IN ACTION.

>> SO, A HERO OF MINE IS GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER, AND HE SAID, "IN NATURE, THERE IS NO WASTE."

>> WHEN YOU DON'T PLOW THE GROUND ALL THE MICROORGANISMS IN THE SOIL REALLY THRIVE IN THAT ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NATURE.

>> FIGHTING NATURE IS AN EXPENSIVE, EXPENSIVE, COSTLY PROCESS.

AND SHE'S GOING TO WIN.

♪ ♪ >> Jennie: BLUFFTON, GEORGIA IS THE HOME TO WHITE OAK PASTURES, A FAMILY FARM THAT'S SEEN LOTS OF CHANGES OVER THE YEARS.

♪ ♪ >> MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER CAME TO THIS FARM IN 1866, AND HE RAN THE FARM FOLLOWED BY HIS SON, MY GRANDFATHER WHO RAN THE FARM, FOLLOWED BY HIS SON, MY FATHER, WHO RAN THE FARM, FOLLOWED BY ME, WHO CURRENTLY RUNS THE FARM WITH THE HELP OF TWO OF MY DAUGHTERS, JENNI AND JODI AND THEIR SPOUSES.

WAS THAT I HAD TO WORK FOR SOMEONE ELSE BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO RETURN HOME, WHICH SUITED ME JUST FINE.

I HAD VERY LITTLE INTEREST MOVING TO BLUFFTON, POPULATION 100.

SO, I MOVED TO ATLANTA.

IT WASN'T FULFILLING IN THE WAYS THAT I THOUGHT I NEEDED FULFILLING.

SO, I TOLD MY DAD I WANTED TO RETURN HOME AND HE ALLOWED ME TO DO SO.

I BECAME THE MARKETING MANAGER FOR THE FARM.

♪ ♪ >> INDUSTRIAL CENTRALIZED COMMODITY FARMING HAS BEEN, ECONOMICALLY, A DISASTER FOR RURAL AMERICA.

I HAVE SEEN LITTLE TOWNS AND VILLAGES, FARMING COMMUNITIES DRY UP, DESICCATE, BECOME GHOST TOWNS BECAUSE INDUSTRIAL COMMODITY-CENTRALIZED AGRICULTURE MADE THEM IRRELEVANT, DIDN'T NEED THEM ANYMORE.

POST WORLD WAR II, STARTING ABOUT 1946 OR SO, BIG GROCERY AND FOOD SERVICE, BIG MULTINATIONAL FOOD COMPANIES AND INDUSTRIAL FACTORY FARMING STARTED.

THOSE THREE ABERRATIONS CO-EVOLVED AND THEY'RE CODEPENDENT.

ONE CAN'T MAKE IT WITHOUT THE OTHER TWO.

THE TWO CAN'T MAKE IT WITHOUT THE OTHER ONE.

AND, THE EFFECT WAS IT MADE FOOD CHEAP AND ABUNDANT AND SAFE, AND I WOULD SAY IT MADE IT OBSCENELY CHEAP AND WASTEFULLY ABUNDANT AND BORINGLY CONSISTENT.

AND, THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF ALL THAT OBSCENELY CHEAP FOOD FELL ON THE BACKS OF THE WELFARE OF THE ANIMALS, THE DEGRADATION OF THE LAND, THE AIR, THE WATER, AND THE IMPOVERISHMENT OF RURAL AMERICA.

SO, SUPPORTING THAT KIND OF SYSTEM, AS WE'VE ALL DONE FOR THE LAST 75 YEARS IS JUST, IS JUST HORRIBLY WRONG.

♪ ♪ SO, WE RUN THIS FARM WITH THREE BASIC TENETS.

THE ECONOMIC BASE OF THE RURAL COMMUNITY.

GOOD ANIMAL WELFARE MEANS CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THE ANIMALS CAN EXPRESS INSTINCTIVE BEHAVIOR.

COWS WERE MEANT TO ROAM AND GRAZE.

