Soil Health The Wonder of Working with Nature
John Snyder’s Soil Health Journey Started with a Question: Where were the Worms?
with the many positive changes they’re seeing on their farm as a result of the switch to regenerative practices over the past few years. Their crops withstand drought better — a particularly key trait during the summer of 2021 — because there’s more moisture retained in the soil. Wildlife is also more plentiful around the farm. An added benefit to building fertility naturally is lowered cost of production. “Conventional corn’s $260 a bag,” John says. “My preferred organic seed corn is $160 a bag. And fertilizer just went up in price six times in six weeks.”
Snyder says his brother, who has some of the best farmland in the area, loves to fish. When it was time to go drop a line, he’d say, “I gotta go to the Amish to get some ome five decades ago, a young worms.” Even though the brother’s farm aspiring farmer named John Snyder looked great, John says, “His soil didn’t brought his bride Bernadette back Wonder, see page 13… have the life and diversity that you find in to Minnesota from Tennessee to begin their Amish country where they use more diverse farm and family dream together. The newlycropping and livestock weds settled in on a piece of rolling farmintegration.” land near Preston in southeastern Minnesota John and Ben started where oak savanna forests, limestone ridges, to make the switch and prairie meet. That first farmhouse had from Roundup Ready no running water, but it was home. And with seed to non-GMO and just a few hundred dollars in the bank, they organic production. launched their life’s work with beef cattle That required taking a and dairying, growing corn, soybeans and a different approach to family. weed control that relies Fast forward to October 2021: their farm on a rotary hoe, a culdream has taken on proportions they’d never tivator, and an electric have imagined decades ago. In addition to weed zapper, along with conventional row crops and hay, the Snyders a mix of cover crops. raise hogs and goats. All along, as John and John’s learned that, “… his son, Ben, planned, planted and hartiming is critical. You’re vested, they took care observing their land, not a windshield farmer its weather, and water patterns. They paid anymore. Next year I’ll attention to the farm’s wildlife and the health do barley. Also, clover, of their crops and livestock as carefully as alfalfa, and grass, and then I hay it for a couple “What’s underneath your feet is what’s of rounds. making the health of those plants.” You gotta — John Snyder break up the cycle, you gotta have oats or beans. they managed seasonal planting, production All your weeds germicycles, and farm finances. nate at different times Over time, John got concerned about so you gotta change up some things he was observing on the farm. your tillage.” “Something was wrong with my livestock They switched to — puffy joints, ornery…I went to the vet spring interseeding of and he recommended no Roundup Ready inIn October, John Snyder (left) described his soil health methods cover crops in standing to Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture Thom Petersen. fused feed and to go with non-GMO feed in corn. About 200 of their (Photo by Barb Sogn-Frank) general. I did, and the animals got healthier 700 acres are now either and happier,” he recalls. “I think Roundup certified organic or in is doing more damage than we know. I’m transition away from talking as a farmer here, I’m not a radical, conventional, non-GMO corn left-wing, socialist…There’s something goand soybeans to organic. Their Video: Soil & the Next Generation ing on there. I got a lot to learn and I think remaining acres are convenIn a Land Stewardship Project video, John Snyder we all do.” tional, non-GMO crops and describes why building soil health on his farm is key to Erosion and the lack of soil life bothered cover crops. allowing him to pass the land on to the next generation: the farmer too. One question in particular The Snyders are happy www.youtube.com/watch?v=4438_5qQ3fY. nagged him: Where were the worms? By Barb Sogn-Frank
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No. 2, 2021
The Land Stewardship Letter
