Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure

Soil structure is a key indicator of soil health. The Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure (VESS) provides a simple framework for quantitatively scoring soil structure quality. It requires only a shovel for extracting a block of soil and a scoring sheet for evaluating it and can be performed in about 10 minutes with a little […]

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National Soil Conservation Week, 2022

no-till soybean field with residue and some slope

The week of April 17-23 is National Soil Conservation Week this year. As the Soil Conservation Council of Canada says, soil is a big deal. It’s the foundation of agriculture. It’s a precious resource and, as I’ve written before, can easily be lost and degraded. To mark this week, I wanted to share some resources […]

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Ontario’s Agricultural Soil Health and Conservation Strategy Released

Ontario has a new strategy to help ensure the province’s agricultural soils remain healthy and productive for years to come. The Agricultural Soil Health and Conservation Working Group worked for over two years to develop and hone the New Horizons: Ontario’s Agricultural Soil Health and Conservation Strategy. The working group sought input from experts drawn […]

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National Soil Conservation Week – April 15 to 21 2018

National Soil Conservation Week runs from April 15th to 21st, 2018. Soil conservation for many years focused on protecting the soil from wind and water erosion. Today, that is still a focus but the soil is becoming an integral part of the larger environmental picture. Soil conservation is now directly linked with water quality, greenhouse […]

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