HOGS WERE MEANT TO ROOT AND WALLOW.

CHICKENS WERE MEANT TO SCRATCH AND PECK, AND THE INDUSTRIAL CONFINEMENT MODEL DOESN'T ALLOW THAT.

THAT CREATES 24/7 STRESS ON THOSE ANIMALS AND IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, WELFARE.

FOR ME, GOOD LAND MANAGEMENT MEANT YOU PUT WHATEVER INPUTS OUT THERE WERE AVAILABLE TO MAXIMIZE THE YIELD, AND THAT'S JUST NOT RIGHT.

WHEN I SAY INPUTS, I AM REFERRING TO CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS, PESTICIDES, TILLAGE, SUBTHERAPEUTIC ANTIBIOTICS.

REDUCTIONIST SCIENCE DEVELOPED THOSE TOOLS TO JACK UP PRODUCTION AND LOWER PER-UNIT COST, AND IT WAS INCREDIBLY EFFECTIVE, BUT IT HAD HORRIBLE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

PART OF THE INDUSTRIALIZATION IS CENTRALIZATION, AND CENTRALIZATION MEANT YOU PRODUCED THE RAW MATERIALS OUT HERE IN THE COUNTRY, AND YOU SHIP IT SOMEWHERE TO ADD VALUE IN HUGE PLANTS.

IN MOST CASES, PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT THOSE HUGE MEATPACKING PLANTS WITH THOUSANDS OF EMPLOYEES AND MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF FLUID WASHING OUT THE BOTTOM.

PRIOR TO THAT, IT HAD BEEN, OUT HERE, DECENTRALIZED, CREATING JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES AND ADDING THE VALUE OUT HERE FOR MORE LOCAL MARKETING OPPORTUNITY.

WHITE OAK PASTURES IS ABOUT 3,200 ACRES IN BLUFFTON, GEORGIA.

IT'S DIVIDED INTO ABOUT 130-ISH-ACRE PADDOCKS.

AND, THROUGH THESE PADDOCKS, WE ROTATE 10 SPECIES, AND WE HAND-BUTCHER THEM ON THE FARM HERE IN USDA-INSPECTED SLAUGHTERHOUSES THAT WE BUILT.

WE ALSO RAISE PASTURED EGGS, CERTIFIED ORGANIC VEGETABLES, HONEY AND A NUMBER OF OTHER PRODUCTS THAT THE LAND YIELDS.

MORE-IS-BETTER FARMER FROM THE TIME I GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE IN 1976 TO THE MID '90S.

TOWARDS THE MID '90S, I BECAME INCREASINGLY AWARE OF THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF THAT PRODUCTION MODEL, SO I GRADUALLY STARTED MOVING AWAY FROM IT.

WILL HARRIS THINKS OTHERWISE.

>> ARE VEGETABLE BURGERS BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT?

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

YOU KNOW, I'M NOT ONE OF THOSE STOCKMEN THAT BELIEVES THAT NO ONE SHOULD BE A VEGETARIAN.

AND, IF A PERSON TELLS ME THAT THEY'VE CHOSEN THAT BECAUSE THEY JUST CAN'T BEAR TO EAT AN ANIMAL THAT'S LIVED, I ACCEPT IT.

BUT YOU CANNOT TELL ME IT'S BECAUSE IT'S BETTER FOR THE EARTH, THAT WE ACTUALLY SEQUESTER 3.5 POUNDS OF CARBON DIOXIDE EQUIVALENT FOR EVERY POUND OF BEEF THAT WE SELL.

FARMING PRACTICES.

>> REGENERATIVE LAND MANAGEMENT IS RESTARTING THE CYCLES OF NATURE, THE WATER CYCLE, ENERGY CYCLE, MINERAL CYCLE, MICROBIAL CYCLE, GRAZING CYCLE.

INDUSTRIAL FARMING BREAKS THOSE CYCLES.

