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This slake test shows the difference in soil structure between 10 years of tillage (on the left) and 10 years of pasture (on the right). When dropped into water, the chunk of tilled soil quickly breaks apart as water is drawn into unstable pores. On the other hand, the... pasture soil has stable aggregates and macropores that maintain their form in the presence of water. Stable soil aggregates and macropores are formed when soil has the right ratio of cations to allow for flocculation, enough biological activity to stick soil particles together with microbial and root exudates, and sufficient organic matter to drive the cycle. While some tilled soils will have the right chemistry to form a healthy structure, routine tillage simply doesn't allow for the biological activity required to maintain the structure. This results in poor nutrient cycling, drastically reduced water-holding capacity, and topsoil erosion. A slake test is a quick and easy way to grade a soil's structure. Video credit: Ranae Dietzelshow more

Sam Knowlton

30,586 subscribers

141,841 views • 2 years ago •via X (Twitter)

Science & Technology Education Health & Wellness

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Ann Leadbeater🇪🇺🇨🇵🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇨🇦2 years ago

I keep saying ' Cattle are the solution, not the problem ".

REGENETARIANISM תִּקּוּן עוֹלָם2 years ago

Tillage shreds the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi [AMF] networks which exude glomalin, a sticky substance that forms soil aggregates. Bare follows, syn N, and chem-tills with GLY also adversely impact AMF.

Jacob Slusser2 years ago

So compacted pasture soils that result in high runoff and low water infiltration are better? A more informative comparison would have been tillage vs. agroforestry.

Sam Knowlton2 years ago

Compacted soils don't have the conditions to support the biology that creates and maintains soil structure. They typically fall apart quickly in a slake test.

Tony Borgognone2 years ago

We stopped tilling 10 years ago. Big difference. Thanks for all you do. Well done.

Southern Plains Perspective2 years ago

No-till (with covers) has a similar result…you probably know that but I had to throw in a plug for “bio-mimicry.” It also does better if something was grazing on it (think grazing covers or even in our case grazing winter wheat AND covers)

Secure Life Homes www.securelifehomes.com2 years ago

please help explain like to an elementary kid. No till farming proponent? "back to eden" Mulch farming? would like to know more. thanks

Egbert Jonkheer2 years ago

@pabrailey It’s also roots versus no roots? At what depth, in what time of year and after what crop is the sample taken?

Pip2 years ago

@DawsonKristo Love this

Anima Mundi2 years ago

Paging @aspiringpeasant .. z

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