Cambria Snyder

“To be a successful farmer one must first know the nature of the soil.” — Xenophon, Oeconomicus, 400 B.C.

Planting sweet corn in the crimped-down rye on 6/19

Soil health is “the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans.” (USDA-NRCS) I believe what inspires me the most to want to contribute to soil health is creating a sustainable future for agriculture and the agricultural lands we harvest from. I am inspired to contribute through the use of no-till farming practices and maximizing soil coverage. No-till farming is instrumental in soil health by providing protection to the soil from crusting, erosion, high temperatures, and moisture loss. This is also great because soil structure remains intact and can improve each year. Good soil structure has adequate pores between aggregates which allows the exchange of gasses and water to permeate while still allowing moisture to be maintained for healthy plant growth. Soil coverage is important to soil health because the sun is killing microorganisms in the exposed soil. Microbes are so beneficial in the way they improve soil fertility and strengthen nutrient absorption. They aid in the decomposing of plant residues while also increasing organic matter. It’s so important to conserve and appreciate our soil because it's a scarce resource. Soil is one of our most precious non-renewable natural resources. Sadly, soil is one of the most neglected natural resources of all. 

A few local farmers preparing the row crop planter before planting. 

I was lucky enough to be able to attend a no-till workshop put on by my mentor Willie Lantz at his family farm. Local farmers were able to come out and watch a demonstration of the no-till row crop planter at work. Willie and his son Levi were able to walk us through and educate us on the steps of the process. The Lantz’s demonstrated sweet corn being planted in a crop of rye that was crimped down. This was a very neat experience for me. Prior to the workshop, I had never seen any farming being done so it was very eye-opening to see all the benefits that come along with that. Fortunately, Garrett Growers co-op was able to receive a small-scale no-till row crop planter through a healthy soils competitive fund for small vegetable producers to use free of charge. So far a few farmers in our community have taken action in implementing no-till practices. Hopefully, our local farmers having access to a no-till planter will significantly increase the amount of people willing to adopt these practices.