The cost of the current conventional system to our soils and environment is extensive. The use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides cause lifeforms in the soil to die, resulting in compact soil that sheds water instead of absorbing it. This runoff takes with it precious soil and residual chemicals, washing them into our creeks and rivers. This is the cause of the flooded chocolate milk colored rivers we see every time we get a heavy rain. Imagine if the water would be absorbed into the soil instead of running off. It would slowly work it’s way to the rivers though the amazing filtration network naturally created by all the soil microbes. Instead of all rushing into the river at once, the water might take days or even weeks to reach it. The buffer would cause a steady flow of water into the river all year round, preventing floods and pollution.
Thankfully, farmers have recognized the issue of runoff and have begun to address it with different methods. Many farmers use minimal tillage and cover crops to prevent erosion, but use chemicals to prepare the fields for planting and synthetic fertilizers which are still damaging to the soil health. Other farmers, namely organic farmers, don’t use chemicals but still use heavy tillage to prepare the fields for planting.
Tilling is very destructive to the soil. Microbes work hard to make networks and communities in the soil that are destroyed every time we till. This destruction would be like having a tornado pass through our community. If it happened once, we would re-build it and live on. But what if it passed through every year, twice a year, or maybe even multiple times a year? Eventually you would have enough of it and move to a community that doesn’t get hit by tornadoes. The same goes with microbes; if we are tilling the ground constantly, the microbes have no incentive to stay. Even without chemicals, our soils are left lifeless.
