https://padlet.com/megwheatley2/5pozqd4dbm2arx0z Grades 9-10 en-us 2022-07-05 11:10:08 UTC 2026-02-01 05:25:28 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f41c.png megwheatley2 https://padlet.com/megwheatley2/5pozqd4dbm2arx0z/wish/2237629202 In eight minutes this provides a wonderful introduction. (It moves very quickly.) The basic difference is how to work with the land as a living system so that it can regenerate itself.  Current farming methods destroy that possibility by large scale plowing, cattle raised in pens not pastures, and mono crops rather than diverse crops. 
Three types of Regenerative Agriculture: 
1.  No Till Farming to maintain the organisms in soil
2 Regenerative Grazing captures carbon, enriches soil, water stays in soil
3. Food forests produce food in different layers, mimicking a real forest by the diversity of plants.

Land is a web of relationships. "What sort of relationship do you want to foster?"

This is the quick overview--more detailed videos follow.




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSEtiixgRJI]]> 2022-07-06 01:08:48 UTC https://padlet.com/megwheatley2/5pozqd4dbm2arx0z/wish/2237629202 megwheatley2 https://padlet.com/megwheatley2/5pozqd4dbm2arx0z/wish/2237634538 Among many good things here about soil, there's great NASA visuals of how carbon emissions are lowered during plant growing season: very dramatic to see this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJhpoYwAqFA]]> 2022-07-06 01:14:26 UTC https://padlet.com/megwheatley2/5pozqd4dbm2arx0z/wish/2237634538 megwheatley2 https://padlet.com/megwheatley2/5pozqd4dbm2arx0z/wish/2237651053 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8qTRBc8Bws

Very short, at 4 minutes, very fine animation describing working with living soil organisms versus using fertilizer that deadens soil.

Key points:
-Living soil is a self-sustainable web of organisms freely sharing nutrients.
-Nitrogen fixing plants (3 described) do not work with the nitrogen, they create habitat for the several kinds of bacteria that convert nitrogen into different forms that feed other bacteria and create nutrients for the plant.
-Without the activity of these bacteria, the plants lack nutrients.  Human food then lacks these same nutrients. (shows chart of decrease of nutrients in food over years)
 -Fertilizer applications kill off all these organisms. the soil becomes dead, requiring more and more additives to grow plants.  Runoff from fertilized fields poisons water. When the  nitrogen is emitted by soil, a greenhouse gas (nitrous oxide) is released into the atmosphere.

Through the right plants and the activity of bacteria and earthworms, soil becomes mineral rich and healthy. Healthy soil creates healthy food.
Bacteria are "tiny allies beneath our feet"
  ]]> 2022-07-06 01:30:32 UTC https://padlet.com/megwheatley2/5pozqd4dbm2arx0z/wish/2237651053 megwheatley2 https://padlet.com/megwheatley2/5pozqd4dbm2arx0z/wish/2239878446 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkOb9Q2hXYE

Focus on Cattle "Wholistic Grazing" and depth of relationship farmers have to RA  Excellent  23 minutes, intimate explorations with three different farm families
(bracketed comments are our additions, not in video)

Today, we are depleting soil.  If we lose soil, we deplete our ability to create food that nourishes us.  Regenerate soil to regenerate our health.  Nothing is more important.

Three case examples, where you really get to know the rancher/farmer.  This is a benefit of this video--intimacy and tuning into how meaningful this work is for them.

Carbon, can add large amounts in soil from grazing.  Takes careful management of rotating from field to field every few days.

Cattle are a solution, not the problem when carefully grazed. Ideally in pastures, cows eat 1/3, trample 1/3, leave 1/3

Feed lots visuals are depressingly ugly in contrast.

Food: We can improve the biodiversity and produce better food by shifting our mindset.  (working with soil as a living system rather than imposing foreign elements that destroy soil)

Corn: Why do we take our food (corn) and put it in our gas tanks? Makes no sense.  Statistics on corn usage and GMOs

Traditional AG: how much can I get as quickly as possible?
RA: how do I build this soil as far as we can see into the future?
GMO corn-10-20 years good but soil depleted every year then lost forever. The Iowa Cornbelt soil took centuries to create, with bison ranging freely in the millions.

Put cattle in the field "Wholistic grazing" to regenerate topsoil where it's been planted with soy and corn for 60 years.

Water retention. Gain 20,000 gallons of water per acre with every 1% increase in organic matter.  Organic matter holds soil together and this holds water.  They're adding 3-4 tons organic matter per year while conventional farming loses 8-10 tons/year.

Visuals of cows held in metal circles (awful) and feedlots.  Mechanized farming had goal of fewer farmers.  (It made farming like a factory, hard and meaningless. Children leave farming and farmer suicide is a big issue.)
How to  promote rural economies by RA which is both economically productive and emotionally very satisfied because farmers are connected to the land.

Farmer speaks of his integrity and values as well as true meaning of being a farmer.  "You have to know I love working with cows."  Shows him playing.

Shows brief display of him charting minerals and sources to cultivate healthy soil for healthy feed. 

How do we want to manage our land?  by poisoning it or do we want to support family farms that regenerate soil we all depend on?

Ends with demo in field by Peter Donovan speaking about soil as source of all life. Very powerful.  We're part of the circle of life.  Soil is the basis of our civilization.  Everything we do, build, are, depends on soil.  Powerful imagery of people dying because of lack of food as migrants, cholera, drought, violence.

How do the people feel who are engaged in raising plants using healthy methods, who care about soil and all other beings.  Strong sense of purpose.  Why they're called "renegades" because they swim against the current.







]]> 2022-07-08 17:34:16 UTC https://padlet.com/megwheatley2/5pozqd4dbm2arx0z/wish/2239878446 megwheatley2 https://padlet.com/megwheatley2/5pozqd4dbm2arx0z/wish/2244374179 This is a great intro for 7-12. Narrated by ecoactivist Michael Pollan]]> 2022-07-16 01:52:48 UTC https://padlet.com/megwheatley2/5pozqd4dbm2arx0z/wish/2244374179 megwheatley2 https://padlet.com/megwheatley2/5pozqd4dbm2arx0z/wish/2244380136 great graphics, It's simple but describes soil's ecosystem complexity well, focused on nutrient exchanges without naming specific species. Also shows problem with fertilizers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVhY4ssMtbI]]> 2022-07-16 02:13:48 UTC https://padlet.com/megwheatley2/5pozqd4dbm2arx0z/wish/2244380136 megwheatley2 https://padlet.com/megwheatley2/5pozqd4dbm2arx0z/wish/2248406768 2022-07-23 02:29:26 UTC https://padlet.com/megwheatley2/5pozqd4dbm2arx0z/wish/2248406768 megwheatley2 https://padlet.com/megwheatley2/5pozqd4dbm2arx0z/wish/2248921699 2022-07-25 01:02:24 UTC https://padlet.com/megwheatley2/5pozqd4dbm2arx0z/wish/2248921699 megwheatley2 https://padlet.com/megwheatley2/5pozqd4dbm2arx0z/wish/2248921745 https://www.lessonsfromearthandbeyond.ca/chapter-1-inaaknigewin.html

Excellent and brief. "Everything gives everything to everything"
we don't speak about rights, but about responsibilities.


]]> 2022-07-25 01:02:30 UTC https://padlet.com/megwheatley2/5pozqd4dbm2arx0z/wish/2248921745 megwheatley2 https://padlet.com/megwheatley2/5pozqd4dbm2arx0z/wish/2254297376 2022-08-03 17:34:10 UTC https://padlet.com/megwheatley2/5pozqd4dbm2arx0z/wish/2254297376