Soil health at Chatfield Farms

Farmers do everything. ey are mechanics, botanists, naturalists, athletes and some even believe themselves to be meteorologists. In the age of the regenerative agriculture movement, farmers need to become biologists, or more speci cally, soil ecologists.

Soil ecology is the study of the seemingly limitless universe beneath our feet. In just a teaspoon of healthy soil, there are over one billion bacterial individuals and more than six miles of fungal mycelium. It would take seven years to recite the names of all the bacterial species in a compost pile. How do the trillions of soil microbes interact? It’s likely we’ll never truly know. A broad understanding of the soil ecosystem, however, can change a farmer’s mindset.

e most productive soil in the world from an old growth forest contains far less plant-available nutrients than are recommended for agricultural soil. How could ‘nutrient-de cient’ soil — teeming with soil microbes — produce the largest plants on the planet?

Nutrients are released when microscopic predators consume bacteria. Nematodes, protozoa and microscopic insects ‘poop’ out nutrients that plants are able to consume. Plant roots absorb those nutrients through a web of fungi. Fungal networks

2024

Seasons of Our Mountains

Guest Column

Rutger Meyers

expand the reach of roots and create highways inside root hairs. As satis ed plants then release ‘exudates,’ which attract more bacteria and fungi, the cycle continues. Without these characters to play their parts, soil turns into lifeless dirt.

Conventional soil management has disrupted the soil ecosystem. Without microscopic predators, bacteria or fungi to assist plant roots, farmers are forced to overfeed plants with fertilizers. e excess nutrients that aren’t washed away are consumed by a monoculture of bacteria, reproducing rapidly and unchecked by predators. Without predators to consume bacteria, the soil ecosystem becomes unbalanced. e resulting population of disease-causing bacteria release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Realistically, not all farmers have the time to study microscopy.

rough the eyes of a microscope, a farmer can witness the soil ecosystem in action, but studying soil ecology doesn’t require a microscope. Diversity in critters — worms, ladybugs, roly-polies, etc. — is an indication of a balanced biology.

Even without a microscope, understanding what healthy soil looks,

Calendar Photo Contest

Guidelines

• Enter up to three (3) digital, color photos of local wildlife, nature, or scenery (no humans)

• Photographs must be original photos taken by you in the past three (3) years

• Photographs must be taken in Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice’s four-county service area—the mountain communities of Clear Creek, Gilpin, Jefferson, & Park counties

• Photographs should not appear to be significantly altered

Submissions

• High resolution JPG photos in horizontal (landscape) format (12”x9” at least 2400 pixels on the long edge)

• Submissions accepted online only at evergreencameraclub.com

Deadline

Midnight, June 9, 2023

For more details visit evergreencameraclub.com feels and smells like can inform better practices. Undisturbed soil will evolve with its plant inhabitants. Rich brown, textured soil that smells like a forest will feed a vegetable plant on its own, without nutrient additives. A calculated ‘less is more’ soil management approach gives our soil a chance to breathe.

Regenerative agriculture rede nes the farmers’ relationship with nature. Humans’ senses have evolved with plants — the smell of healthy soil triggers serotonin production in the human brain. Alternatively, our negative reaction to the putrid smell of greenhouse gases produced by harmful bacteria warns us of toxicity. ese ne-tuned deep intuitions can become regenerative farmer’s almanac.

By working in tandem with natural soil ecosystems, farmers can reduce the labor and expenses of disruptive soil tillage and chemical fertilizer application. Soil naturally wants to grow plants. By accepting help from nature, farmers can grow healthier plants more e ciently.

Thu 6/01

Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs: GoldenGrass Music Festival 2023 @ 7pm New Terrain Brewing Company, 16401 Table Mountain Pkwy, Golden

Daniella Katzir Music: Daniella Katzir Band at Den‐ver Orchid Lounge @ 7pm Orchid Denver, 1448 Market St, Denver

Sat 6/03

Denver Makers Market @ Lakewood Casa Bonita Parking Lot @ 10am / Free

Rockin Block Party @ 5:30pm Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park, 801 South Yarrow Street, Lakewood. hca@lake wood.org, 303-987-7850

Soundularity: Intrinsic Collective: 360 Healing Music Journey @ 6:30pm

Intrinsic Collective, 922 Washing‐ton Ave suite 200, Golden CD Ghost @ 8pm Hi-Dive, 7 S Broadway, Denver

Drifting Roots with Weege @ 8pm HQ, 60 S Broadway, Denver

Mon 6/05

Finn O'Sullivan: Sofar Sounds @ 7:30pm

Sofar Sounds, Denver

Julia Wolf @ 8pm Meow Wolf Denver | Convergence Station, 1338 1st St, Denver

Sunstoney @ 8pm

Oskar Blues Grill & Brew, 1624 Market St, Denver anees @ 8pm Ogden Theatre, 935 E. Colfax Ave., Denver

Somatoast @ 8:30pm

Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom & Other Side, 2637 Welton St, Denver

Fri 6/02

The Back Box Presents: Skysia with M�nity & Stoik @ 7pm

The Black Box, 314 E 13th Ave, Denver

VINCINT

@ 8pm

Meow Wolf Denver | Convergence Station, 1338 1st St, Denver

Denver Makers Market @ Casa Bonita, 6677 West Colfax Avenue, Denver. dmmvendors@gmail.com, 720-525-5645 veggi @ 1pm X Denver, 3100 Inca St, Denver

Giant Walking Robots @ 5:30pm Goosetown Station, 514 9th St, Golden Fresh Fruit @ 8pm Oskar Blues Grill & Brew, 1624 Market St, Denver

Sun 6/04

Taylor Scott Band: Taylor Scott & Jon Wirtz duo @ 11am Gregory Plaza, Denver

FORGOTTEN SPACE @ 6pm So Many Roads Brewery, 918 W 1st Ave, Denver

Club Seating: Paramount TheatreStraight Up With Stassi Live @ 7pm / $49.50

Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm, Denver

Tue 6/06

Kurt Travis @ 6pm

Marquis Theater, 2009 Larimer St, Denver

WHOKILLEDXIX @ 8pm

Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom & Other Side, 2637 Welton St, Denver

Wed 6/07

City Park Denver Public Art Sunset Tour @ 7pm Denver Arts and Venues, Varies Locations for Public Art Tours, Denver

NOT A TOY @ 7pm

Marquis Theater, 2009 Larimer St, Denver

Todd Day Wait @ 7:30pm

Skylark Lounge, 140 S Broadway, Denver

Spirit Mother @ 8pm Hi-Dive, 7 S Broadway, Denver