Transcript:
For Will Brownback, owner of Spiral Path Farm in Pennsylvania, growing healthy food starts with growing healthy soil.
On his 300-acre organic farm, he adds compost to his fields. And he grows cover crops that he later tills into the soil, where they add nutrients as they decompose.
All this organic material helps create rich, loose soil, which benefits his farm in multiple ways.
It can soak up more water, so it can reduce flooding and erosion during heavy storms, which are growing more common as the climate warms.
Brownback: “Soil with a small amount of organic matter may only be like your kitchen sponge, whereas a soil with more organic matter … might be like a sponge you use to wash your car.”
And the soil does not dry out as fast during dry spells, which are also growing more common in Pennsylvania.
What’s more, nutrient-rich soil can help plants grow stronger and increase yields. And research shows it can even enhance the flavor and texture of crops.
Brownback: “That’s what makes a tomato go from, ‘Eh, it’s a tomato,’ to ‘Wow, now that’s a tomato.’”
So by building healthier soil, he can adapt to changing growing conditions and produce delicious, abundant harvests.
Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media / Thanks to PASA Sustainable Agriculture for logistical support.
