A love and curiosity for soil sparked a fifty-year career in soil and natural resources conservation. Mary Sketch Bryant and Eric Bendfeldt talk with Bill Patterson, retired district conservationist and present grazing specialist with Virginia USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, about his career and to hear his insights on soil health and grazing. Bill is affectionately called "Pops" and has served as a mentor for many farmers and soil conservationists. Bill was recently recognized at the Virginia Farm to Table Conference for his lifetime achievement with the 2023 Carl Luebben Soil Health and Water Quality Award.

In reflecting on his career that started in 1974, Bill states that we know more about soil health, but there is still a whole lot more to learn. The more we learn, the less we know. Therefore, it is important to ask good questions, be observant, remain flexible, stay curious, and love what you do.

To learn about careers and programs of the Virginia USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, please visit https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/conservation-by-state/virginia 

To access more than sixty episodes of the 4 The Soil: A Conversation podcast 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 follow the four core soil health principles and express your love for the soil.

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.