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4 The Soil: A Conversation - Podcast

4 The Soil: A Conversation

Soil. What is it, really? It’s more than the dirt under our feet and the ground we stand on.

Soil is living and life-giving.

Listen as we unlock the mysteries of soil by speaking with people at the forefront of the soil health movement.

“4 The Soil: A Conversation” is part of the 4 The Soil Awareness Campaign led by Virginia Cooperative Extension and the Virginia Soil Health Coalition. The campaign’s purpose is to raise awareness of soil as an agricultural and natural resource critical to social, economic, and environmental health.

Hear and learn from farmers, agricultural professionals, conservation leaders, master gardeners, and many more on how and why to be 4 The Soil.

The podcast is a collaboration of Virginia Tech's School of Plant and Environmental Sciences and Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation, Virginia Cooperative Extension, On The Farm Radio, USDA-NRCS, and the Virginia Soil Health Coalition with specific funding from the Agua Fund, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and Virginia Tech’s Department of Agriculture, Leadership, and Community Education’s Community Viability grant program.

Stay tuned for the release of our first episode in October!

Science Life Sciences Education
Update frequency
every 13 days
Average duration
18 minutes
Episodes
109
Years Active
2021 - 2025
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S5 - E19: Agroecological Dynamics of Soil Health with Kasper Krabbe of Aarhus University, Pt. I

S5 - E19: Agroecological Dynamics of Soil Health with Kasper Krabbe of Aarhus University, Pt. I

When you close your eyes, how do you envision your farm and soil ecosystem? What ideals, values, and priorities are part of your vision and farm business model? Kasper Krabbe, a doctoral student at A…
00:18:47  |   Tue 16 Sep 2025
S5 - E18: Round Bale Grazing for Soil Health with Dr. Summer Thomas, Pt. II

S5 - E18: Round Bale Grazing for Soil Health with Dr. Summer Thomas, Pt. II

Feeding hay to livestock in the winter is very expensive, and often results in a sacrifice lot where manure gathers. At the same time, manure is considered gold because of its nutrient content, abili…
00:18:29  |   Tue 02 Sep 2025
S5 - E17: Everything Good Starts with the Soil with Dr. Summer Thomas, Pt. I

S5 - E17: Everything Good Starts with the Soil with Dr. Summer Thomas, Pt. I

Everything good starts with the soil and a conservation stewardship mindset. In the 101st episode, Dr. Summer Thomas, education and outreach specialist with the Virginia Soil Health Coalition, explai…
00:17:59  |   Tue 19 Aug 2025
S5 - E16: Celebrating Our 100th Podcast Episode with Jeff, Mary, and Eric

S5 - E16: Celebrating Our 100th Podcast Episode with Jeff, Mary, and Eric

During this 100th episode of 4 The Soil: A Conversation, Jeff, Mary, and Eric take a look back at some of the most memorable topics and guests. They share how (and why) the podcast started in 2021, a…
00:18:13  |   Tue 05 Aug 2025
S5 - E15: Building Confidence and Knowledge through Mentorship with Dara Booher, Pt. II

S5 - E15: Building Confidence and Knowledge through Mentorship with Dara Booher, Pt. II

Building confidence and knowledge through mentorship is necessary for farmers to overcome fears and take bigger steps towards meeting their goals. Dara Booher wears many educational hats. Dara is the…
00:17:53  |   Tue 22 Jul 2025
S5 - E14: Youth Education and Soil Health with Dara Booher, Pt. I

S5 - E14: Youth Education and Soil Health with Dara Booher, Pt. I

Soil and agriculture provide us with something every day. Dara Booher is an agricultural educator with Shenandoah County Public Schools and a farmer-mentor coordinator with the Virginia Forage and Gr…
00:18:38  |   Tue 08 Jul 2025
S5 - E13: Seven Generations of Stewarding the Land with Susan Watkins

S5 - E13: Seven Generations of Stewarding the Land with Susan Watkins

In this episode of the podcast, Jeff Ishee chats with Susan Watkins of Watkins Farms in Dinwiddie County Virginia, a 3500 acre farm growing soybeans, corn, and wheat. Susan shares information about t…
00:17:45  |   Tue 24 Jun 2025
S5 - E12: A Whole Community with Elizabeth McMullen and Garland Mason of Organic Valley, Pt. II

S5 - E12: A Whole Community with Elizabeth McMullen and Garland Mason of Organic Valley, Pt. II

The three-year transition to certified organic farming can present a formidable challenge for farmers. A whole community working together can make the process smoother. In this second episode, Elizab…
00:17:31  |   Tue 10 Jun 2025
S5 - E11: Common Ties: Cooperation and Sustainability with Elizabeth McMullen and Garland Mason of Organic Valley, Pt. I

S5 - E11: Common Ties: Cooperation and Sustainability with Elizabeth McMullen and Garland Mason of Organic Valley, Pt. I

