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By Angela Baker,
District Coordinator Dillon SWCD
It was the buzz all around the state—Ray Archuleta is going to be in Dillon County!!  To those of you that are not in the world of agriculture may not appreciate the excitement but that should not stop you from reading any further.  You have to remember that it WILL get you excited when you realize that having healthy and rich soil will affect you at the cash register.  
If a producer can cut costs on the fertilizer, pesticide and herbicides and get a higher yield and better quality of goods on his fields that will be reflected in the price YOU as a consumer will pay at the grocery store!
On August 5th the Dillon Wellness Center was the venue for approximately 75 producers from Dillon County and across the state to come and hear nationally known Ray Archuleta who is a Conservation Agronomist at the NRCS East National Technology Center, in Greensboro, North Carolina and teaches soil health and the principles of agro-ecology throughout the country.  The meeting began with Ray performing demonstrations to let others see what healthy soil looks like.
The first was a demonstration called the “Slake Test” which involves taking a clod (or aggregate) of dirt from a field that has been tilled and another from a field that has been NOT been tilled.  I did not know what “slaking” was until about a year ago so many of you may be asking what is Slaking?  It is the breakdown of large, air-dry soil aggregates into smaller sized when they are suddenly immersed in water.  This occurs when aggregates are not strong enough to withstand internal stressed caused by rapid water uptake.  In laymen terms the clod of dirt will break apart when submerged in water!!  The test is an amazing demonstration that gives everyone a visual of how the tilled and untilled soil responds to the water which represents rainfall.  If you would like to see one performed go to www.youtube.com and search for “slake soil test”.
The results of this test proved that the tilled soil quickly breaks apart while the untilled soil remains intact.  Archuleta said “I used to think if I tilled the soil-fluffed it up- it would allow more water in.  But that’s just not true.  Tilling soil closes pore space and keeps rainfall from infiltrating.  You’ll have pore space in your soil from top to bottom.” This confirms that tilled soil is a major cause for erosion and runoff into streams and rivers.  Soil Health goes beyond the measuring degradation (erosion, compaction or contamination) it is also about having fertile soil and the way to achieve fertility is by the use of cover crops.
One of the primary uses of cover crops is to increase soil fertility. These types of cover crops are referred to as “green manure.” Cover crops can also improve soil quality by increasing soil organic levels through the input of cover crop biomass over time. Increased soil organic matter enhances soil structure as well as the water and nutrient holding and buffering capacity of soil and it can also lead to increased soil carbon sequestration. On August 5th CNN headlines read “Gulf of Mexico ‘dead zone’ is the size of Connecticut” and stated that scientists’ found an area of 5,052 square miles of “low oxygen water”.  This was formed by nutrients that washed into the Gulf’s water through—largely agriculture fertilizer and wastewater coming down the Mississippi River. These boost algae blooms that suck up the oxygen in deep water and cause marine life to struggles to find oxygen to survive.

“Our lakes are filled with conservation and nutrient management plans; they are not crystal clear with an understanding of soil health… we don’t have a runoff problem; we have an infiltration problem.” -Ray Archuleta

By reducing soil erosion, cover crops often also reduce both the rate and quantity of water that drains off the field, which would normally pose environmental risks to waterways and ecosystems downstream.  Cover crop biomass acts as a physical barrier between rainfall and the soil surface, allowing raindrops to steadily trickle down through the soil which allows the moisture to remain in the soil for longer periods of time.  The cover will also reduce the temperature of the soil by providing a “shade” for the soil underneath — so “Discover the Cover”!!
No matter what type of soil you have the addition of organic matter will work wonders for its health. Organic matter is plant and animal residues in varying forms of decomposition. It will replenish the nutrients in your soil and improve its texture. During the meeting Ray said it does not matter where you are located or what type of soil you have.  If you have a 1000 acres or a backyard garden, it takes the same practices and components to make and maintain healthy soil.  

“You can tell me everything you want to about your farm but your soil will speak to me.”—Ray Archuleta

It all makes sense if you look back and think about our land BEFORE the use of conventional tilling, disking and plowing the conventional way.  The land was full of dark, rich, dirt that had lots of “critters” in it!!  I can remember digging in my Momma’s flower bed, only because she made me, and it was full of earth worms, but today when I dig in mine there are none.  
The dust bowl of 1930s sparked the formation of the local Soil and Water Conservation Districts and now there are approximately 3000 local districts across the US.  With all of these resources you would think there would be no more dust bowls, yet as I write this, there is a report of a dust storm in Eastern Washington State.  In July there was one that enveloped the Phoenix area and they keep coming but how can this be if we are doing all the right things for conservation?  The short answer is we’re not – and that is what Ray and his team is trying to relay to those that will listen….and Dillon County producers are listening and implementing the changes needed to protect the land, environment and our county.
If there is a producer that is reading this and would like more information on how you can learn more about this exciting practice that provide you with a reduction in operating expenses in the long term and give you a higher yield and better quality in your crops contact the NRCS and Dillon SWCD at 843-774-5122 ext. 3.