THE USE OF CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS, PESTICIDES, TILLAGE, SUBTHERAPEUTIC ANTIBIOTICS, BREAK THOSE CYCLES.

WHEN THE PRINCIPLES OF NATURE, WHICH INCLUDES ANIMAL IMPACT, ARE PUT INTO PLAY, THOSE CYCLES ARE RESTARTED.

WHEN A RUMINANT, IN MY CASE, COW, SHEEP OR GOAT, BITES A MATURE PERENNIAL PLANT, IT'S ACTUALLY MAKING THE PLANT MORE HEALTHY.

IT'S REGROWING.

IT'S PULLING GREENHOUSE GASSES, THROUGH PHOTOSYNTHESIS, OUT OF THE ATMOSPHERE AND MITIGATING CLIMATE CHANGE.

IT'S SYMBIOTIC.

A ZERO WASTE CULTURE.

>> SO, A HERO OF MINE IS GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER, AND HE SAID, "IN NATURE, THERE IS NO WASTE."

NOW, THAT'S PROFOUND.

IN NATURE, THERE'S NO POLLUTION.

THERE'S NO LANDFILLS.

EVERYTHING IS CYCLED.

WASTE IS PRODUCED WHEN YOU HAVE A LINEAR, SCALABLE PROGRAM.

A FARM IS NOT MEANT TO BE A LINEAR SCALABLE PROGRAM.

IT'S MEANT TO BE A CYCLABLE PROGRAM.

WE TALK ABOUT BIRTH, GROWTH, DEATH, DECAY, BIRTH, GROWTH, DEATH, DECAY, BIRTH, GROWTH, DEATH, DECAY.

NOTHING SPINS OFF.

IN POULTRY, ABATTOIR OR SLAUGHTERHOUSE GENERATES ABOUT NINE TONS A DAY OF WHAT'S CALLED PACKING PLANT WASTE.

FOR US, IT'S A NUTRIENT STREAM.

WE TAKE THAT WASTE MATERIAL, AND WE COMPOST IT.

THEN, WE BROADCAST THAT BACK AND IT WORKS MAGIC ON THE SOIL.

THIS LAND DOESN'T LOOK REAL GOOD BECAUSE THE HOGS HAVE BEEN IMPACTING IT DRAMATICALLY.

WE DID OPEN IT UP SO YOU CAN SEE THESE BONES.

THESE BONES YOU SEE HERE HAVE BEEN COMPOSTED.

THESE ARE LIKE TREASURE TROVES OF MINERALS THAT'LL GO TO REMINERALIZE THE SOIL.

MICROBES ARE WORKING ON THIS.

THESE MICROBES TRADE THAT MINERAL THAT THEY HAVE IN EXCESS BECAUSE THEY PULLED IT OUT OF THIS BONE FOR THAT SUGAR, THAT ENERGY THAT THEY NEED FOR SYMBIOSIS.

IT'S SYMBIOTIC.

EVERYBODY WINS.

>> IN SELLING GRASS-FED BEEF AND PASTURED POULTRY TO CONSUMERS FOR CONSUMPTION, THAT PART WAS A GIVEN.

BUT, DAD'S INITIATIVE FOR ZERO WASTE MEANT THAT THERE WAS A DECENT AMOUNT OF FAT GOING TO COMPOST.

AND, IN COMPOSTING FAT, IT FORMS AN IMPERMEABLE LAYER ON THE GROUND WHICH KEEPS VEGETATION FROM RECOVERING, YOU KNOW, YEARS LATER.

SO, A FEW EMPLOYEES WERE CREATIVE ENOUGH TO COME UP WITH A SOAP RECIPE AND STARTED MAKING TALLOW SOAP IN THEIR KITCHEN.

>> WE DO TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN THE FACT THAT WE USE ALL PARTS OF THE ANIMAL.

THAT WAS NOT ALWAYS TRUE.

WHEN WE FIRST STARTED, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO THAT.

WE HAVE FIGURED IT OUT AND WE WERE BENEFITED BY A CHANGING MARKET.

