Soul Soil

06/09/2024

Thank you for coming out to our first workshop! What an awesome group. We hope your experience was a positive one. We all learned a lot and we’re reflecting on what we might revise to make the next one better.

Special thanks to Matthew Gates for hopping in on this with us and a special thanks to The Bertling Ranch for teaming up with us to do this. We’re looking forward to many more in the future. 🌱🙏🏼

05/23/2024

We’re now offering a residential lawn spraying service for the healthiest and greenest yard on the block… WITHOUT CHEMICALS!

Our all natural spray is a biologically rich form of nitrogen and amino acids ready to shower your grass with yummy love. Get your lawn healthy, green, in shape and ready to retain more moisture as the summer heat creeps in. 🌱

05/07/2024

Do you focus on biology in your soil and compost?

Adding biological diversity to your soil has many benefits, a few of which are:
Increased nutrient cycling
Better water retention
Increased yields
Better plant health
Better plant growth
Deeper roots
Disease resistance

This biology can be added via compost, compost tea, IMO (a Korean Natural Farming Method), JADAM Microbial Solution, etc.

Need help? We can get you started!
SoulSoil.net

04/17/2024

One of these samples was pretty lifeless while the other had some life, but to be honest both were deficient of diverse biology other than bacteria.

Awareness still needs to be raised in this area of soil, gardening & farming. Most folks look at you like a deer in headlights when you start chatting about microbiology, which is why we don’t judge when it’s not there. We do however want to help raise awareness. Diversity of microbiology in your compost and soil is of the absolute utmost importance, yet it is what most compost available to us is missing, and the vast majority of gardeners are clueless about it.

Without even second guessing… if we needed an outside source for compost it would come from a place like . We would joyfully pay the higher price for high quality living compost that is teaming with bacteria, fungi, nematodes, protozoa and the rest of the soil-food-web. Why? Because most compost available on the market is either dead or struggling biologically.

Learn more about all of this at our upcoming workshop at on June 8th. Tickets are availability through our website. We hope to see you there!

04/16/2024

Join us at The Bertling Ranch on Saturday, June 8th for an amazing, unique and extremely valuable workshop!

Learn how to easily create your own high quality bio-fertilizers using a biological liquid you’ll make yourself… all at almost NO COST whatsoever. Dig into the fascinating world of soil microbiology, how important it is and how it’s linked to our bodies and health. Then sit with a highly respected integrated pest management specialist to learn about pest control with a special Q&A at the end.

Space is limited so get your tickets now! We hope to see you there!
SoulSoil.net/workshop

04/14/2024

Do you grow Comfrey? How do you use it?

Comfrey is a wonderful medicine as well as an amazing resource for the garden. Listen in as Chad and Penelope share some of it’s benefits and why they love it so much. 🌱

04/09/2024

A lil more about soil…

Dirt with life in it…The soil food web is a simple diagram showing a bit of how this works!

Sun ~ Water ~ Air

From here…we have eating and p**ping! A system that includes photosynthesizers, decomposers, and many predators, bringing a series of dynamic relationship exchanges that are essential to plant growth.

Each critter excreting nutrients into a plant available solution for what the plant will need to grow. A fascinating communication network that is symbiotically shared throughout this underground world of life.

There are different ways to help kickstart this biological process. But first, let’s start with a microscopic view (biological analysis) that can help us get an idea of what is present. Therefore, it will also give an idea of what we need to add into the system to get all these critters eating and p**ping the nutrients that your plants need to thrive.

This is teaching us to reconnect with nature, as we are nature.

“For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.” Genesis 3:19

ps...If you are attending the Health and Homestead Conference April 13th (www.healthandhomesteading.com), come by our booth for a visit! We’d love to nerd out with you!

04/03/2024

What is soil?

To me, soil is dirt with life in it, from which, all life comes forth, and returns. It is a biological living system that has been in decline for many years, and now we can taste, smell, and see this deficiency in our fruits and vegetables. We can see this decline in human and animal health, as well as our air and water. Rather than focusing on what is yucky here, I want to share what we can do to help change this.

