell of the Microbiome Manipulation Lab at the University of Toronto. He came highly recommended and did not disappoint. We talk about what is the soil microbiome, how can we manage or change it, whether soil microbial inoculants work, and why microbiome breeding is not analogous to plant breeding. If you one of those people who listen to podcasts to get to sleep I really don't think this one is going to work for you, because there is so much here to get the gears turning in your head! Enjoy.
Folks who make the show possible...
RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels.
Farmers Friend for caterpillar tunnels, harvest equipment, tarps, & more! Get free shipping through ->> farmersfriend.com/notill
Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends.
Real Organic Project for a whole farm certification program to distinguish crops grown in health soils.
... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat
Hey everyone, it's Alex Ball, and today we sit down with Bill and Kathy of Argus Farm Stop in Ann Arbor, Michigan. We dig deep into running a consignment-only grocery store, working with farmers in the community, and building food access.
Mentioned in the show...
The Retail Edge Consignment POS
Check out the Argus Farm Stop Website
Follow Argus Farm Stop on Instagram
Folks who make the show possible...
RIMOL Greenhousesquality greenhouses and high-tunnels.
Certified Naturally Grown grassroots, peer-to-peer, holistic certification.
BCS America for two wheel tractors + implements, on sale through the end of the year!
Orisha for wireless greenhouse+ automation, get 15% off with code "No Till Grower"
... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, check out our YouTube channel, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat
Hey fellow passengers, it's Mimi. My most sincere hope is that, by now, I'm growing on you, not unlike a fungus. You know what they say, falling in love is like eating mushrooms, ‘you never know if it's the real thing until it's too late.’
Today, my guest is Dr. Michael Beug. If you don't know who he is, you may be familiar with some of his proteges, including Paul Stamets, and many others who studied under Dr. Beug. He taught chemistry, mycology, and organic farming at Evergreen State Collage in Olympia, WA, for 32 years, now retired, but that hasn't slowed him down! He's had a very interesting career and I can't wait for you to hear some of those stories from his life.
Fungi are so critical to everything that we do in agriculture. They synthesize a truly limitless array of secondary metabolites and have played a role in the great phylogenetic tree of life since it crept out of the ocean. Dr. Beug is very passionate about the intersection between fungi, chemistry, agriculture, and the particular moment in which we all find ourselves in the modern age.
Mentioned in the show...
Take Podcast Host Natalie's Survey!
Ascomycete Fungi of North America
Folks who make the show possible...
Real Organic Project for a whole farm certification program to distinguish crops grown in health soils.
RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels.
Johnny's Selected Seeds vegetable, flower, and cover crop seeds.
Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends.
... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat
Hi everyone, it's Natalie. It's hard to believe this is my sixth episode for The No-Till Market Garden Podcast. It felt super intimidating to commit to finding and interviewing ten people, but it turns out to have been a lot of fun to talk with people I've admired from a distance and also some of my friends. For this episode, I talked with my friend and colleague, Sonja Birthisel. She is a weed ecologist and agroecologist by training, but her interests and expertise are wide and varied. We get into some of her research on the effects of tarping and solarizing on soil biology, important traits of weeds, seed predation, and her work in the community.
Mentioned in the show...
Take Podcast Host Natalie's Survey!
Bulletin #1075, Tarping in the Northeast: A Guide for Small Farms
Folks who make the show possible...
RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels.
Certified Naturally Grown grassroots, peer-to-peer, holistic certification.
Farmers Friend for caterpillar tunnels, harvest equipment, tarps, & more! Get free shipping through ->> farmersfriend.com/notill
BCS America for two wheel tractors + implements.
... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat
Hey everyone, it's Alex Ball, and on today’s episode of the podcast we talk to Liana Glass who, along with her partner Duncan, run City Beet Farm on leased yards and lots in urban Vancouver. These first generation farmers are actually the third owners of this farm! We dig deep on buying & valuing their farm business, partnering with local organizations & businesses, & mobile wash/pack solutions.
Mentioned in the show...
Take Podcast Host Natalie's Survey!
The Super Rad City Beet Farm Mobile Wash/Pack Trailer (PDF of the build process, costs, and tons of photos)
The City Beet Farm for Sale on Young Agrarians
Follow City Beet Farm on Instagram
Folks who make the show possible...
RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels.
Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends.
Orisha for wireless greenhouse+ automation, get 15% off with code "No Till Grower"
Real Organic Project for a whole farm certification program to distinguish crops grown in health soils.
... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat
Hey everyone, it's Alex Ball, and we're chatting today with Liana of City Beet Farm, on leased yards and lots in urban Vancouver, Canada. We dig deep into buying a pre-existing farm business, partnering with local organizations, and building a mobile wash/pack. We also chat with one of the previous owners of City Beet Farm, Maddy, about her time there, how she purchased, ran, and sold the farm business, and why.
Mentioned in the show...
Take the No-Till Growers Survey!
Follow City Beet Farm on Instagram
Young Agrarians City Beet Sale Post
Folks who make the show possible...
RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels.
Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends.
Orisha for wireless greenhouse+ automation, get 15% off with code "No Till Grower"
Real Organic Project for a whole farm certification program to distinguish crops grown in health soils.
... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat
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