ents , minerals , and water and other key environmental information . The mycelium network informs plants about upcoming stressors , and assists them in up taking certain nutrients at key points of their growth with symbiotic root enzyme relationships . Without a well established fungal network in the soil , it is impossible for plants to fend off pests and disease .
Unfortunately , herbicides and heavy tillage disrupt the mycelial web by physically pulverizing ( or poisoning ) the top few inches of soil . This exposes sunlight and air to layers of the soil that are meant to stay dark and moist . Imagine being a worm or mushroom : all of a sudden your home is flipped upside down and shredded by massive rotating metal blades . When soil is tilled , it settles back down and compacts after a rainfall , over time creating very limited breathability in the soil . This can lead to challenging water management and a deficient diversity of microbes often leading to increased pressure from disease .
Fortunately , the State of Maryland encourages and promotes no-till farming and offers a tax incentive to help farmers purchase certain types of conservation tillage equipment .
We can all do something
Composting is an easy , empowering step towards soil health and long resilient food systems that anyone , and everyone , can take into their daily life . The basic idea is to collect your kitchen scraps from fruits , vegetables and coffee grounds and mix them with carbon sources like leaves or wood chips . You then
Making compost helps keep food waste out of landfills
Access to high quality compost , especially in current times of high shipping costs , is a common obstacle keeping small farms from adopting regenerative soil management practices . The amount of food waste generated by local restaurants and homeowners is enough to produce all the compost the region needs . One local compost business , Key City Compost in Frederick , Maryland , is taking this issue on full steam , expanding their services to many folks interested in composting who don ’ t have the time , space , or knowledge to do it themselves . Oftentimes , smell , HOA limitations , or rodent concerns turn people away from composting at home . With a large facility , trucks , and a passionate team , Key City Compost has been able to provide both commercial and residential food waste collection to a growing number of people in the DMV area .
Key City ’ s mission is to divert large amounts of waste from landfills , and ultimately strengthen the local food system with high quality soil products . The vision started in 2016 — when the state of solid waste in Frederick was under review — as a response to the lack of local compost infrastructure . They have grown from picking up a few buckets of food scraps from friends and family , to now tons of waste per day being turned into rich soil that soon will be available to a large network of farmers and gardeners seeking high quality , tested compost .
Sitting on a large mountain of beautiful , well aged , screened soil , Key City plans to begin offering this high quality soil booster to a wide audience this spring . If you ’ ve been looking for a great local source of trusted compost , and other soil related educational resources , keep an eye on their website for info on this season ’ s craft compost and soil product , and workshop offerings . keycompost . com plenty I spring sowing 2023 25