LATER ON, WE DEVELOPED MARKETS FOR THE COMMONLY CONSUMED ORGAN MEATS LIKE LIVER AND HEART AND KIDNEYS.

SO, WE LESSENED THAT WASTE STREAM.

>> ONE PRODUCT LED TO ANOTHER BECAUSE WE REALIZED THAT THE SAME CUSTOMERS THAT CARED A LOT ABOUT THE ANIMAL WELFARE FOR THE MEAT THAT THEY WERE EATING, THAT CARRIED OVER INTO OTHER PARTS OF THEIR LIVES.

IT DIDN'T HAVE TO JUST BE ABOUT THE FOOD THEY CONSUMED, BUT THE SOAPS THAT THEY WASHED WITH OR THE BELTS THAT THEY WORE OR THE PURSES THAT THEY CARRIED.

AND SO, THE INSPIRATION, REALLY, IT'S EVER-CHANGING AND EVOLVING, AND IT'S WITH CONSUMERS THAT, YOU KNOW, SAY, "WHAT ABOUT A COMPUTER CASE?

>> HIDES, AT ONE TIME, WE WOULD LITERALLY THROW THEM AWAY OR COMPOST THEM.

NOW WE SEND THEM TO BE VEGETABLE-TANNED TO MAKE BEAUTIFUL PURSES AND WALLETS AND BELTS AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

THE HIDES THAT WE DON'T HAVE TANNED, WE MAKE RAWHIDE PET TREATS OUT OF.

BONES, WE MAKE BROTH AND DEMI-GLACE.

THE WASTE STREAM HAS BECOME NARROWER AND NARROWER.

>> WE KNOW THAT THERE'S DEMAND FOR PRODUCTS LIKE OURS, AND WE KNOW THAT NOBODY CAN TELL OUR STORY BETTER THAN US.

YOU KNOW, WE CAN HIGHLIGHT THE PEOPLE WHO RAISED IT, HIGHLIGHT THE PEOPLE WHO BUTCHERED IT, HIGHLIGHT THE PEOPLE WHO COOK IT.

WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE CATTLE, NOT ABOUT THE PRODUCT.

WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE COMPLIMENTARY THINGS LIKE CANDLES AND SOAP.

WE CAN HELP MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS FOR CONSUMERS THAT I THINK INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE REALLY WORKED HARD TO DISCONNECT.

AND, I THINK THAT'S SPECIAL.

>> Jennie: WE OFTEN THINK ABOUT FARMING AS WHAT WE CAN GET FROM THE EARTH.

WE SHOULD ALSO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN GIVE BACK.

THE AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST BRINGS TOGETHER FARMERS AND ORGANIZATIONS ALL IN THE NAME OF CONSERVATION.

♪ ♪ IN A HOLISTIC MANNER.

THE THREE LEGS TO OUR MISSION ARE FARMLAND PROTECTION, KEEPING FARMERS ON THE LAND, AND SOUND FARMING PRACTICES.

OVER THE LAST 40 YEARS, WE HAVE PERMANENTLY PROTECTED SEVEN MILLION ACRES, AND ANOTHER 300 MILLION ACRES THROUGH CONSERVATION PRACTICES.

>> Jennie: ONE OF THEIR AMBITIOUS PROJECTS EXPLORES THE SURPRISING BENEFITS OF RAISING RYE.

SO TELL ME ABOUT THE RYE PROJECT.

>> THE GOAL IS TO HAVE A KENTUCKY FOCUS RYE, TO BRING RYE BACK TO KENTUCKY, BACK TO THE US, SO THAT WE ARE NOT ONLY REDUCING OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT FROM IMPORTING RYE, THAT WE ARE SINKING CARBON WITH THIS INNOVATIVE CROP.

>> HISTORICALLY, KENTUCKY FARMERS GREW ALMOST ALL OF THE INGREDIENTS FOR THE BOURBON INDUSTRY; CORN, WHEAT, BARLEY, AND RYE.

