Principles of Regenerative Agriculture
Regenerative agriculture reverses degradation by rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring ecosystem health. While organic certification focuses on inputs, regenerative farming emphasizes outcomes - measurable improvements in soil carbon, water holding capacity, and biodiversity.
Minimal Soil Disturbance
No-till or reduced-till systems protect soil structure, preserve fungal networks, and prevent carbon loss from oxidation. Use crimpers, broadforks, or specialized no-till planters that minimize disruption while establishing crops.
Where tillage is necessary, time operations carefully and add organic matter immediately to rebuild structure. Single-pass shallow tillage causes less damage than repeated or deep tillage.
Keeping Soil Covered
Living roots or plant residue should cover soil year-round. Cover crops, crop residues, or organic mulches prevent erosion, moderate temperature, retain moisture, and feed soil biology.
Multi-species cover crop cocktails provide diverse root systems and above-ground structures. Include grasses for biomass, legumes for nitrogen, and broadleaves for deep nutrient mining.
Maximizing Biodiversity
Diverse rotations, intercropping, and polycultures increase resilience and productivity. Different plants host different microbes, creating robust soil food webs that suppress disease and cycle nutrients efficiently.
On-farm biodiversity includes wildlife habitat, diverse crop varieties, pollinator resources, and beneficial insect reservoirs. This biological complexity provides natural pest control and pollination services.
Measuring Regeneration
Track soil organic matter percentage over time - increases indicate carbon sequestration and soil health improvement. Monitor water infiltration rates, aggregate stability, and biological indicators like earthworm populations.
Document changes with photographs, soil tests, and yield records. Regenerative practices often require 3-5 years before dramatic improvements appear, but early indicators show progress sooner.