Soil Health

ATTRA – Sustainable Agriculture Program
Soils & Compost Resources
A wealth of free publications and other resources, offering information on how to assess, improve, and maintain soil health for both croplands and pastures, as well as orchards and vineyards.
Incluye publicaciones en español.

Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF)
OFRF Free Soil Health Resources
Excellent free resources, not just for organic farmers! This series of soil health guidebooks (scroll down) is designed to support farmers and ranchers in selecting the best management practices for building soil life and soil health.
Los Fundamentos de la Salud del Suelo
En este curso entraremos en el mundo del suelo y explicaremos cómo puedes promover la salud del suelo como parte de un ecosistema saludable.
Beginning Farmer Training Program
Free training program for beginning and seasoned farmers alike. While it was developed for California specialty crop farmers, the content is based on foundational principles that are relevant to all growers across the U.S. The first learning module of the self-guided online training program is focused on soil health.
Reducing Risk Through Soil Management [PDF]
How good soil health reduces production costs and minimizes potential losses by enhancing crop resilience to drought, pests, and other stresses.

The Rodale Institute
The Rodale Institute is a leader in the organic movement through research, farmer training, and consumer education. Organic Farming Practices include a wide range of practices include prioritizing soil healthcover cropscrop rotations, compost, no-till practiceslivestock management, and rotational grazing.
Rodale Institute Educational Resources Access webinars, online resources, farm consulting and more.
2020 White Paper: Regenerative Agriculture and the Soil Carbon Solution Rodale Institute’s most recent white paper explores regenerative agriculture’s capacity to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in a practical and cost-effective way—all while addressing our planetary water crisis, extreme poverty and food insecurity, protecting and enhancing the environment, and revitalizing food.

Holistic Management International (HMI)
HMI Free downloadable resources
Includes Introduction to Holistic Management, Holistic Grazing Planning and Holistic Financial Planning.
En Español: Introducción al Manejo Holistica Manual y Planificación Financiera Holística – Planificación para el Éxito Financiero.

Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Soil Health
Web Soil Survey Provides soil data and information for over 95% of lands in the US. Produced by the National Cooperative Soil Survey and operated by NRCS, it is the largest natural resource information system in the world.
DIY Soil Quality Test Kit Includes a guide that describes procedures for 12 on-farm tests, an interpretive section for each test, data recording sheets, and a section on how to build your own kit. 

NM State University (NMSU)
Visit NMSU’s soil health page
Soil Biological Processes
Cropping Systems and Soil Management Research Group within New Mexico State University Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences
Sustainable Agriculture Science Center at Alcalde (SASC): Soil Regeneration and Health
Soil health may be the most important factor for farming success, especially in the arid Southwest. SASC offers practical guides, posters and powerpoint presentations, demonstrating that the solution for vibrant soil is growing the microbial community or microbiome.

Bernalillo County Extension Master Composters
Detailed and practical information on composting in the high desert. Free online, on-demand classes.

#NOREGRETS Initiative
Soil Health Primer
Soil is an evolving science, with new information frequently emerging. This primer takes you on a journey through the philosophy, relationships and ecosystem of soil.


Policy

How New Mexico Successfully Passed its Healthy Soil Act
Soil Health Lecture Series: In this free, on-demand webinar, Didi Pershouse interviews four of the many people involved in helping the State of New Mexico reach agreement on soil health legislation during April of 2019.

US State Soil Health Policy Map and Database
This crowd-sourced policy tracker is designed to support the growth of healthy soil and related policies by sharing frameworks and lessons learned.


Links

MANAGING WHOLES
A project of the Soil Carbon Coalition. Treasure trove of research and articles related to ecosystem processes, agriculture, forestry and paradigms: “This site is a library of articles and resources about managing toward what we need, as distinct from managing against symptoms or problems.”

Soil for Water
Soil for Water helps landowners try new management practices and measure improvements in soil health and the rainwater-holding capacity of their land. Coming soon to New Mexico!

Healthy Soils Australia
Soil primer and regenerative land management technologies from Down Under, applicable to our arid state.

Soil Health Academy
Learn how to increase profitability, build resiliency into the land, decrease input costs and improve nutrient density of food and agricultural products. No matter where you farm or what you grow, Soil Health Academy will teach you how to improve soil health through practical regenerative agricultural principles.