AND OVER THE LAST COUPLE DECADES, PRODUCTION HAS REALLY SHIFTED AWAY FROM GROWING ALL THOSE INGREDIENTS AND REALLY FOCUSING ON TWO CROPS, AND THAT'S CORN AND SOY.

>> Jennie: SO TELL ME WHAT RYE IS USED FOR PRIMARILY?

>> AS AN INGREDIENT FOR DISTILLING, BREWING, BAKING, AND ANIMAL FEED.

SO WE'RE TAKING AN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT, AND WE'RE REINTRODUCING IT INTO THESE KEY COMPONENTS THAT CLEARLY ARE ALIGNED WITH KENTUCKY'S IDENTITY AS AN AG LEADER.

SO WOODFORD RESERVE HAS ALREADY AGREED TO BUY RYE FROM OUR FARMERS.

BUT WE'RE ALSO BRINGING OTHER DISTILLERS ACROSS THE BOURBON INDUSTRY INTO THE RYE PROJECT.

RYE IS BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE WE'RE HARVESTING THE SEED FROM A COVER CROP, AND THE COVER CROP IS IMPROVING THE SOIL HEALTH, AND IT'S SINKING CARBON, ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

SO IT'S A WIN-WIN-WIN.

IS RIGHT NOW IN ITS DEVELOPMENT?

>> WELL, IT'S BEEN PLANTED FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS NOW, AND YOU CAN SEE IT'S NOT VERY TALL., BASICALLY JUST A GRASS, BUT BELOW THE SURFACE THE ROOTS ARE CONTINUOUSLY GROWING.

IT'S CURRENTLY...

IF I HAD TO GUESS, I'D SAY IT'S ABOUT TWO FEET WORTH OF ROOT TO ROOT SPACE DOWN THERE.

AND WHAT... WHAT THE INTENSIVE COVER CROPPING REALLY HELPS YOU TO PRESERVE AND PROMOTE ARE THESE LITTLE GUYS RIGHT HERE.

SO WE HAVE AN EARTHWORM CRAWLING ALONG THE SURFACE, AND WHEN YOU HAVE A HEALTHY SOIL, THEY'RE IN THERE PROCESSING SOIL.

SO THE ROOT STRUCTURE IS ONE OF THE BEST PARTS ABOUT RYE.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE FIELD BEHIND US, RIGHT NOW IN OCTOBER, YOU KNOW THE RYE'S ONLY ABOUT THAT BIG ABOVE GROUND.

BUT WHAT YOU'RE NOT SEEING BELOW GROUND IS A HUGE ROOT STRUCTURE, AND THAT REALLY KEEPS THE SOIL INTACT.

IT'S GOING TO HOLD THAT IN HEAVY RAINS OR SNOW THROUGHOUT THE WINTER.

WHEN YOU PLANT A CROP, IT IS ACTUALLY TAKING SOMETHING AWAY FROM THE SOIL, AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT REGENERATIVE FARMING, IT'S FARMING IN A MANNER THAT PUTS THAT SOMETHING BACK.

>> Jennie: CAN YOU TELL ME THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CROP ROTATION AND REGENERATIVE FARMING?

>> CROP ROTATION IS A REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICE.

LET'S TAKE CORN AND SOYBEANS FOR EXAMPLE.

TYPICALLY, ON LARGER SCALE GRAIN FARMS, CROPS GROW CORN AND SOYBEAN ON THE SAME GROUND, YEAR AFTER YEAR.

WHAT CROP ROTATION DOES, IS YOU ACTUALLY START TO MOVE THESE CROPS ONTO DIFFERENT FIELDS.

SO, WE MIGHT HAVE CORN GROWING ON THIS FIELD ONE YEAR, THE NEXT YEAR ON THAT SAME FIELD, WE MIGHT HAVE RYE GROWING.

