Soil Health

USDA-NRCS is rolling out a new soil health campaign according to No-Till Farmer.  NRCS has been preaching soil health for 20 years.  I am looking forward to see if there is anything new.  Healthy soil is definitely important.  Practices that keep soil healthy also lead to higher yields. It is all about a healthy root zone.  There is a myth that healthy soil means organic farming.  Organic farming is not necessary.  Another idea is that no-till is needed to keep soil healthy.  I have seen healthy soils maintained using a number of techniques.  Some of them are simple.

• Soil needs to provide good habitat for microbes and macro-invertibrates.
• Healthy soils need to have the proper balance of nutrients to be healthy for plants, microbes, worms, insects, and a long list of other biota.  
• Healthy soils cannot be tilled when they are too wet.    
• Healthey soils are only tilled when necessary.
• Healthy soils have adequate drainage.
• Organic matter stability is an indicaor of healthy soils.
• Soil erosion is under control on healthy soils
• Crop rotations and cover crops can help maintain healthy soils.