Soil Stories - The Whole Story

In "Soil Stories", our protagonist, Francine, embarks on a journey of discovery that begins with her realization that soil is alive and that without soil, life as we know would not exist. In her journey of discovery she meets with soil scientists who help her "see" beneath the surface of the soil and help her understand how diverse yet ordered soil bodies are in the landscape and how much work has been done in soil survey. In the second half of the story, Francine meets with characters that help her take an up close and personal look at some physical and biological attributes of soils without which they would not function. In the final part of the video, a character from history shares an epiphany about soils with Francine and translates this to modern terms.
"Soil Stories" was born out of a collaborative effort between ESRI-SC and SC NRCS. We (Buz Kloot and Pam Thomas) wanted to get all the information about soils across, but in a way that was engaging. While facts came easy, it's not always easy to be engaging on this subject. Until that is, when I (Buz Kloot) was at a ScienceFilm workshop with Jeff Morales and Colin Bates where I began to see that the story trumps all when making videos. Colin's advice to me one morning was "why don't you make a movie about people who have a relationship with the soil?" - well, the rest is history. Credit goes to so many and I have tried to acknowledge all at the end of the video, but I fear I may still have left some out. To those I apologize. This series along with other experiences of making video for the NRCS in the last three has changed the way I look at natural resources in general and more specifically, at soils . My profound thanks to all of the professionals in the NRCS and to the many land owners who have helped shape my thinking. .

[@richardburris1282]

I hope more people get this message before we can't feed ourselves. Thanks for taking the time to make this film.

[@Squidward_Tikiland]

i find this inspiring. here you are, a person who is actively learning about the earth, talking to experts and inviting us to learn with you. you are brave! a less brave person might feel intimidated for not being an expert or not knowing as much as some others, but you on the other hand have told us yourself that you are in the process of learning! for a guy like me who is learning just now, that is inspiring. you are making science accesable to everyone because instead of being too complicated or unrelatable or stuffy, you are a person just like us who wants to learn about the earth. and you went to such great lengths to do it! that is the thing that inspires me most. you took an interest with the earth and you rolled with it. making an entire half hour video, visiting dozens of locations and talking to leading experts. that is passion!

[@hollister927]

So glad I stumbled upon this Buz! It could be a nice introductory video to show to the students during the first week of lab!

[@Buzatesri]

Thanks. A lot of good stuff is coming from your part of the world as well so i appreciate the time you took to look at this.

[@dorisjeffers1044]

Thank you for your time and effort, greatly appreciated!!!

[@iJoshDG]

We watched this in school, and it's really good. Congrats!

[@jakovdolic6290]

Beautiful, educative explanation of how soil functions ! Thank you.

[@forgoodnessache5399]

Buy or view "Symphony of the Soil" on Amazon. Incredible, and five or more years old at this point...

[@braydensettles9359]

Soil is love. Soil is life.

[@monomer2]

Excellent video! Though I already knew much of the info in this video (I've been researching soil management for the last few months), the presentation and script were quite good. You certainly have a gift for explaining things in an interesting and concise manner. You are an extraordinary educator. Thank you.

[@dannykeat]

I've been looking for a video which introduces soil science in an easy to understand format for a while. Thanks very much.

[@ardvark234]

EXCELLENT Thank you for creating and posting! Great work!

[@Buzatesri]

Cool. BTW I have also taken an interest in urban gardens and have had some success in an unused lot next door. Soil was badly eroded and depleted so I grew a mixed cover crop (rye, vetch, crimson clover, daikon radish & turnips) and then planted my summer veggies into that. No tillage, no fertilizer or pesticides. I have been encouraged by the fisrt years' results. If you go to Buz no-till garden, you'll see how it looked in April. Inspired by Masanubo Fukoka's book "One Straw Revolution".

[@MrMac5150]

Very good video, professional all the way.. thumbs up.

[@mattgiar5511]

Outstanding! Thank you.

