Good Bugs, Good Soil, Good Food

I love bugs. I've been known to pick up banana slugs on walks to pet them. I'm sure that they don't appreciate the gesture. For those who are unfamiliar with the banana slug, it's a mollusk that is similar to a snail, although it is much larger and does not have a shell. Banana slugs can grow to be up to thirty centimeters long. I love them. They are recyclers, and they turn leaves into lovely forest soil. When it comes to bugs on my food, though, my reaction is like most people - yuck! Bugs are welcome to live anywhere except my kitchen, and although I value their work I have no particular desire to have them inhabit my home.

They are there anyway, though, and in spades. I just can't see them. Neither can you. But the bugs that make our soil thrive are incredibly important, and on a healthy, organic farm these bugs live all around our food, helping it grow. I'm talking about soil microorganisms, that not-so-sexy but ultimately critical aspect of global biodiversity. Most people would prefer not to think about microorganisms at all. Tiny wriggly things? On our food? Why yes, and in our homes, under our beds, in our clothes, and on our skin. Now that you're all writhing, let me tell you - it's not a bad thing at all.

There can be hundreds of billions of microorganisms in a handful of soil. That handful is a miniature zoo full of mites, nematodes, bacteria, and fungi. What are they doing in soil? Well, they are very busy, actually. They're busy breaking down organic matter into smaller particles of soil, making its nutrients available to plants. Healthy soil humus that is full of microorganisms means that plants can access soil minerals more easily. The soil can hold more water, has a stable pH, and is darker. Dark soil stays warm, and this helps the plants grow. Surprisingly enough, the little critters that do all of this work exist in a thin layer: most soil microorganisms are found in the top few centimeters of soil.

How can we keep these microorganisms happy? Minimizing the chemicals that go onto the soil certainly helps. Soil has its own ecology, and externally-applied chemicals disrupt that ecology. While it's possible to have a successful farm with more pesticides and fewer microorganisms, it's much simpler, less expensive, less toxic and more ecologically sensible to support the life that is already in the soil. By using organic methods of farming that support soil life, we enhance the ability of the soil to feed our plants and our bodies.

So soil microorganisms aren't sexy. These little creatures can't talk, and we don't see them. We only see the results of their work, and those results are profound.