Reducing soil disturbance is the second rule of the Six Principles of Soil Health™.  Tillage and other deep disturbances destroy the structure of the soil, plant roots, the mycorrhizae fungi and ultimately the overall soil biome.  Tillage also allows organic matter to be oxidized, all of which adds up to a decline in soil resiliency.  […]

Understanding Ag is dedicated to teaching and helping its clients understand and successfully apply the Six Principles of Soil Health™ Based on my experience, the most important of those is the principle of  “context.”  This is the how, why and for what reason a farm/ranch does what it does.  Context is also a way of […]

Those of us who grow and raise food and fiber refer to ourselves as farmers, ranchers or producers.  What makes us what we are?  Is it land, livestock, machinery, our skill set? All of these are part of agriculture. What about the products that we produce?  Do we have a good reason for what we […]

The severe dust storm that occurred on May 1, 2023, along Interstate 55 in Central Illinois should be a wakeup call for all farmers. Tragically, seven people lost their lives, dozens were injured and more than 100 vehicles were damaged.  Many people believe this dust storm was a natural occurrence, but it was not. It […]

An egg produced by a laying hen raised on pasture is a self-contained nutrient powerhouse.  It is hard for any single food to match the nutrient density in a pasture-raised egg.   We all know that egg whites are loaded with protein and essential amino acids, but are you aware of the incredible nutritional value of […]

To understand regenerative agriculture, you must have a working definition.  Regenerative Agriculture is defined as: Farming and ranching in synchrony with nature and the four ecosystem processes to repair, rebuild, restore and revitalize ecosystem function, starting with life beneath the soil and expanding to life above.   This is most effectively accomplished by farmers and ranchers […]

We all know that healthy foods, consumed routinely over our lifetime, bodes well for a lifetime of health.  We read a lot about crude protein, fats, carbohydrates and sugars.  However, what is often left out in the healthy food discussion is the critical topic of phytonutrients.  Healthy, nutritious foods should be comprised of more than […]

A clean, reliable source of drinking water is not only something a society needs to survive, but also something farmers and ranchers bear great responsibility to maintain. Agricultural producers have a greater impact on water quality than people in any other industry. Agriculture consumes and interacts with more total water than any industry, both in […]

Manure slurry is a valuable but difficult resource to manage on dairy farms.  Slurry pits must be emptied to make room for the never-ending stream of manure.  Manure is often not a top priority for most dairies and handling may have to wait until seasonal fieldwork is completed.  That leaves farmers with a fall and […]