[@SoilToSoulSolutions]

From the Soil to the Soul... thank you..

[@brianmagee2314]

Very well put together and informative. Thanks!

[@PamHerrmann]

NOW I understand what my sister does as a soil scientist in Oregon! Thanks, this was awesome. ;)

[@HansRoy]

Good for you Francine and it is your good, that became our good! We greatly appreciate the work you did here, it adds another tool for us! Take care!

[@joansmith3492]

Fascinating! thanks!

[@farceadentus]

Wonderful! thanks for creating and sharing.

[@ericsombody8912]

I too cradle soil in my hands and gaze at it fondly

[@HomeGrownVeg]

Excellent video, well worth a watch. In a small way I am now trying to improve the soil in my raised beds where I grow vegetables in the warmer months. In the colder months when the beds are empty a covering of leaves, grass and seaweed feed the good guys in the bed and hopefully improve the fertility and replace what the last crop has taken out.

[@jeanineadele]

This is an excellent educational video. A lot of useful, in depth information about the soil structure. I would highly recommend it, especially to students and farmers. Would love to see more videos about the cover crops and soil improvement. Great job, keep up the good work, all of you.

[@notthepersonal]

Xcellent Vdeo...used in my science class. Thanx

[@PeterNEze]

Great vid. Was worth the time spent watching it. Liked the slaking test

[@resmayvary]

- Really enjoyed this, Really great information. Seriously.

[@bobirmukhammedov9675]

Thank you.

[@johnjones8412]

500 years to make an inch of soil?seems I make several inches of it in compost pile every year

[@Buzatesri]

Yup, you'll see I've been called out on that often, and rightly so. This was my understanding ten years ago. Technically, from a soil pedology standpoint this time period of taking soil from parent material to topsoil is in the right ballpark, but the saying is misleading in a practical sense, as we see soils change (from cover crops, live roots, compost, mulch etc.) in less than a year. So, good call.

[@jeanineadele]

Got it, it is "Raythesoilguy". The h and t were transposed. Love it, Thanks!

[@user-rt2fm4cp1]

Excellent video 👌

[@lindareese4579]

Thank you... thank you ... thank you...

[@chebetarusei5235]

i love this. very informative

[@tbradtbrad]

Excellent video...

[@rhanson5050]

Omg that was so good

[@algoma5053]

Thanks for the great video

[@Buzatesri]

sure!

[@fancyfree4now293]

This is a tremendous resource for those of us who know our soils are "sick" but don't know the science behind why...I am looking forward to getting a load of healthy compost for my urban acre!

[@Buzatesri]

Thanks. I did this a long time ago and my own understanding of soils has changed a lot. I'd encourage you to look at a later documentary I did called "Under Cover Farmers" and if you are a gardener, the "The Science of Soil Health" Series, especially the last 6 videos may be quite relevant! These are all on KZbin posted by the USDA-NRCS

[@fancyfree4now293]

Buz Kloot Thank you!!

[@fancyfree4now293]

Buz Kloot Have you done any work in Oklahoma?

[@Buzatesri]

I have not. I know a soil health advisor who works in Oklahoma if you are interested. Are you on Facebook?

[@waynecarr7658]

Hello , thank you for the video. I am just getting into soil .and I never felt better 😌

[@sargar5112]

it´s a very interesting video, tnaks

[@VicariousReality7]

Very good

[@apeciindustries3644]

WOW, what an amazing video I think i have a better understanding of the Swedish language now!

[@everettmcdonald2088]

What an outstanding video,

[@Buzatesri]

Why thank you. That represented the state of my knowledge in 2010/11, we have all leaned so much since then. If you search regenerative farming and soil health on KZbin and social media, there is a wealth of information from people who have woken up to the power of biology in growing food and fiber!

[@adrianobulla7875]

I love her voice and how she narrates. Good vibes.

[@iramalaviya1614]

awesome video i learnt sooooo much from it any more videos on other topics???