THE FOLLOWING YEAR, IS REALLY A WAY TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT TAKING THE SAME NUTRIENTS FROM THE SOIL, YEAR AFTER YEAR.

CROP ROTATION BREAKS UP PEST AND DISEASE CYCLES, AND IT ALLOWS THE SOIL TO REST IN BETWEEN THOSE CROPS.

>> Jennie: YOUR FAMILY PROTECTED THIS LAND, DIDN'T THEY?

>> YES.

WE WERE ABLE TO GET A CONSERVATION EASEMENT THROUGH THE PURCHASE OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS PROGRAM THAT LEXINGTON HAS IN THE EARLY 2000S.

>> Jennie: SO WHAT HAVE YOU GROWN HISTORICALLY ON THIS FARM?

>> THE FARM'S BEEN THROUGH MANY DIFFERENT PHASES.

WHEN WE STARTED OUT, WAY BACK WHEN, IT WAS PRIMARILY LIVESTOCK, AND OVER THE YEARS, IT'S BEGUN TO LEAN MORE TOWARDS THE ROW CROP SIDE, BUT WE STILL DO HAVE A FEW HEAD OF CATTLE HERE.

SO, CURRENTLY, IT'S MOSTLY CORN AND SOYBEANS.

WE STILL GROW TOBACCO, AS WELL AS WHEAT AND RYE.

>> Jennie: WHEN DID YOU TRANSITION TO NO TIL FARMING?

>> WELL MY GRANDFATHER EXPERIMENTED WITH IT IN THE '60'S.

NO TIL I WOULD SAY IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS THE REGENERATIVE FARMING WHERE IT'S OK WE'RE NOT GOING TO PLOW THE GROUND AND DISTURB IT.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO EMIT THAT MUCH CARBON.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO SPEND THOSE MAN HOURS TURNING THE FIELD OVER.

AND IT TURNS OUT THAT WHEN YOU DON'T PLOW THE GROUND ALL THE MICROORGANISMS IN THE SOIL REALLY THRIVE IN THAT ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NATURE.

IT'S NATURAL AND MOTHER NATURE DOESN'T PLOW THE SOIL EVER.

SO THOSE MICROORGANISMS ARE CREATING A HEALTHY ECOSYSTEM THERE THAT BEGINS TO FEED THE PLANTS.

AND SO AFTER TWO TO THREE YEARS, YOU'LL START TO SEE YIELD INCREASES OVER WHERE YOU WERE IN A CONVENTIONAL TILLAGE SYSTEM.

>> Jennie: SO WHEN YOU GO OUT TO TALK TO FARMERS AND TO EDUCATE THEM ABOUT REGENERATIVE FARMING, WHAT IS USUALLY IN THE NATION TO USE NO TILL.

SO KENTUCKY IS ACTUALLY AHEAD OF THE CURVE.

MOST FARMERS ARE GOOD STEWARDS OF THEIR LAND ANYWAY.

THEY'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR INNOVATIVE WAYS TO MOVE FORWARD IN FARMING.

FARMERS EMBRACE INNOVATION, AND SOMETIMES THEY DEVELOP INNOVATION ON THEIR OWN.

AGRICULTURE IS PORTRAYED BY SOME AS THE PROBLEM, BUT IN THIS CASE, AGRICULTURE IS THE ANSWER.

AGRICULTURE IS THE ANSWER TO OUR CLIMATE ISSUES, AND SINKING CARBON IN THIS COUNTRY.

IT'S ALSO THE ANSWER TO PROVIDE THE FOOD THAT WE NEED TO FEED OURSELVES IN THE FUTURE.

>> Jennie: EVEN THE MOST SUCCESSFUL FARMS CAN USE A LITTLE OUTSIDE HELP.

AGRICULTURAL SPECIALIST JUSTIN DUNCAN MEETS WITH FARMERS TO CHECK IN ON SOIL HEALTH, CROP SUCCESS AND MORE!

>> MY BACKGROUND IS PLANTS, PLANTS, AND MORE PLANTS.

