“By the end of the day, you will all be soil whisperers.”
These words, spoken by certified professional soil scientist Ray Archuleta to an engaged crowd of Benjamin Logan High School students and area residents Thursday afternoon, set off a heartfelt message about the importance of healthy soil in saving the land.
When Archuleta was in his 40s, about 15 years ago, he realized he was beginning to hate agriculture because he “saw no hope for our planet.” Then he learned about regenerative agriculture, and discovered it’s not only possible to heal the earth, but it could be done even faster than we can imagine.
“Regenerative agriculture is a journey of the heart and mind,” the featured speaker said. “It’s renewal. It’s mimicking life and nature.”
The key to healing the planet, according to Archuleta, comes down to healing the soil.
This process means less tillage and fertilizer and more cover crops to feed the land during the winter. It requires imitating the natural agricultural systems of prairies and forests.
With the help of several student volunteers, Archuleta showed attendees how regenerative agriculture works through scientific demonstrations, specifically by exposing how farms are starving to death because water isn’t infiltrating. Tillage wakes up bacteria, which eats the soil. The idea is to protect the organic “super glues” that hold the soil together.
“Our soil is naked, hungry and thirsty, and running a fever,” Archuleta continued. “Over 38 percent of all land is now bare. It’s a desert, and it’s moving East.”
Archuleta emphasized the fact that nature is collaborative. Yet, he said, we created a system where there aren’t enough plants to keep the earth cool. Fortunately, with regenerative agriculture, there’s hope.
Bob Stoll with Logan County Land Trust was responsible for bringing Archuleta to the area. While the soil expert was in Logan County, he spoke at three events Thursday — a conservation tillage breakfast at the Plaza Inn in Mt. Victory, the afternoon demonstration at BLHS, and an evening dinner presentation at the West Liberty-Salem High School cafetorium.
“Ray’s message … can bring tremendous benefits to the community,” Stoll said. “Healthier soil leads to healthier plants and animals, which in turn leads to healthier humans. The Land Trust is about protecting our farmland in perpetuity and educating landowners in how best to manage all forms of crop land, pasture and woodlands.”