[@Buzatesri]

Thanks! Search "Science of Soil Health" and "Under Cover Farmers" for some of my other work.

[@Buzatesri]

+Ira Malaviya , see "Under Cover farmers" - I produced that about a year after Soil Stories.

[@iramalaviya1614]

Buz Kloot thanks alot

[@Buzatesri]

Thank you very much. If you Google "raythesoilguy" and "health Soils, healthy Crops" you may find some more useful information on another video sharing site we use. Good luck with teaching& let me know how the kids respond to/learn from the video.

[@dontmesswithnature]

I am in high school and Ive wanted to become a soil scientist for a year now. What universities would you recommend?

[@Buzatesri]

Urban agriculture, in all its forms is the wave of the future. Growing food in a controlled environment is an attractive idea - predictable and you are right next to your market, in fact your market may want to come to you. These advantages are offset by the price you pay in energy costs - temperature control, importing fertilizer (which is energy intensive) and even growth medium. I wish you well in your endeavor!

[@kevv7750]

whoa thanks for the tips your awesome

[@jearandlaanan2]

I am an 18 year old student taking up agriculture. Where I could find a summarization of this topic? A soft copy ? Thanks.

[@JRMCNEA]

I live in Chicago. So fertilizer is abundant and close by. On the energy front that is currently the thing I am looking into Alternatives and efficiency models. As anything on "the grid" is over priced I am looking at about a 150-300KWz a day... So like regular farming energy is the main driver of my cost going up.

[@rajivmittal768]

good

[@abyssal666nocturnus]

Hey, great video thanks for the upload

[@Buzatesri]

Thanks! You may be interested in "Under Cover Farmers" (short documentary) and a series of short videos I am doing called "The Science of Soil Health" all on KZbin, hosted by the USDANRCS.

[@abyssal666nocturnus]

awesome! will it be on this channel?

[@Buzatesri]

Not on this channel. Just do a normal search "Under Cover farmers" and you will see it

[@abyssal666nocturnus]

cool thanks again!

[@Buzatesri]

Abyssal Nocturnus sure!

[@Buzatesri]

Thanks jeanineadele . If you go Google "Healthy Soils, Healthy Crops" and "Rayhtesoilguy" you will see some of our other work. This is located on another video sharing site whose name KZbin will not allow us to mention.

[@kmoney14141]

very good video .... got me thinking //// my husband wants to roto till the ground so many times in the spring an i cant get him to stop

[@rachelschooler4496]

soo deep. im cryin

[@clearwaterlakota8405]

+Rachel Schooler Thank you for saying that, I thought I was the only one.

[@americangirlvids1011]

we had to watch this video in my earth science class and lemme just say, that was 30 minutes i'll never get back. thanks a lot.

[@Buzatesri]

Thanks, that made me laugh out loud. If I had to watch this again, I'd probably feel the same.

[@fancyfree4now293]

Buz Kloot Please, for those of us seeking answers, this video is jam-packed with knowledge in a relatively short period of time! If I were in middle or high school, my eyes may have glazed-over as well...but as an adult attempting to grow my own food in sandy red clay, I know my soil is sick but I didn't have the words to explain how and why quality compost makes such a huge difference. And because my background is in marketing communications, I'd like to see this information presented in bite-sized chunks for today's viewing audience that has an attention span of a gnat. FABULOUS research and visual explanations! I will be sharing this video with my friends and family who are food growers!

[@shriaingnama]

I soiled myself with glee!

[@amitsharma2077]

hi Buzatesri, Can u add subtitles to your video

[@dontmesswithnature]

If your going to do that I would try aquaponics. Importing any other growing substrate would be too costly. But still, buying all the grow lights and pipes to do this would be very expensive.

[@coldtinna]

I have spotted lemon tree raised up 4 " from soil lots of pearlite ,roots are thin & brown,do I Need to ad more water ?Roots are dry small indoors under cfl bulb12 hrs a day .it lost most of leaves ? Any help?

