Agricultural producers have access to many on-farm and laboratory tests to understand the fertility, condition and even biological activity rates within their soil. Yet it is still difficult to envision the microscopic life that makes agricultural production possible.

The Capital RC&D “Life in the Soil” video series helps bridge the gap between test results and images seen in books and on the web with the soils found and production practices used on farms throughout Pennsylvania.

With support from USDA-NRCS, Capital RC&D staff collaborated with NRCS field staff, advisors and landowners to identify sites representing a range of agricultural practices and used soil samples from these sites to produce video images of the microscopic life present.

The practices include no-till and conventional tillage crop fields, grazing lands, and other conservation plantings.

Each of the 9 videos feature images taken of the activity above ground as well as images of the microscopic soil particles, debris, and life present in soil at each site. This series provides a tool that allows producers to visualize the microscopic activity in their own and neighboring fields.

NRCS, conservation district or agency staff are welcome to incorporate any segment of the video series into presentations or demonstrations as desired. Videos may be included as embedded objects or shared through a variety of offline formats.

The video titles include--

-- No-Till Corn, Native Grass Buffers In York County;

-- Grazing In Forest and Washington Counties;

-- No-Till Corn In Columbia County;

-- Organic Pasture For Franklin County Dairy;

-- No-Till Soybeans, Sorghum Sudangrass In Centre County;

-- First Year Corn Production After Cool Season Grass Buffer In Columbia County;

-- Cover Crops, No-Till Corn Production In Clinton County;

-- Pasture In Lebanon County; and

-- Woodland Soil In Cumberland County.

The “Life in the Soil” video series and additional soil health links are available online.

For more information on programs, initiatives and upcoming events, visit the Capital RC&D website or contact Cheryl Burns at Capital RC&D at 717-241-4361 or send email to: cburns@capitalrcd.org. 

2/1/2016