Public Relations Specialist Elizabeth McMullen and Sustainability Funding and Communications Specialist Garland Mason of Organic Valley Cooperative join Mary and Eric to share about the common ties t…
00:18:29  |   Tue 27 May 2025
S5 - E10: Farmers Talking with Farmers with Anthony Beery of Beery Farms, Part II

S5 - E10: Farmers Talking with Farmers with Anthony Beery of Beery Farms, Part II

Farmers talking with farmers is key to building soil health, encouraging innovation, and expanding peer-to-peer mentoring. Anthony Beery of Beery Farms and Cumberland Hay and Straw LLC shares his jou…
00:16:53  |   Tue 13 May 2025
S5 - E9: Soil Health is Attainable with Anthony Beery of Beery Farms, Part I

S5 - E9: Soil Health is Attainable with Anthony Beery of Beery Farms, Part I

Soil health is attainable. Anthony Beery of Beery Farms and Cumberland Hay and Straw LLC shares that message with Mary Sketch Bryant and Jeff Ishee based on his farming experience and journey. Anthon…
00:16:16  |   Tue 29 Apr 2025
S5 - E8: Ins and Outs of Compost Tea with Nicky Schauder of Permaculture Gardens, Part II

S5 - E8: Ins and Outs of Compost Tea with Nicky Schauder of Permaculture Gardens, Part II

In this episode, Nicky Schauder of Permaculture Gardens continues the conversation about permaculture and the ins and outs of compost tea with Mary Sketch Bryant, Marian Dalke, and Jeff Ishee. Nicky …
00:18:40  |   Tue 15 Apr 2025
S5 - E7: Grow-It-Yourself (GIY) with Nicky Schauder of Permaculture Gardens, Part I

S5 - E7: Grow-It-Yourself (GIY) with Nicky Schauder of Permaculture Gardens, Part I

Nicky Schauder and her family started Permaculture Gardens to make permaculture and growing food accessible to everyone - especially families and children. Nicky shares her story and experience with …
00:16:37  |   Tue 01 Apr 2025
S5 - E6: Education first and foremost with Nicole Shuman of Cornerstone Farm, Part II

S5 - E6: Education first and foremost with Nicole Shuman of Cornerstone Farm, Part II

Nicole Shuman is a community agriculturalist and educator at Cornerstone Farm at Fairfield Middle School in Henrico County, VA. Nicole shares that education is the first and foremost goal of Cornerst…
00:18:04  |   Tue 18 Mar 2025
S5 - E5: Hands-On Community Agriculture Work with Nicole Shuman of Cornerstone Farm, Part I

S5 - E5: Hands-On Community Agriculture Work with Nicole Shuman of Cornerstone Farm, Part I

Context is foundational to authentic, experiential learning, and understanding how to build soil health within a landscape context. Hands-on educational activities and programs help students of all a…
00:18:13  |   Tue 04 Mar 2025
S5 - E4: Cultivating Wellness from the Soil Up with Farmer Cee of Green Heffa Farms, Part II

S5 - E4: Cultivating Wellness from the Soil Up with Farmer Cee of Green Heffa Farms, Part II

Clarenda "Farmer Cee" Stanley of Green Heffa Farms is someone who does not take health and wellness for granted but actively seeks to catalyze and cultivate wellness from the soil up. Farmer Cee is t…
00:18:23  |   Tue 18 Feb 2025
S5 - E3: Defying Obstacles, Bringing Voices to Sustainability with Farmer Cee of Green Heffa Farms, Part I

S5 - E3: Defying Obstacles, Bringing Voices to Sustainability with Farmer Cee of Green Heffa Farms, Part I

Defying obstacles, honoring the land, and giving voice to sustainability and business ethics requires commitment and dedication to a vision. Clarenda "Farmer Cee" Stanley is a visionary entrepreneur,…
00:17:18  |   Tue 04 Feb 2025
S5 - E2: Understanding Context, Establishing Baselines with Rick Clark of Farm Green, Part II

S5 - E2: Understanding Context, Establishing Baselines with Rick Clark of Farm Green, Part II

Understanding context and establishing baselines are critical for developing systematic approaches to change for the right reasons. Rick Clark of Clark Land & Cattle and Farm Green Consulting is a fi…
00:19:08  |   Tue 21 Jan 2025
S5 - E1: Commitment and System Balance with Rick Clark of Farm Green, Part I

S5 - E1: Commitment and System Balance with Rick Clark of Farm Green, Part I

Building soil health and finding system balance requires commitment, fortitude, adaptability, and working with Mother Nature. Rick Clark of Clark Land & Cattle and Farm Green Consulting is a fifth-ge…
00:18:30  |   Tue 07 Jan 2025
S4 - E26: A Regional Food System Perspective with Maureen and Mo of LEAP, Part II

S4 - E26: A Regional Food System Perspective with Maureen and Mo of LEAP, Part II

Our conversation with Maureen McNamara Best and Maureen "Mo" McGonagle on regional food system development and networks continues this week with a specific focus on food as medicine. Maureen McNamara…
00:19:14  |   Tue 17 Dec 2024
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