The Land and Leadership Initiative (LALI)
Online courses include teachings on the carbon sponge, consensus building and the soil food web, amongst other.


Podcasts

Planet to Plate
Meet farmers, ranchers, scientists, land managers, writers, and many others producing healthy food for humans, for the land and water from which it springs, for the lives and livelihoods of the producers, and for the planet. Produced by the Quivira Coalition with host Mary-Charlotte Domandi.

Six Sacred Stones of Regenerative Indigenous Agriculture
James and Joyce Skeet of Covenant Pathways present an overview connecting ancient Navajo agricultural traditions and beliefs to modern day farming. The Skeets run Spirit Farm, a demonstration farm near Gallup, New Mexico.

Taos Land Trust Podcast
The NM Healthy Soil Initiative–Regenerative Agriculture for a Better Future. Host Jim O’Donnell talks with Isabelle Jenniches of the NM Healthy Soils Initiative and rancher Tommy Casados of Tierra Amarilla, New Mexico.

Resiliency Through Agriculture
The official Intertribal Agriculture Council Podcast! Sit down with special guests and soak in the wisdom, rooted in traditional values, promoting Indian Country’s “Resiliency Through Agriculture”.

Investing in Regenerative Agriculture and Food
Host Koen van Seijen explores how investments can work to regenerate soil, people, local communities and ecosystems while making an appropriate and fair return.

Talking Smart Soil, Ear to the Ground
Land Stewardship Project’s Ear to the Ground podcast features interviews and presentations related to sustainable agriculture, rural development, local food and farming systems, agricultural policy and social justice. Browse this selection of short 15 minute podcasts related to soil health.

Fresh Growth
Produced by Western SARE Fresh Growth features farmers and ranchers from around the western United States who are finding innovative sustainable practices that enrich the natural resources we all care about.

Working Cows Podcast
Hosted by South Dakota pastor and rancher Clay Conry. Clay calls the podcast “Your weekly dose of out of the box thinking –Giving you something to think about as you seek to maximize the effectiveness of your operation and the joy your family receives from this lifestyle.” Special shout-out to Episode 133: Ariel Greenwood, Ethos of a Grass Nomad, featuring New Mexico grazier Ariel Greenwood.

Top Ten podcasts for Regenerative Farming –browse this selection by Regen Farming News.

More audio on our blog


Videos

NM Healthy Soil YouTube Channel
Recordings of our SOIL STORIES series and webinars. Short clips about our field days and profiles of New Mexico farmers and ranchers.

REGENERATE Conference
Watch recordings of this annual gathering in the Southwest, organized by the Quivira Coalition, Holistic Management International, and American Grassfed Association.

The Living Soil
It’s time we changed everything we thought we knew about soil. Let’s make this the century of living soil. Free to watch online, one hour documentary, produced by the Soil Health Institute.

Intertribal Food Summit 2020
Recordings of the virtual summit, featuring a tribal producer panel and policy roundtable among many other topics.

Regenerative Ag Webinar Series
Part of the excellent Our Regenerative Future project, coming out of New Zealand.

More videos on our blog


Magazines

Acres U.S.A.
Subscribe to Acres U.S.A. magazine. A comprehensive guide to sustainable agriculture: “Sustainable farming — we call it “eco-agriculture” because it’s both ecological and economical — represents the real revolution in food cultivation.”
ACRES USA Young Farmer Appreciation Tool Kit includes a free magazine and several talks, all together adding up to 4-5 hours of listening and reading about soil health.

On Pasture
On Pasture is a subscriber and sponsor supported weekly, online magazine for graziers. Each week they publish 5 to 7 articles, translating research and experience into practices farmers and ranchers can use right away.

SeedBroadcast Agri-Culture Journal
SeedBroadcast agri-Culture Journal is a bi-annual collection of poetry, inspired thoughts, essays, photographs, drawings, recipes, How-to’s and wisdom gathered together from a national call out to lovers of local food and seeds. Available for free to download and in print at various locations in Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

Green Fire Times News & Views from the Sustainable Southwest
Green Fire Times is an independent newspaper that has circulated throughout northern and central New Mexico for the last 10 years, written by the community for the community. Among the many topics and issues that Green Fire Times covers are local farming and regional food systems, water quality and availability, acequia systems, renewable energy, sustainable economic growth initiatives, educational equity, affordable housing and women and children’s health.
Download free print editions as PDF or pick one up at select locations.