Healthy Soils

Soil is one of the Earth’s most complex living ecosystems rendering a multitude of valuable services to the farmer. It harbours an abundance of life in many forms and sizes, from earthworms visible to the naked eye to microscopic organisms ten times smaller than a pin of a needle.

Often referred to as the ‘soil food web’, this diverse range of organisms has mutually dependant relationships which Nature has fine-tuned to perfection. For example, their presence helps to build organic matter, reduce crop disease and improve soil structure.

Intensive farming disrupts the natural habitat of the community, diminishing its contribution to successful crop production. Reduced tillage methods, on the other hand, allow the ecosystem to thrive and continue with its great work. Armed with the understanding of the processes that take place below ground level, farmers can start working with Nature and not against it – enjoying better soils and healthier crops as a result.