Biochar

Most people use the words soil and dirt interchangeably. But in agriculture, that distinction matters—a lot. Dirt is what you sweep off the shop floor. Soil is what grows food. Understanding the difference is the first step toward healthier crops, lower input costs, and more resilient farms. Dirt Is Dead. Soil Is Alive. At a glance, soil may look like uniform brown material. But as Gary Zimmer explains in The Biological Farmer , soil is actually a living system , not just g

Healthy soils are not built on inputs alone—they’re built on carbon. Carbon is the backbone of soil structure, biology, and nutrient cycling, and its presence (or absence) determines how well a soil functions under real‑world conditions. Carbon‑rich soils generally support stronger aggregation, improved water handling, and more efficient nutrient cycling, which can translate into more resilient performance under weather and management stress. Carbon‑rich soils are not a new c