Climate intensified fires, drought, and flooding continue to challenge farmers and residents alike in Sonoma County and beyond. However, there is growing evidence that increasing soil health and climate change mitigation go hand-in-hand.
What’s beneath our feet matters. In 2019, Green Valley got a lift to deepen our journey to increase the land’s soil fertility via a Healthy Soils Program grant through the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). This confirmation letter came on the heels of significant scientific research about the potential of soils to mitigate the impacts of climate chaos in addition to the role that agriculture is playing in global climate change such as the IPCC’s report on agriculture and climate change. Unfortunately, soil health building practices such as compost application, rotational grazing and plant diversification take time and resources to implement and demonstrate two of the biggest challenges farms face with implementation. Enter the Healthy Soils Program. This important funding opportunity provides incentives for climate beneficial agricultural practices by paying stewards for their time and materials.
Realized at Green Valley Farm + Mill through the support of ecologist Lindsay Dailey of Oak Granary, our project received a grant of nearly $50,000 for the implementation of soil and biodiversity building practices that are doing more than just sequestering carbon. Managed by Green Valley co-founder and community herbalist, Aubrie Maze, the project is well underway with many deliverables already met. Aubrie has her eye on a walk-able, harvest-able, and well-tended wildscape, abundant with food and medicine (e.g. elderberries) in addition to increasing pasture health and the cascade of benefits that come from integrating soil health at a landscape scale.
To date we have applied a portion of our grant funding for the installation of hedgerows - long, wide rows of native grasses, forbs, shrubs and trees - whose purpose is to increase plant diversity and provide habitat for local wildlife. These have been planted along riparian tributaries to encourage healthier waterways and provide the plants with easy access to water during drier times of the year. As researchers have known for years, the application of a thin layer of compost on the surface of soil can greatly increase the soil’s water holding capacity and reduce evaporation. To this end, we are pleased to utilize a portion of the funding in support of compost application on our pasture and olive orchard over multiple years as well so that water stays in the ground and slowly feeds to Green Valley Creek during the height of dry times.
The Healthy Soils Program doesn’t stop there, it also funds demonstration projects. While Green Valley did not apply for this type of funding, moving compost and completing plantings is a perfect engagement opportunity to get people connected with the soil. In early 2020 we hosted a team of NRDC staffers from around the country who assisted with this work and learned about the benefits of the program for a project such as ours.
NRDC Staff from the San Francisco, New York, Washington D.C. and Bozeman offices at Green Valley Farm + Mill with co-owners Temra Costa and Aubrie Maze
As the climate crisis continues to intensify, we are committed to engaging with solutions that can scale regenerative land-based solutions to climate change including carbon sequestration, biodiversity enhancement, fuel load reduction of our forest, and water retention bolstering practices for greater resilience on the human and non-human scale. For this we’re grateful that funding existed to get us on our way and hope that this will continue to be available for others.
If you’re interested in staying in the loop about climate smart farming policy programs such as the Healthy Soils Program, we recommend following CalCAN for statewide program and policy updates and/or signing up for our quarterly newsletter.