Our annual soil issue has arrived! It’s that time of year again … when we’re especially tuned into soil health and boosting fertility through soil management.

We hope you enjoy all the soil-related information and stories from our October 2018 issue, complete with features by Gary Zimmer and Leilani Zimmer Durand on creating true soil health by building soil’s capacity to function without intervention through resiliency; keys to composting for healthy soil to support vegetable crops by Connecticut farmer Bryan O’Hara; reducing food waste through on-farm composting; nutrient-management for high-quality crops by Raymond Yoder, Jr. of Green Field Farms Co-Op; bone char benefits; biochar and mycorrhizae as soil-boosting power couple and much more.

Don’t miss Chris Walters’ in-depth interview with innovative North Dakota farmer Gabe Brown who recently completed Dirt to Soil: One Family’s Journey into Regenerative Agriculture. Brown shares insights into building resiliency through soil health and diversity.

Here’s a taste of the interview:

ACRES U.S.A. You have a section in your new book called “Planning For The Long Haul,” and since we hear a lot of grim predictions about the future these days, I wonder if you could turn that around and imagine a better future for the upper Midwest as the regenerative model gains adherents.

GABE BROWN. I think one of the things we need to look at is more of a perennial type of system. Let’s face it, much of the land in the upper Midwest is marginal land as far as rainfall and soil type are concerned. Let’s put it into a perennial-type system with stacked enterprises of livestock, grazing on perennial pastures. We can integrate many species on those pastures. Stacking enterprises adds a lot more potential income per acre, and also reduces the risk because you have more income streams. I see a world of potential for that type of pro­duction model.

Rounding out the issue is an Opinion piece on glyphosate by Dr. Charles Massy; a Harvest Table on real, nutrient-dense food and embracing traditional foods and culinary techniques by chef and author Nick Barnard; tips for getting the most out of your canine farmhands; and solutions for turning manure into energy.

You can download this issue for $6.00.