AGRICULTURE
t ’ s an early spring morning at Soil Born Farms in Rancho Cordova . Shawn Harrison , the farm ’ s founder and co-director , points out a cobalt blue western bluebird and talks about a study that found the majority of the birds ’ diet consists of insects that are agricultural pests . Their presence and efforts to attract the bluebirds are part of the story of regenerative agriculture unfolding on the farm . Regenerative farming practices integrate the entire ecosystem — building upon the relationships of the natural world — to simultaneously produce healthier , more abundant crops and restore the Earth ’ s natural resources .
The dialogue around regenerative agriculture has evolved over the last decade as agricultural methods that were once practiced by Indigenous communities around the world are reemerging . Practices such as minimizing soil disturbance , using cover crops , diversifying crops , planting habitat for wildlife and pollinators , adding organic matter to the soil , and integrating livestock into farming practices strengthen the health of the ecosystem . And restoring soil health and fertility produces more abundant , nutrient-dense crops that better resist pests and disease . It increases soil ’ s ability to filter and store water , reduce erosion and sequester carbon . And it builds a diversity and abundance of microbes that drive every function of soil . It ’ s a glaring contrast to intensive agricultural practices and the use of synthetic chemicals that have mismanaged land and degraded soil , natural habitat , biodiversity and the quality of food in the pursuit of producing the greatest
“ We ’ re creating better conditions for that plant to thrive , and then it ’ s gonna produce more heads of broccoli , more pounds of tomatoes per plant , and that ’ s more money in our pocket without adding anything additional in terms of an outside input that ’ s going to cost us money .”
SHAWN HARRISON Founder and co-director , Soil Born Farms
quantity of food at the least cost for the maximum profit . Agriculture consumes more than half of all habitable land on Earth . And according to a National Geographic story in 2018 about an assessment report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services , more than 75 percent of Earth ’ s land area — land designated for specific uses such as agriculture or construction — has been significantly degraded . According to National Geographic , the report predicts 95 percent of land use will be degraded by 2050 if our current agricultural practices continue . If that happened , the world could face unprecedented challenges in how and where to grow food for the global population .
While Harrison and his farm manager began learning about regenerative agriculture on their own , their formal education began with a course offered by Singing Frogs Farm in Sebastopol in Sonoma County , a leader in smallscale , intensive vegetable production with a management model built on regenerative practices . According to the farm ’ s website , it has quadrupled its soil organic matter while retaining nutrient density ; nearly tripled the microbial life in the soil ; increased bird , native bee and native perennial plants ; reduced water use ; and produced roughly $ 100,000 in vegetable sales per acre , demonstrating regenerative practices are not only possible but profitable .
Soil Born Farm ’ s shift toward a regenerative management plan is slow and one of continuous learning that strategically introduces new agricultural methods . “ This is a big evolution for us because it felt very piecemeal in the past ,” says Harrison . Those practices are folded into Soil Born Farm ’ s urban agriculture curriculum , which educated more than 20,000 people a year before the pandemic through adult classes , field trips to the farm , and school garden and Grow Your Groceries programs . As the farm reopens to the public — that ’ s expected late spring or early summer — those practices will have an even stronger presence in the farm ’ s curriculum .
Harrison says the conversation about regenerative agriculture is important for the urban environment because most people live in cities these days — more than 82 percent of the U . S . population , according to Statista — and many people are disconnected from how food is produced and where it comes from .
“ Whether they ’ re feeding themselves a tremendous amount of food or not is almost secondary to the idea of what it ’ s doing to them as far as educat-
50 comstocksmag . com | May 2021