By Joshua H. Phillips TWO DOT, Montana – #Climateclass wrapped up the final week with a tour of Two Dot Land and Livestock Company. After Sam asked where all the cow crap was, Ranch Manager Kathleen McConkey explained to us how the lack of cow crap was a sign of healthy soil. At the mention of soils, Tony’s head perked up and everyone else began begging for mercy. Although none of us wanted to discuss soils for another hour in 90 degree heat, soil is nonetheless incredibly important.
As David Oien of Timeless Seeds explained to us earlier, there had been years and years of “soil abuse” throughout the era of industrial farming, reducing soil organic matter from 7% to a staggering 1% or less. An increase of only 10% in soil carbon worldwide would offset approximately the last 30 years of human-related greenhouse gases (source). The MCA was a little undecided in terms of what would happen to the soil, so it is up to the farmers and ranchers today and tomorrow (pg. 157, 171). Popular methods today will not be effective enough, so it is a matter of convincing farmers and ranchers today, as well as the next generation of farmers and ranchers, to change their methods. For example, David Oien’s Timeless Seeds buys lentils, a cover crop, from farmers, increasing carbon sequestration when the farmers when they are not growing a cash crop. Sandy Arrow Ranch does not till the land, leaving soil carbon virtually untouched. Two Dot Land and Livestock uses specialized grazing methods to increase vegetable litter, which increases soil carbon. With an overhaul in soil management, maybe we can begin to undo the legacy of industrial farming, and maybe, with a bit of luck, save the world.
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