[@Buzatesri]

You are most welcome - hope this works well for your class!

[@coldtinna]

Coco coir pearlite & well broken down manure .how to help my tree roots ? I watt 1X a week not heavy it's indoor in winter?

[@wouldbfarmer2227]

“It takes 500 years to build an inch of topsoil” has been recently shown to not be true, correct? Or is this still widely debated?

[@PROFILESophiaYates]

I wish you would get samples of the trees & soil in the firestorm areas & test for aluminum. They have been blanketing our land with chemtrails for years now so it isnt surprising they r smothering our plants w this concoction. Trees in the south r dying as well due to the same thing but added insult the dispersant corexit. Could you be able to test a tree limb for excess aluminum on it?

[@margaretarross1712]

Excellent video.

[@leighgretton1255]

Have been watching the movie"back to eden" very interesting and logical I think

[@MrSeney1]

The soil samples of the slake test did not seem to have the same moisture content, although I do not question any of your comments

[@Buzatesri]

Thanks, Danny. The samples were both air dried and stored in a dry room probably for reveal months before we used them in the slake test. We didn't look at the moisture before filming.

[@Greg._.wowsers999]

im gonna make a ytp out of this

[@kooongtenn8744]

I'm a teacher, may I use your video to teach my kids?

[@Buzatesri]

+unchalika t of course! I have a series called "The Science of Soil Health" - you may also find that useful

[@ronaldjones9429]

I love your vid....are you on Facebook

[@Buzatesri]

Thanks, that was a long time ago, and we have learned a lot. On FB, you can go to Dr. Buz Kloot

[@sangtaichoi7407]

Advanced high tech agricultural products stemmed from soil science to jump up to export whole into the world !!! These are Washington & Abraham Lincoln's precious advise toward us In the USA. We are always proud of agricultural international businessman to create new jobs and support our lovely family and kids to get a future dream of this rachers and dream farms !!! Our unique God's gift for me to live this land. Amen !!!!!!

[@coldtinna]

Don't want to lose my lemon tree any help would be appreciated! Figure soil site would know?

[@Buzatesri]

Yup, forgot to tell you that I am slightly dyslexic...

[@jeanineadele]

Rayhtesoilguy didn't bring up any results in Google?

[@UPlayGamesNetwork]

i mean on UPlayNetwork 's Channel

[@Buzatesri]

Yes, putting marginal soil back into production will take its toll and these's little that can be done about that reconversion. The majority of the eriosn that takes place off these farms can be stopped by paying attentiuon to simple principles of (1) stop disturbing the soil (i.e. stop cultivating), (2) cover the soil (3) keep a luve root in the soil year round and (4) feed to soil with diversity. Google ESRI ENTSC and watch the videos on that Vimeo site.

[@user-yi8oj2lr4e]

That sounds like a pragmatic and worthy endeavor. as a last resort to feed resource-poor overpopulated cities, artificial growing conditions may be inevitable. there are, however, complexities and delicate relationships among the countless organisms that make up a natural ecosystem that humans are still far from understanding. Dumping chemicals and artificial light will result in an edible product, but, somehow, I feel sorry for those who will have no other choice but to eat it.

[@skywrss]

at least the quality is 720p lol

[@JRMCNEA]

If we can grow Marijuana in a box why can't we grow all other types of crops in a environmentally controlled building right in the middle of the city? I am working on a design that would allow us to grow local food in the middle of the city. In what would look like a regular building but the size of an average Walmart and about 5-6 stories high. Where we can grow all types of fruits and vegetable all year around. Not effected by seasons which is the primary reason we need so much space.

[@user-ls5qo3wr3v]

i like you! and love

[@PacoOtis]

Maybe it would be more appropriate to have starving/skinny people narrate this video? The video is very informative and,sadly, tells us that we are not doing all we need to do to continue! Best of luck to all of us!

