Again it has been a full week on the farm. We had some heavy winds at the beginning of the week, and it was shocking to see the way top soil was being blown away from a nearby field throughout the day. Soil erosion is a serious problem, and is caused mainly by wind or water runoff. It may seem like this is an "act of God", but the reality is that it is a soil management issue. When soils are not covered with plants they are at risk of erosion. There are times when a field needs to be prepared for sowing, and this can result in bare soils, but there is a lot which can be done to mitigate against soil erosion. As well as keeping a plant cover on the soil for as much of the time as possible, regular additions of stable organic matter (e.g. mature compost) can help build sol structure, which results in more stable soil particles, which are not easily blown or washed away. When we see soil erosion, what we are usually seeing is land which has been degraded, with low organic matter levels. It is up to us to protect our soils and keep an eye on soil quality.
Comments