It is common to see regenerative farming advocates claim that healthy soils produce nutrient-dense crops. Montgomery and his team in the US put the claim to test and found supportive results! The soils under regenerative farming were indeed healthier than conventional ones. And these soils produce crops with distinct nutritional profiles, where regenerative crops (cabbage, soy and some other staple crops) are generally higher in certain vitamins and phytochemicals beneficial to our health like carotenoids!
So, it is no longer just a claim that healthy soils grow more nutritious crops, but a fact with evidence. The positive relationship between soil health, plant health and human health that has long been ignored needs to be taken seriously. If we had more lands farmed regeneratively and more access to nutritiously grown food, we wouldn’t need supplements.
Dense and mixed cropping is one of the practices to help enhance soil health. These rows at Hong Miu contain broccoli, celery, choi sum, and spring onions!
Application of good compost is the foundation of regenerating soil health. Making your own compost like farmer Eva does ensures the conditions and feeds are well managed to achieve a desirable product that suits the crops’ needs!
Reference:
Montgomery D.R., Biklé A., Archuleta R., Brown P., Jordan J. (2022) Soil health and nutrient density: preliminary comparison of regenerative and conventional farming. PeerJ 10:e12848. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12848.