IT'S KIND OF FUNNY WHEN I WAS LITTLE, MY MOM USED TO TELL PEOPLE THAT HER SON COULD STICK A STICK IN THE GROUND AND IT WOULD GROW.

AND YOU KNOW, THAT WAS ME.

I LOVED PLANTS.

♪ ♪ DIRT IS A NO-NO WORD.

DIRT IS LIKE WHEN YOU GET IT ON YOUR HANDS OR LIKE THAT, THAT'S DIRT.

OR IF IT'S ON YOUR CLOTHES, THAT'S DIRT.

BUT WHEN IT'S IN PLACE AND PLANTS ARE GROWING IN IT AND ALL THAT IT'S SOIL.

SOIL, YOU KNOW THE TERM SOIL HEALTH LETS YOU KNOW THAT IT CAN BE HEALTHY OR UNHEALTHY.

AND, YOU KNOW I LOOK AT SOIL LIKE IT'S A LIVING THING, YOU KNOW BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH LIFE THAT EXISTS IN IT.

I LOOK AT A PROPERTY AND I CAN LOOK AT THE PLANTS THAT ARE GROWING THERE AND I CAN TELL, OKAY THIS IS GOOD SOIL BECAUSE THE PLANTS ARE LUSH AND VIBRANT AND HAPPY.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER PLACES, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE PLANTS ARE SICK, THEY'RE INFESTED WITH INSECTS AND ALL THAT SORT OF THING.

WE'RE GOING TOWARD THE TREE LINE, SO WE CAN LOOK AT THE WILD THINGS BECAUSE ALL THIS IS MAINTAINED.

THIS IS CONSTANTLY MOWED AND ALL THAT SORT OF THING.

THE TREE LINE TELLS YOU THE STORY OF WHAT POTENTIAL IS AVAILABLE.

YOU'VE GOT TWO THINGS OVER HERE THAT ARE INTERESTING TO ME.

ONE IS THIS WILD CHERRY, AND THEN THE OTHER IS... WHERE DID IT GO?

YOU GOT SOME SORT OF BLACKBERRY OVER HERE.

THOSE ARE BOTH IN THE ROSE FAMILY, SO YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THAT YOU'RE GROWING STRAWBERRIES?

>> RIGHT.

>> I'M ASSUMING THAT THE STRAWBERRIES DO PRETTY WELL, HERE.

>> THEY DO PRETTY GOOD.

>> THESE ARE COUSINS TO THE STRAWBERRY.

THEY'RE ALL IN THE SAME FAMILY.

MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT MY JOB IS WORKING WITH FARMERS, BECAUSE THEY COME TO ME ASKING FOR HELP.

AND I LOVE PROBLEM SOLVING, AND I LOVE TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON AND HOW TO HELP THEM.

I'M A BIG FAN OF GROWING WHAT GROWS.

I DON'T FORCE NATURE TO DO ANYTHING.

IF I PLANT SIX DIFFERENT CROPS AND ONLY TWO COME UP, I'M GOING TO CONCENTRATE ON THOSE TWO, BECAUSE THOSE TWO ARE WHAT THE SOIL SUPPORTS EASILY.

AND I DON'T HAVE TO FIGHT NATURE.

FIGHTING NATURE IS AN EXPENSIVE, EXPENSIVE, COSTLY PROCESS.

AND SHE'S GOING TO WIN.

>> THE THINGS THAT WE GROW HERE AT METRO ATLANTA URBAN FARM ARE MOSTLY VEGETABLES AND FRUIT.

WE ARE IN THE CITY, AND A LOT OF THE INNER CITY STUDENTS HAVE NOT MADE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN FOOD COMING OUT OF THE GROUND AND COMING TO YOUR TABLE.

THEY HAVE NOT MADE THAT CONNECTION.

SO WE'VE HAD STUDENTS DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN THEY PULL A CARROT OUT, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT A CARROT GROWS UNDER THE GROUND.