I like to start with water and mulch (organic matter). Without water there is no life, and when there isn’t organic matter and roots, the surface of the soil is bare, and therefore, water quickly evaporates and the surface is bare. Much like an open wound waiting for a soothing bandage to cover, so that it can heal.

Mulch and roots are a bandage. Mulch is organic materials that can be added to the topsoil that can help hold water by acting as a sponge, inviting microbiology home to eat and p**p. This “p**p loop” is the beginning of the nutrient cycling system and will add to the topsoil. This system is balanced within a symbiotic communication system with a diversity of plant roots, fungi, bacteria, protozoa, nematodes, micro & macro arthropods, and the rest of the local critters in the ecosystems that play a role.

When looking at a soil sample under a microscope, we can get an idea of what life is present, identify some problem areas and then look at some solutions that can help regenerate the soil with what is needed to help bring balance back to the system, so that it can cycle on its own.

Soil is an alien territory that’s a fun new discovery all the time, and I hope we can help you understand more about your soils!

Ps… If you plan on attending the Health and Homestead Conference April 13th (www.healthandhomesteading.com), I hope you come by and visit us at our booth! Soil health is our passion, and we are here to serve. Thank you 🌿💚🌿

03/31/2024

The list of negative impacts spraying glyphosate and other herbicides has is long. Here Penelope chats about one of those negative effects… erosion. When we spray these cancer causing chemicals onto the ground to kill vegetation in the name of safety or visual appeal, we in turn take away the sponge affect the soil had when there were live, active roots in the ground. The soil then begins to wash away where water channels are created, causing ruts and major erosion. When native grasses, shrubs and trees are allowed to grow they create a natural sponge to catch and retain water, bottlenecking it’s rush and slowing it down which in turn causes much less erosion, if any.

The best way to battle erosion is to have roots in the ground during the rainy season. Here in Southern California our rainy season happens to be the season our native plants and grasses flourish and thrive. Native plants don’t need much of our help either. Just cut them down after they seed, before the fire season starts so they’ll come back on their own next rainy season… when you’ll need them again. 🤓🌱

03/09/2024

What are w**ds? Well, there really isn’t such a thing. Weeds are unwanted or undesirable plants that mankind has labeled and categorized into a box marked as “BAD”… and you’ve been domesticated to believe this is true. Take for example this dandelion. This plant is considered a pesky “w**d”. But is it? Or is it something that interrupts man’s desire to live in a tidy, fake world of ticky-tacky?

You may think you’re looking at a w**d, but you’re really looking at one of nature’s medicines. The dandelion has medicinal properties from it leaf tips to it’s roots. Every part, including the flowers, are both edible and medicinal. They contain nutrients that can be utilized by our body or by our gardens.

California city and suburb culture are filled with fake synthetic lawns, fancy irrigated hillsides, perfectly manicured yards and lots of concrete. Little to no natural landscape. Little to no native plants (although many dandelions here aren’t native). Both of which give life and shelter to native, indigenous life forms. This demand for a clean cut, tidy landscape that appeases the HOA alongside the false idea that there’s such a thing as “w**ds” has led us to overlook natural remedies provided by Mother Earth.

So remember, that w**d you’ve been domesticated to hate could be a food or medicine for your body or garden. Harvest the non-native invasive species rather than spreading their seed with lawn mowers. Allow the native ones to flourish. Plants show up for a reason. Everything belongs.
**ds

03/03/2024

Whatever your context… whatever your needs… we’re here to help!

SoulSoil.net

Send a message to learn more

02/28/2024

Our website is now live if you’d like to learn a bit about us. 🌱
SoulSoil.net

02/25/2024

Who is Soul Soil?
Lovers of the soil, coffee, life and each other… Chad and Penelope have years of combined experience and knowledge when it comes to gardening and farming food. We offer an organic, natural and biologically diverse approach to our work. We both hold certifications yes, but anyone can obtain a certificate. The real benefit is we offer our passion and love for this work from a nonjudgmental position that fits your context, your culture and your beliefs. No judgement, no expectations… just open hearts and open minds ready to serve what fits best for you. 🌱