Each of the flowers in this painting belongs to a different
species of cover crop. Together, they demonstrate one of the
key conditions for healthy soil and a healthy planet: diversity.
Nature’s complexity is not only beautiful, but also creates the
intricate relationships that support the very existence
of life on Earth.
So what are cover crops? Cover crops feed the soil
the way healthy food nourishes our own bodies.
Cover crops are a critical tool for maintaining
healthy soil. So why does soil health matter?
Soil is the foundation of life below and
above ground, hosting a diversity of
organisms that is almost too great
for us to comprehend--there are
more organisms in a teaspoon of soil
than there are people on the planet!
But conventional agriculture has been
waging a war against these microscopic
communities since the advent of
chemical pesticides, herbicides and
insecticides. After all, “-cide” refers
to "an act of killing." It turns out
we aren't just killing the "pests."
These chemicals destroy the crucial
relationships within and above the
soil that nature has ingeniously
created to sustain itself.
Cover crops can help to reverse this damage.
They can bring lost biodiversity back to farms,
build and conserve top soil, create habitat for pollinators
and beneficial organisms, provide food for microorganisms,
help to restore our water-cycle, sequester carbon, reduce
reliance on toxic pesticides, and ultimately, help us to grow
healthy and nutritious food to feed our communities.
