Soil is literally the foundation of life here on Earth. Even if we are generations removed from life on the farm we should understand the important role soils play in our daily lives. In recognition of this critical role that soils play in the health of our lives and that of our planet, the United Nations has declared that 2015 is the International Year of Soils.
Here are some cool facts and links to get you caught up on the Soilebration.
- Soil is alive! There are more microbes (bacteria & fungi) in a handful of soil than there are humans on the planet!
- Soil helps to clean and purify our water!
- It can take 500-1,000 years for an inch of soil to be created depending on the climate and parent material present in an area.
- A clay particle is about 1,000 times smaller than a course sand particle, this is part of the reason why we use the term “heavy clay soil” There are a lot more clay particles per cubic foot and with their small size there is less room for air and organic matter.
International Year of Soils: https://www.fao.org/soils-2015/en/
Soil Science Society of America: https://www.soils.org/home
USDA-NRCS: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/ga/soils/health/?cid=stelprdb1256164