Author: Al Skoropa

When we talk about moving, a quarter of a mile from one home to another doesn’t seem like much. That is unless you are about 105 years old, have a storied beginning, are over ten stories tall and weigh in excess of 800,000 pounds, considered a local landmark and are a sequoia tree. Saint Luke’s… [Read More]

(The image above is sand taken by Dr. Gary Greenberg using an Edge 3D Microscope and can be found in his book, A Grain of Sand.) As you stroll along the sandy beach what consideration do you give what’s under your feet? Probably very little. Would you be surprised to know that it is quickly… [Read More]

In sub Saharan Africa, days are long, sunny and warm.  In this environment crops should grow well.  However, a large portion of the soil in areas of the Sahara desert is depleted.  It simply lacks the organic matter and nutrients needed to support crops.  At this point, chemical fertilizers alone cannot do the job of… [Read More]

Using fertilizers and herbicides in today’s farming methods has led to higher yields but has inadvertently hindered root systems that support microbial activity and insect life. Both are vital to soil vigour, healthy crop yields and a sustainable soil environment. Climate Smart Agriculture Enter cover cropping. Cover cropping is the practice where fields are planted… [Read More]

Dirt is everywhere. Playgrounds, parks, backyards, farms…we’re so used to seeing it all around us that it can be easy to overlook the important role it has in the world. Soil is a home for many living organisms, providing nutrients and stability that enable plant growth. When soil is lost through erosion, contamination, or overuse,… [Read More]