A Sense of Humus

The Year 9 elective, A Sense of Humus, is all about building soil health and farming in a manner that rebuilds or regenerates our soils which have been degraded over time as a result of industrial agricultural practices. In doing so, we can grow healthier, more nutrient-dense food which leads to healthier animals and healthier people.

Despite the difficulties of two periods of remote learning this term, students have been getting out and about in the school grounds at Mooroopna, observing and analysing the soil properties of various types of soil from different locations. Students have been comparing soils from the hard, compacted clay in high foot traffic areas, the front lawn and the garden beds. They observed properties such as topsoil depth, soil colour, structure / aggregates, presence of soil organisms and fungi, root penetration depth, diversity of plant species and why certain plant species might be growing there, and the slaking and dispersion properties of each sample. 

It was clear that the soil from the garden bed was the healthiest soil and the reasons for this were discussed. Soils from a regenerative farm, the school oval and an industrial canola crop were tested for their water infiltration qualities in the green tubs. Again, big differences were seen in the ability of each soil to hold and filter water, indicating varying degrees of soil health. 

Charlotte Drinnan

Mooroopna Campus