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National Soil Conservation Week

Take an apple, and cut that apple in half. Now cut each of the halves in half again. Set aside three of the pieces, or 75 per cent, of your apple. Now take the one quarter remaining and cut it in half, and set aside one piece. You now hold one eighth of an apple in your hand. Take that and cut it into four equal pieces. Set three pieces aside. How much of the original apple are you left with?

Imagine that apple represents the earth and the small piece you hold in your hand represents the amount of land we have to grow food to feed the entire population. If you want to take this one step further, carefully peel the skin off the apple - that represents the top soil. Does top soil need to be cared for, though? You bet!

Educational Coordinators from Nutrients for Life Foundation Canada and teachers use activities like the one described to exemplify the message to students that our soil is an invaluable resource; a resource that we must conserve and manage properly if we hope to feed our ever-growing communities. Throughout history, farmers have been the stewards of the land. These land professionals know the importance of managing this valuable resource properly. Farmers know that if they hope to feed the world in a safe, sustainable manner that is economically and socially acceptable, they need to use the best management practices possible. In Canada, 97 per cent of farms are family owned and operated. Although they have grown in size, they are still being run in a way which is best for Canadian families.

Farmers today have more “tools” in their “toolbelts” of best practices than ever before and are using them wisely to make sound decisions on how to best grow the food to feed the world. Many farms have adopted the 4R Nutrient Stewardship philosophy and are using nutrients from the right source, at the right rate, at the right time, and in the right place. This makes sound sense in terms of economics and the environment. How do we teach these concepts at school, though?

Nutrients for Life, through their Educational Coordinators and their Learning Garden Program, are helping to ensure students understand the importance of sustainable food production and are learning about soils science and agriculture. Textbooks and websites are great resources for discussing deforestation, urban sprawl, and desertification, but who is sharing the message about soil and soil management best practices in your community? Nutrients for Life can help.

National Soil Conservation Week (yes, it even has its own week!) is April 17 to 23! How will you help spread the word about soil conservation and Nourishing the Planet in the 21st Century in your school?