Save the Soil
By Kaity Martin
Soil is very important in Kentucky. We use it to grow crops, be a foundation for many
structures, and many organisms live in it. We need to conserve our soil! There are many easy
ways to do this that can really help out. I have narrowed it down to three simple but effective
ways to save Kentucky’s rich soil by making sure it will not erode and that it is conducive for
growing crops.
The first way to conserve our soil is keeping it covered. This will supply food and shelter
to the microbes that live in the soil, which will keep your soil healthy and full of life. If you don’t
have a cover on your soil the weather can be very devastating to the microbes. When it rains it
is like a hurricane destroying the dirt civilization. One of the covers you could put is winter
wheat. Winter wheat is strains of wheat that are planted in the fall and can grow through
winter to supply a living cover that can survive cold weather. Also, its roots help prevent the soil
from eroding. This will prepare your soil for crops to be planted in the spring.
Another way to conserve our soil is known as no till. No till is when you plant crops
without disking the soil. This limits the soils surface disturbance and manages the amount of
plant residue. It also prevents the amount of erosion caused by water and wind. When you till
the land it loosens the soil. This is bad because the soil isn’t held in place so the crop won’t have
a sturdy structure. Also, when you till soil the moisture held in the ground evaporates quicker.
The moisture is needed to help crops grow. No till is a very effective way to reserve our soil.
The final way to conserve soil is plant trees. The roots from the trees keep the soil in
place and prevent erosion. Also, the shade from the tree protects the soil from the sun. This
keeps the soil from drying out and losing the capability to grow crops. When the leaves fall and
decay they replenish the soil. Also, planting trees not only helps our soil, but it provides oxygen
for our environment. This is a win-win situation.
In Kentucky, farming is an important industry, and we couldn’t do it without healthy
soil! These three ways to conserve soil are only beneficial if they are put into practice. With
these tips, we can reduce soil erosion and keep our soil nutritious. Then, our soil will give back
what we put into it.