Soil health is for everyone.

Do you grow food? Do you work with growers?

You’re in the right place.

Soil health management systems are key to conservation and growing healthy food.

We work with conservation partners and farmers across Indiana to form local Soil Health Working Groups that provide soil health education and address the needs of small-scale vegetable growers.

Our Urban Soil Health Specialists and working group members train local conservation staff, growers and the general public at field days, workshops, one-on-one meetings, and via site visits and technical assistance.

Mission: We educate and advocate to improve soil health on Indiana's urban and diversified small-scale farms and gardens.

Goals

ENHANCE local partnerships to form self-sustaining Working Groups across Indiana to address soil health in urban and small farm settings.

INCREASE the adoption of soil health management systems by urban and small-scale farmers and gardeners in production processes.

PROVIDE education to farmers and gardeners that operate diverse production systems. Co-learn from these growers’ expertise and practices.

 

What is a Soil Health Working Group?

Good work requires good partners.

Working Groups are partnerships between conservation agencies, farmers, gardeners, non-profits, environmental advocates, and more.

A local group is responsible to advise on issues and promote opportunities that relate to urban and small farm soil health. 

Groups provide site visits and technical assistance, host workshops, and establish educational initiatives.

 
 

  • Initial visit with producer / grower / landowner / land user to assess resources, and discuss resource concerns and soil health opportunities.

  • Follow up with producer / grower / landowner / land user after site visit to provide additional recommendations and options to address concerns and improve conservation practices.

  • Promote urban and small farm soil health topics. Events include field days, farm tours, demonstrations, grower roundtables, and more.

  • Develop and administer educational programs or materials related to urban and small farm soil health. Materials include soil health demonstration supplies, signage on soil health practices, fact sheets, video production, and more.

 
 

Soil health principles.

  • 1. Minimize disturbance.

    Disturb the soil as little as possible.

    Consider frequency and intensity. How often are soils disturbed, in what ways, and how aggressively?

    Disturbances include physical, chemical, and biological.

    Physical - tillage & compaction

    Chemical - fertilizer & pesticide application

    Biological - monocultures & over-grazing

  • 2. Maximize soil cover.

    Keep the soil covered as much as possible.

    Two main forms of soil cover include 1) living plant canopy and 2) mulch.

    Living plant canopy includes a growing crop (for harvest) or a cover crop.

    Mulches used are dead plant material (straw, hay, cover crop residue) or amendments (compost, decomposed leaf or bark mulch). Plastic and fabric “mulch” are also used.

  • 3. Maximize continuous living roots.

    Keep plants growing throughout the year.

    Plant roots feed soil life and build soil organic matter.

    Living roots can be maximized by reducing the time beds are bare between crops, diverse crop rotation, inclusion of cover crops, and/or by the addition of perennial plants.

    Diverse living roots increase the diversity of soil animals and microorganisms.

  • 4. Maximize biodiversity.

    Use diverse crops, crop rotation, and cover crops.

    Biodiversity can be increased in many ways including plant variety through diversified crop rotations, and cover crop mixes with multiple species.

    Feed diverse soil microbes and create habitat for and with native and beneficial plants and insects.

    All four soil health management principles contribute to biodiversity.