The Magic of Our Soil

The soil is the great connector of our lives, the source, and destination of all.

— Wendell Berry

Soil is the soul of our terrestrial planet, and lives as both the earth itself and in the world of forms. It is the earthen ground beneath our feet and the mechanism through which Mother Nature provides all plant life. 

Soil is life itself, the great connector of the whole of the planet. It is in itself an organism, but also plays host to microscopic and gigantic organisms the world over that contribute directly to a symbiotic system that sustains life on the planet and provides plants a home to grow roots. 

Soil scientists are presented with the constant challenge of categorizing “different” soils, because all soil is, in effect, connected to all other soil. It is almost impossible to delineate where one soil sample begins and where a microbiome ends. One teaspoon of soil produces more organisms than there are human beings living on the planet. Soil is, simply, nature’s magic.

Essentially, all life depends upon the soil. There can be no life without soil and no soil without life; they have evolved together. — Charles E. Kellogg, USDA Yearbook of Agriculture, 1938

The Soil Cycle

Soil lives on Mother Nature’s time, and regenerates slowly, although it does have a distinct life cycle. The beginnings of a soil are a combination of the minerals from softened rock matter and organic matter. 

Spanning many human generations, the mineral matter becomes oxidized, and morphs into a new substance, mixing with it organic matter and decomposed fauna. This growth period matures the soil, deepening it into the earth. It becomes useful on the surface.

The third phase of the aging cycle of soil is maintenance and equilibrium. Organic matter, called humus, is made of decomposing animals and plants on the soil, as well as organic waste. 

Transformation of topsoil and deep soil occurs, and the biome of soil reuses its waste to create fresh life anew. A stunning array of microorganisms sustain the life of the soil and the life in the soil. It takes 500 years to generate one inch of topsoil!

Often, the soil cycle is interrupted by human interventions that degrade the quality and environment of the soil and its biome. Sustainable land management and soil rehabilitation practices are necessary to keep soils healthy and alive. Soil can regenerate naturally, and will do so on its own timeline.

At Area 2 Farms, we start with the soil. We keep the earth we grow your produce in happy by enriching it with nutrients. And we reuse our plant waste to keep the natural decomposition cycle going, which makes the soil and the plants we grow healthier.

Land, then, is not merely soil; it is a fountain of energy flowing through a circuit of soils, plants, and animals. — Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac, 1949

The Meaning of Soil

It’s not just the earth that is considered soil. Countries refer to their territory as their “soil,” and soil conjures images of ancestors and deep roots. Soil is a stand-in for the concept of life itself, and of the neverending wheel of life, death, decay, and regeneration. 

Soil is an abundant natural resource, but not one to take for granted. It is a site of connectivity and a reservoir of water and nutrients for sustaining plant and animal life on the planet. It contains water, minerals, organisms, and decaying organic matter, and even holds gasses in its delicate peat. There are more than 70,000 types of soil — just in the United States, each one with its own unique biodiversity fingerprint.

The earth’s original composter, soil connects all terrestrial life on earth, and the makeup of soil dictates the quality of nutrients possible in vegetables, fruits, and grains. Its magic comes from its ability to create nutrition out of decomposition, to create an entire living world out of life’s decay. 

This magic is the foundation of the strongest forces on earth, but the soil’s balance is delicate and must be handled with care. Agriculturalists and farmers must be wise to soil erosion and contaminants, and encourage deep roots and biodiversity. 

The Area 2 Farms Soil Difference

At Area 2 Farms, we start with the soil. Unlike many industrial farms throughout the United States, we avoid the degradation of soil organism habitats, we don’t put harmful additives in soil, and we only use the best quality soil to grow the food we bring less than 10 miles to you.

Our soil is nutrient-rich, and we add plant waste to create a firm foundation for a microbiome meant specifically to grow our foods. We minimize our own waste by allowing the soil to reclaim the organic matter that sprouted from it, and we infuse soil-saving nutrients into our foundation. We believe in roots, not routes at Area 2 Farms — and you can taste the difference in our soil.

Healthy soil is dark colored because this means the organic matter is decaying properly and providing the nutrients needed to continue the nitrogen and soil cycles. When you come to take a farm tour, you can see the difference in the soil for yourself. We work with the best quality earth to bring you the best food on earth!

Our food has more base nutrient value than the produce you’ll find on the grocery store shelves because our food is grown in soil that is as loved and cared for as our sprouts. We harvest during the week and immediately deliver your food so that we can refeed our soil with any waste products accumulated, and so that you can eat your delicious food when it’s at its best. 
We believe in local farming from people that care about the soil — of a plant, of a crop, and of a community. Our commitment is to your deep roots.