[@alan30189]

As you explain later in the video, our soil is being DESTROYED by modern farming practices, tilling being the biggest killer of soil structure. No-till is the way to go.

[@Buzatesri]

No-till is good, but add cover crops to the system and you accelerate the healing process by an order of magnitude. Add animals/manure to the system of no-till and cover crops and you are getting closer to what nature intended. See "Under Cover Farmers" for a little more on cover crops.

[@user-ls5qo3wr3v]

so good

[@ahassan5]

if you actually watch the whole thing, you'll find it informative.

[@nicolewilliams4632]

GREAT VIDEO! Well Done--->Thank you!

[@Buzatesri]

Thanks!

[@billiebruv]

Breakfast comes from corn syrup, no wonder yall a bunch of walruses

[@EagleXtinxiion]

OMFGIJJOTTISA. Looks fun.

[@TheTimeRocket]

Soil was started by mushrooms! A great video that will blow your mind is called: "Paul Stamets: 6 ways mushrooms can save the world"

[@matthewnoduh9471]

thanks buz

[@cagedawson4595]

Anyone else here in 2020

[@Gustav4]

IT IS NOT TRUE, that it takes 500 years to form an inch of soil. Can be done in less then 20

[@larrysherylmccumsey1228]

I think they mean when this is done without any outside influence...........in permaculture you can "make" soil but it is still a huge concern how we are degrading our soil...........

[@Buzatesri]

Gustav, you are right. We can take a really lousy topsoil and by treating it right (minimize disturbance (tillage), keeping it covered with a canopy or residue, keeping a live root year round, and incorporate animals into the system) we have seen remarkable increases in soil organic matter and a transformation of the topsoil. The 500 year reference is what it takes to get soil from parent material - at the time I wrote this script, I was not aware of how quickly topsoil can be transformed, but to take it from parent material (e.g., bedrock or glacial till) takes a lot longer. Thanks for highlighting this!

[@IshMi]

22:00 - vital!!!

[@martinstokkebye659]

It’s just not true, you can form 2 inch, of top soil in lest then a decadent, the data is there to support it ....

[@Buzatesri]

Agreed, Martin. I did this video about 8 years ago and that is what I believed at the time. I think the statement I made is also an oversimplification that frames soils as entities that can't change (under management) in the space of a human lifetime or even less than that. Clearly that's not true and I have seen that happen from research data coming from the regenerative farms I work with. A pedologist, however may argue that the 500 year timescale is valid for soil to be formed from rock (or sand or glacial till) through the action of climate, organisms, time and relief and if one talks of that process, I wouldn't necessarily disagree. If I had to do it over again, I would have said something different - soil are living, dynamic ecosystems and they respond rapidly to management, and much of my work today is based on this idea.

[@-_-allrandomchannels6286]

12oct2019

[@matthewnoduh9471]

can I use your video for my homework

[@matthewnoduh9471]

yes or no

[@matthewnoduh9471]

+Mattdigs Clavell please

[@entropyinreverse]

why was it so RnB and dreamy. not how i like my soil videos. spent most of the time watching that lady float across the land.

[@gavricherring7273]

this girl is way too interested in dirt

[@skywrss]

haha ikr

[@ThatItalianGuy99]

haha danny!!!

[@daschamaeleon]

0:11:20

[@daschamaeleon]

Soil survey

[@enzorocha2977]

The moment I heard the "500 years to make an inch of soil" canard, I tuned out. More woo-woo claims that have no basis in fact or distorted to dramatize something needlessly.

[@Buzatesri]

Agreed. I made this film in 2010 when my education on soils was just beginning. The documentary "Under Cover Farmers" and "The Science of Soil health" series may provide a trajectory of my understanding of the subject over time. Thanks for the comment.

[@coldtinna]

To much pearlite?

[@coldtinna]

All you soil ppl.how about some help for my potted lemonTree ? To much pearlite?is that causing dry roots? Don't water heavy it's winter indoors & winter that's why I have heating pad on pot?