Soil Health
Dirt doctor Kate Tully says organic farming has a value for soil building
Kate Tully is an associate professor of agroecology in the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture at the University of Maryland. She ... more »
Researcher studies enhanced nutrition of organic potatoes while building healthy soils
Weed management, soil health and the nutritional quality of foods grown organically continue to be high priority research topics for organic producers... more »
Organic certifier, grower Dan Rossman dishes on soil fertility, weeds
Rossman’s organic farming on the family farm near Lakeview, Michigan, started when the corn price fell to $1.50 per bushel in 1999 and the farmers h... more »
Vermont Valley Farm finds a niche in supplying organic seed potatoes
Small, organic farms need organic seed potatoes, and a small, organic farm in Wisconsin has found its niche in supplying those farms. The Vermont Val... more »
Why organic growers respect the soil: Editor’s letter
Ask a good grower about their ground, and you’ll get a detailed response, and occasionally, a lengthy conversation. After three years of intervie... more »
Challenges of organic ag soils researched at Clemson
The organic industry is the fastest-growing agricultural segment in the United States, but low soil organic carbon, meager soil fertility and poor... more »
Alternatives to soil fumigants explored for strawberry growers
Strawberries, which generated $2.2 billion for California growers mainly on the coast in 2019, are sensitive to soilborne diseases. Strawberry plant r... more »
Study tackles sustainable ag mulch
Farmers often need to regulate soil temperature, reduce weeds and minimize water loss. Agricultural mulch can help farmers do so. But the plastic i... more »