Are we there yet? Have we arrived at the intended destination? Have we reached the goal we set out for improving soil health and how soil functions? Have our good intentions of attempting to loosen the soil resulted in negative unintended consequences?

In part one of our conversation with Dale Stricker of Regenerative Wisdoms, Dale stated that tillage and soil disturbance make farmers very susceptible to drought. However, in relying on deep tillage and subsoiling to remove a mechanical barrier (i.e., a compacted layer or hardpan), farmers may exacerbate the problem, and tillage can result in unintended and unforeseen consequences in decreased root growth, increased compaction, and limited soil porosity. Dale shares how roadbuilding is very analogous to the procedures that farmers follow in subsoiling and the multiple tillage passes often used to try to loosen the soil. Dale encourages farmers and market gardeners to consider soil health as a bank account, where deposits outweigh withdrawals that encourage real wealth and health.

For more information about Dale's books on drought resilience, pasture management, restoring soil health, and the overall mission of Regenerative Wisdom, please visit https://www.regenerativewisdom.com/

To access two years of the 4 The Soil: A Conversation podcast archives and additional resources on soil health-building principles, please visit https://www.4thesoil.org/. To learn about the Virginia Soil Health Coalition, visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. We would love to hear your stories and the ways you are following the four core soil health principles.

4 the Soil: A Conversation is made possible with funding support from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and The Agua Fund. Other partners include the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Virginia Cooperative Extension; Virginia State University; Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation; and partners of the Virginia Soil Health Coalition.

Disclaimer: Views expressed on this podcast are those of each individual guest.

To download a copy of this, or any other show, visit the website 4thesoil.org. Music used during today’s program is courtesy of the Flip Charts. All rights reserved. 4 the Soil: A Conversation is produced by On the Farm Radio in collaboration with Virginia Tech. The host and co-hosts are Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt.