https://stream.echo6.co/videos/watch/16cc9ad8-cc40-46ff-b68f-2262f0b66191 How might we bring soil back to health, if it's over-tilled, artificially fertilised and often poisoned? In order to achieve long-term environmental health, and grow better harvests more easily? I was approached by Adam O'Toole, a scientist and researcher for the Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy Research, indirectly for the European Union. He wrote: "Up to three quarters of soils in Europe are considered to be in an unhealthy state https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/soil-and-land_en See also the EU soil observatory https://esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu/esdacviewer/euso-dashboard/ EU commission are putting their R and D funds into solving some major societal problems which they have prioritized into 5 missions, including the Soil Mission https://prepsoil.eu/about/the-soil-mission The soil mission aims to reverse soil degradation in Europe by establishing 100 Living Labs on farms around Europe which will lead the way." More info on what living labs are https://prepsoil.eu/living-labs-and-lighthouses The Prepsoil project that Adam worked in https://prepsoil.eu/about/the-prepsoil-project Viewers, please sign the signature campaign to support the Soil Mission Manifesto https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/news/eu-mission-soil-launches-its-manifesto-2023-04-18_en 00:00 Introduction - Adam, EU soil researcher 00:22 My introduction 01:37 Adam explains who he is and what he does 02:20 Q to Adam - How would you define better soil in this context? 03:24 To what extent does dig/no till contribute to arresting the decline of soil health 04:42 Adam explains the ‘Soil Deal for Europe’, a research and development program - scientists working with farmers 08:28 What can the average person do to help? Soil Mission manifesto https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/news/eu-mission-soil-launches-its-manifesto-2023-04-18_en 09:22 Introduction to my son, Jack, and his farm 10:08 Jack explains how UK farmers are farming as sustainably as economics allows, and the condition of his topsoil 11:13 He explains the different grades of soil, and the three soil types within his grade 3 soil - bushy grain, loamy clay and heavy clay 12:12 One of Jack’s fields, direct drilled with wheat - he explains what direct drilling is and why people are starting to do it 14:05 He explains the limitations on how much muck he can spread 14:56 Wheat being grown for Wildfarmed, and Jack explains bi-cropping, see their channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ-e2jCLmdTDKJ6vUcFVrxw Music by Rory Dinwoodie @rorydinwoodiemusic (Instagram). See these videos for more on no dig and the soil: https://youtu.be/ahWvvw2oGHA - no dig results in soil with few weeds https://youtu.be/u0V-5qXQz9U - smaller harvests after forking the soil https://youtu.be/pmm-hKgUDA8 - keep soil growing, and soil keeps growing The EU offered me €1000 for making this video, but I declined to take it because I want it to be clear that this is coming from me, and is not a sponsored missive! You can join this channel by paying a monthly fee, to support our work with helping gardeners grow better, and to receive monthly videos made only for members: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB1J6siDdmhwah7q0O2WJBg/join #soilhealth #soil #organic #growyourownfood #soilmicrobes Mon, 13 Apr 2026 17:43:30 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://stream.echo6.co https://stream.echo6.co/client/assets/images/icons/icon-512x512.png https://stream.echo6.co/videos/watch/16cc9ad8-cc40-46ff-b68f-2262f0b66191 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://stream.echo6.co/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.