through the gut of a microbe

All true soil has been through the gut of a microbe. This statement was made by Bob Schaffer, the soil scientist that works with Green String, during our first soil science lesson with him. We meet every Thursday afternoon to discuss what soil is, how healthy soil is created, and what lifeforms, dead things, and organic matter make up the humus and dirt below our feet. It's incredibly fascinating to learn about the soil in its entirety, and almost completely separate from the plant context. We don't really talk about the plant, only that healthy soil creates healthy plants. Instead of thinking about feeding plants, you can think about feeding the soil.

It begins to hold a lot more weight when you realize how much junk we inadvertently (or purposefully) 'feed' to the soil degrades, harms, and contaminates the very space we grow our food that nourishes our bodies. Things like pesticides, herbicides, the waste stream...countless chemicals we dump down our drains or litter on the ground. There's just no way poison can be good for the soil, which is full of life, or that poisoned soil can support healthy and strong plants (and animals) that feed us.

The microorganisms that live in and on top of the dirt are constantly in action - and they work in concert with each other. It's now impossible for me to think of dirt or earth as just dead material - it's teeming with crawling things as well as organisms that can only be seen with a microscope. They help create rich soil through eating and breaking down organic materials and decomposing matter. The environment in the soil is what matters, and what you feed it in turn will feed microbes that feed the roots of plants that you eat. The only way to really understand this connection is to just touch it - go look at the soil and really get up-close and personal. It's been an incredibly visceral experience learning about the soil while working here and actually help turn a compost pile and fill flats to plant seeds or seedlings. I'm able to see, smell, touch, and feel how healthy and rich soil really feels - and hopefully see healthy plants grow from it in the coming weeks.

Something about soil science that mystifies me is humus - and what it really is. Humus as I have understood throughout my life was just another layer in the dirt - it was a richer and more clay-like substance in soil. I didn't really know much about it, or how to actually describe it to someone. We had a discussion about it and I learned that it doesn't actually exist on its own - it is merged with clay and minerals like calcium and carbon that is stable. It has enzymes and hormones and amino acids; it has an incredibly high surface area. It's through decomposition that humus is formed, and aggregation in the soil is a characteristic of humus. When you take good soil in your hands and shake it lightly, what should stay in your hands and not fall out right away are small, tightly compacted balls that are aggregates of the soil and humus is a part of that. It's still hard for me to wrap my head around because once you break those little aggregates apart, it's no longer humus. It's an enigma. What it boils down to is that you know that good humus in your soil will make you healthy, and this hopefully will inspire you to do the right things to soil. Good soil is derived from life in the soil, and humus can be thought of as alive.

I think what has been the most interesting to me is how through this knowledge farmers can actually improve their soil quality an in turn their crop quality and success rates, and therefore increase profits for their farms. Bob Schaffer helps commercial growers understand what their crop management (ex. spraying pesticides and chemicals, and growing only mono-crops) does to the land, and explain reasons for compacted soil, plant deaths, and infertile earth. It's really a powerful thing and helps educate farmers on the benefits of natural process farming and organic agriculture. The best way to feed people is to feed the soil and allow that to feed the plant.

I'm still learning the basics of supporting healthy soil, but I've become a bit obsessed with maintaining the compost tea brewer that we have outside the intern house. I might have mentioned it previously, it's this aerobic digester of sorts for food scraps (or what would go to compost) that are easily dissolved in water and it "brews" a liquid called compost tea. The tea can be applied to plants and seed beds in order to give them the most nutrient-dense form of compost possible. It allows for food waste to become aerated and extracts the microbes as well as nutrients from the food so they are able to be readily absorbed by soil. It's pretty neat - and I've been trying to give the compost tea brewer a full-spectrum diet - random leftover soup, the last dregs of milk, forgotten beer, and old jelly and beet juice have been the main ingredients. People use the tea every day on the plants and seedlings in the greenhouses on the farm as well as plant starts that we sell in the farm store.

It's been incredible to be learning so much about soil, since my education thus far has taught me to value it - but not necessarily understand it.

I've been struggling with my ability to link this knowledge into my skills in actually seeding, planting and growing plants to eventually harvest food from. I feel like I am far from confident in my gardening abilities, as many of my peers in the program have some extensive experience gardening or working in agriculture. It takes a lot of patience and organization, and careful and well thought-out planning to successfully plant and grow vegetables or herbs. Today I was transplanting baby basil plants to a new flat and their roots were so little and delicate. I felt inept and clumsy when I first started, but I was told to take time to really focus on what I was doing and be mindful in my work. I appreciate and respect all of the careful and diligent gardeners that are out there, it's not easy and it takes work to care for plants and help them grow.

That being said, there are also some wonderful plants that grow wildly and are easily harvested and eaten freshly picked- like miner's lettuce. I'll post a picture of these dainty and tender leafy greens next time - I'm in love.

It's already been four weeks and that means I am choosing an internship project this week that I'll be working on for the next two months. I want to do something tangible that can be seen on the farm or sold at the farm store, that will leave behind some kind of legacy from my time here. Ideas I've thought of so far involve making soap, candles, or loose tea to be sold in the store. I also will be blogging for the Green String farm in addition to my own blog- and hope to build more community awareness to our internship program and the young farmer movement here in Northern CA. Another idea was to work with someone else and help write a book on natural process farming through the teachings of Bob Cannard. So many things!

As for now, it's time for bed. But one quick update - I'm making a decision on graduate school in the next couple weeks. I visited UC Davis this weekend and it was a great 13-hour epic day. I loved the campus and the work they are doing on sustainable agriculture. I need to figure out some financial things, but I'm seriously considering accepting for the Fall. The other two schools I'm deciding between are American University in DC and University of Washington in Seattle. I also got into Rutgers Camden and the Institute of Int'l Studies in Monterey - and haven't exactly thrown them away. But, I think Davis has more of a pull for me than Monterey, in respect to living in the state of CA. It's a lot to think about. I know I'll make the right decision though, and it's exciting. I'll update as I can!

Hope everyone is doing wonderful and I miss you dear reader, whoever you may be :) Lots of love!