Healthy soil requires healthy, active biology beneath the surface. This includes bacteria and fungi. While the five principles of soil health – soil cover, minimal disturbance, living roots, diversity and livestock integration – all work to protect and promote these critical organisms, some researchers and producers are experimenting with methods to jumpstart the growth of soil biology to improve soil health.
Herrick, S.D., producer Jim Williams creates a compost extract to apply on his fields using this setup.
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This compost created by South Dakota Corn Director of Sustainability Jim Ristau reached temperatures as high 170 degrees and was still 140 degrees on its seventh day. It will be turned one more time and then be allowed to cool undisturbed for six to eight weeks before being used to create an extract.
