Several Apples A Day, Keeps The Doctor Away

Most don't realize our old saying needs modification. Modern agriculture has chased yields for decades and an unintended consequence has been less nutrient density in our fruits and vegetables. A 2009 study published by University of Texas researcher Donald Davis cited median declines anywhere from 5% to 40% or more in minerals, vitamins, and protein. For those carnivores out there, the same is true for our meats. What our food ate matters and it all starts with a healthy soil. Healthy soil is the foundation from which healthy plants can grow and healthy plants are the foundation for healthy livestock and humans. If we we're after health and a system worth sustaining, we need to start paying attention not only to what types of foods we eat, but how those foods are grown.

And unfortunately, it's not as simple as buying organic. While many organic agriculture practices are beneficial, it can still be just as destructive as conventional agriculture. Take tillage for example. It is one of the most destructive tools we have as farmers. It eradicates earthworms, destroys habitats & beneficial microbes, decimates soil structure and starves microbes of food from living plant roots. Organic herbicides are simply not as effective as synthetics and so many organic systems turn to tillage for weed control.

Regenerative agriculture provides answers by focusing less on dogmatic principles and more on systematic impacts of farming actions. The system goes beyond sustainability as it aims not to sustain a broken or unhealthy system but instead improve it - regenerate it to a state better than it's current state. It all begins with building soil health. As previously mentioned healthy sils are the foundation to human health. Additionally, healthy soils support healthy ecosystems and help sequester carbon from the atmosphere, which in turn leads to a healthier planet.

If you're interested in learning more about nutrient density and the importance of farming practices on your food we recommend you check out David Montgomery's latest book "What Your Food Ate".