Living Soil Network at the 2023 Common Ground Fair!
The Living Soil Network participated in MOFGA’s Common Ground Fair in Unity Maine last fall. We ran a booth in the Agricultural Demonstration area, where we conducted over 90 free biological soil assessments over thee days. Fair attendees brought in soil samples from their gardens, farms, back yards and compost piles.
We assessed the number microbes present in each soil sample provided. We focused upon four different microbes, which provide the foundation for a healthy soil ecosystem. If these key players are not present, or are not in the correct ratios to one another, a dynamic and diverse ecosystem will not develop anytime in the near future. We explained the test results to everyone who was able to return to pick up their results. We also answered questions and gave advice on how to improve their soil.
Spero Latchis, our certified soil health consultant through Dr. Elaine Ingham’s Soil Food Web School, gave two talks called, Ecological Gardening ~ Relaxing Into the Natural World. These well attended talks focused on how the gardener’s or farmer’s actions change after having a clear understanding of what it means to align themselves with the power of microbes. He explained how we’’ve all been taught to garden and farm according to a chemical model. Even our organic practices are all based in this chemical model. Scientists are now discovering that biology drives chemistry, and that biological growing practices are far superior in terms of their benefits to plants, humans animals and planet earth!