>> NOW, YOUR KALE, YOUR MUSTARD, YOUR LACINATO, THEY'RE DOING WELL.

THEY'RE MAKING IT, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS CANOLA... >> THE CANOLA IS A COVER CROP.

>> ITS NOT DOING SO WELL.

AND THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE IS THAT THE LEAVES ARE CHLOROTIC.

THE LEAVES HAVE DIFFERENT COLORS TO THEM.

SO THAT TELLS ME THAT THERE'S A DEFICIENCY FOR THIS CROP.

THE NEXT QUESTION I HAVE IS WHAT WAS GROWING HERE IN THE PREVIOUS SEASON?

>> FOR OUR SUMMER CROPS, WE HAD PART OF THIS WAS IN BEANS, A PORTION OF IT WAS IN TOMATOES, AND I THINK WE MAY HAVE HAD A ROW OR TWO OF PEPPERS IN HERE.

>> TO ME WHAT THIS IS SHOWING IS THAT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH NITROGEN IN THE SOIL BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS CROPS DRANK UP THAT NITROGEN FROM THE SOIL, AND NOW THERE'S NOT ENOUGH AVAILABLE FOR THIS CROP TO GET WHAT IT NEEDS.

>> SO LAST YEAR WE RAN APPROXIMATELY 5,000 STUDENTS THROUGH METRO ATLANTA URBAN FARM.

THEY GET AN OPPORTUNITY AND A CHANCE TO COME OUT AND PICK SOMETHING.

THEY GET AN OPPORTUNITY AND A CHANCE TO PLANT SOMETHING.

>> THE WAY I SEE SOIL HEALTH AFFECTING OUR HEALTH - WE'VE GOT MINERAL DEFICIENCIES IN THIS COUNTRY.

LIKE, A LOT OF THEM.

LIKE ONE STATISTIC I SAW WAS THAT OVER 90% OF THE U.S. POPULATION IS DEFICIENT IN MAGNESIUM.

AND SO, MAGNESIUM IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT'S LOST EASILY FROM THE SOIL.

SO, IF THERE'S NO MAGNESIUM IN THE SOIL, THEN I WOULD SAY THAT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH MAGNESIUM IN THE CROPS THAT WE HARVEST AND SO THERE'S NOT ENOUGH MAGNESIUM IN US.

PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT IF YOU DON'T PUT GAS IN YOUR CAR, IT'S NOT GOING TO GO.

AND YOU KNOW, IT'S THE SAME THING WITH ORGANISMS.

THEY NEED ALL THE BUILDING BLOCKS THEY NEED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY.

♪ ♪ NUTRIENT RICH SOIL WILL ALLOW YOU TO GROW NUTRIENT DENSE PLANTS.

IN TURN, IF YOU'RE EATING THESE NUTRIENT DENSE FOODS, YOU'RE INHERITING THOSE NUTRIENTS FROM THE FOODS.

WHEN WE EAT THESE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, WE'RE TAKING IN ALL THESE ANTIOXIDANTS, ALL THESE PHYTOCHEMICALS THAT ARE PRESERVING THE PLANTS AND NOW THEY'RE HELPING PRESERVE US.

LIKE WE'RE EATING THESE SPACE AGE FOODS BUT WE'RE PUTTING THOSE SPACE AGE FOOD IN WHAT ARE STILL CAVEMAN BODIES.

AND YOU KNOW, I TELL PEOPLE THAT IF YOUR GRANDMA OR YOUR GREAT GRANDMA WOULDN'T RECOGNIZE IT AS FOOD, YOU SHOULDN'T EAT IT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT MADE TO EAT THAT STUFF.

WE'RE STEWARDS OF THE EARTH RIGHT NOW.

AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE HERE FOREVER, AND WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE IT TO SOME OTHER PEOPLE.

AND WE WANT THOSE PEOPLE THAT INHERIT THE EARTH TO HAVE AS GOOD OF A CANVAS TO WORK WITH AS POSSIBLE.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