Watch What Happens When it Rains (Part 6)

If you want to understand the health of land, watch what happens when it rains.

On ground that has been compacted, stripped of organic matter, and left bare, rain runs off quickly instead of soaking in. The surface can feel hard. Any plants still growing will have shallow roots so that when dry weather comes, plants turn brown quickly because the soil cannot hold moisture.

The land cannot store the water it has been given; therefore life cannot thrive.

Regeneratively farmed land is set up differently. As we’ve shared in past issues, it is managed in a way to keep soil alive and pastures diverse ~ while giving fields time to rest.

When grazed plants are allowed to recover, their roots reach deep and create natural channels in the soil for water to flow easily.

Manure and plant residue return organic matter to the ground, feeding microbes and earthworms that help form the soil's stable structure. Over time, the soil becomes more like a sponge than a sealed surface, making it able to absorb and store rainfall ~ and then releasing it slowly back to the plants when needed.

On our farm, we can see the exciting signs of this during dryer spells. When other fields begin to fade, our pastures remain green longer. The thriving we see above the ground reflects what is happening below: the deep roots, living soil, and organic matter working together to hold moisture in place.

Regenerative livestock management plays an essential role in maintaining the underground "sponge".

When cattle are grazed in one area only briefly, they don’t stay long enough to overgraze or repeatedly trample the same ground, making it compact. Their hooves press plant material into the soil surface, while their manure returns nutrients to the soil ~ and then they move on to the next paddock, giving the pasture time to regenerate.

And the effects ripple outward. When soil holds water well, plants grow stronger and more nutritious. These plants nourish healthier animals. And that nourishment becomes part of the meals shared at our tables.

In a changing climate, resilience matters. Fields that absorb rainfall and endure dry stretches are not only a good sign for the farm ~ they are part of a larger solution of restoring the billions of tons of life-supporting topsoil lost each year from industrial, chemically-dependent farming and upon which life on earth depends.

Regeneration is not just an idea. It shows itself in something as simple and as powerful as rain soaking into the ground.
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*If you'd like some practical tips for increasing the sponge-like quality of your yard, check out the How-To Box at the end!

*Also, if you're interested in watching Common Ground, click the pic below.

And if you're interested in watching this excellent documentary, click the pic below. 

Thank you. We cherish you and the partnership we share in working toward the regeneration of land, health, and planet ~ together. 

~the Crane Dance Farm team ♡