Why do deep roots matter when it comes to regenerative agriculture? Creating conditions that grow deeper and better root systems can increase yield, reduce the need for any fertilizer inputs, sustain plant growth in times of drought, replenish deep down aquifers and store more “locked away” Carbon in soils. While we can easily see the growth above ground what is hard to imagine is the growth below ground. In a typical spring in Oklahoma the growth of 1 acre of responsibly managed grassland may have about 1,000 lbs of standing plant mass above ground and 3,500 lbs of roots below ground in only the top foot of soil!
The definition of Regenerative Agriculture is building new soil using practices based on ecological principles that allow microbes, plants, animals and people to thrive in a symbiotic relationship. The methods of regenerative agriculture values plants with deep roots and they create conditions for maximum root growth. The picture shows an actual size of the root structure of Big Bluestem which is one of the premiere native perennial plants of the Tallgrass Prairie which once covered as much as 180 million acres in N. America. Today there is less than 5% of the Tallgrass Prairie left intact and with it goes many of these deep roots. These plants along with millions of head of Bison and other animals created the deep soils of the Midwest that we are losing at alarming rates today due to highly extractive conventional agriculture methods. Grow deep roots…build soil…suck Carbon out of the atmosphere…replenish depleting aquifers…support regenerative agriculture. You can support regenerative agriculture by purchasing our regenerative grassfed beef, regenerative pastured pork and regenerative pastured chicken or by searching out other regenerative producers.
Mature Big Bluestem Plant – Actual Size
References: https://www.noble.org/news/publications/ag-news-and-views/2018/june/why-roots-matter-to-soil-plants-and-you/
