The People of Soil Health

May 25 2021 49
The People of Soil Health Podcast artwork

Hosted by the Soil Health Partnership’s Senior Director John Mesko, The People of Soil Health is a direct connection into the network of soil health professionals who are focused on the on-farm economic and environmental benefits of soil health. John interviews the best in the agricultural and environmental industries to discuss soil health practices and management systems, issues facing farmers, and insights from soil data sets. What is soil health? What are the benefits of cover crops and conservation tillage? How can my farm be more sustainable? What’s the best way to increase organic matter in a corn field? Tune in to listen to experts answer these questions, share their experiences, and more!

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Ep. 32: John Mesko – The Legacy of Soil Health Partnership

May 25 2021 12 mins  
In this final episode of The People of Soil Health podcast, host and SHP Senior Director John Mesko reflects on the legacy of Soil Health Partnership, the people who have made our work possible and how the organization’s impact will live on for many years to come.

Ep. 31: Trey Hill – Experimenting with Carbon Markets

May 18 2021 26 mins  
Trey Hill is the co-owner and operator of Harborview Farms in Maryland, and he’s been part of the SHP farmer network since 2017. Trey was recently featured in an article in The Washington Post focused on carbon credits and, in this episode, he sits down with host John Mesko to talk about how he got involved in that work. If you’re interested in farmers’ role in the climate ch

Ep. 30: Chris Gaesser – Getting Creative to Make Cover Crops Cost Effective

May 11 2021 23 mins  
Host John Mesko sits down with Iowa farmer Chris Gaesser to discuss creative ways to make cover crops cost effective for your farm. Chris started working with SHP in 2016 and was one of the seven farmers featured in our recent report, Conservation’s Impact on the Farm Bottom Line.

Ep. 29: Nick Ward – Setting Yourself Up for Soil Sampling Success

May 04 2021 23 mins  
In this episode of The People of Soil Health Podcast, host John Mesko sits down with Nick Ward, president of Ward Laboratories. The two discuss what Nick’s team looks for when testing soil samples, why soil samples should be pulled annually, and some helpful advice on when and how to pull your soil samples for the most accurate data sets.

Ep. 28: Ken Rosenow – Reducing the Risk of Adopting Conservation Practices

Apr 20 2021 23 mins  
In this episode of The People of Soil Health Podcast, host John Mesko sits down with Ken Rosenow – one of the SHP farmers who was instrumental in the creation of our recent report, Conservation’s Impact on the Farm Bottom Line. Ken is the sixth generation on his family’s farm in Wisconsin and shares how he embraces that history while evolving for the future.

Ep. 27: Elyssa McFarland – What’s In Store for SHP?

Apr 06 2021 23 mins  
Host John Mesko is joined by his colleague and fellow leadership team member – SHP’s Field Development Director, Elyssa McFarland. The pair discuss the history of the Soil Health Partnership, SHP’s current focus, and the future goals and opportunities they see on the horizon. Episode Resources: Conservation's Impact on the Farm Bottom Line An update on the work and impact of

Ep. 26: Daryl Maple – The Power of the On-Farm Learning Process

Mar 23 2021 28 mins  
Host John Mesko is joined by Daryl Maple, co-owner and operator of Maple Farms in north-central Indiana. Daryl discusses his five-year partnership with SHP and what they’ve learned while trialing different conservation practices – including reduced tillage and cover crops.

25. Boone McAfee – Using Research and Outreach to Expand Environmental Stewardship in Nebraska

Mar 09 2021 26 mins  
Host John Mesko is joined by Boone McAfee, director of research and stewardship for the Nebraska Corn Board, to discuss Boone’s efforts around encouraging and providing education and resources to farmers as they improve environmental stewardship not only their individual operation, but in the agriculture industry as a whole. They talk through Boone’s many partnership efforts on

24. Maria Bowman & Vincent Gauthier – Why Digging Into Farm Financial Data Makes a Difference in Conservation Agriculture

Feb 23 2021 41 mins  
Host John Mesko is joined by SHP Lead Scientist Maria Bowman and Environmental Defense Fund Research Analyst Vincent Gauthier to discuss findings from their new report, Conservation’s Impact on the Farm Bottom Line. They discuss the importance of collecting detailed financial information when talking about conservation practice adoption and some of the key takeaways from their st

23. Dr. Bianca Moebius-Clune – Focusing on Soil Health at NRCS

Feb 09 2021 23 mins  
Host John Mesko is joined by Dr. Bianca Moebius-Clune – Director of the Soil Health Division for the USDA NRCS – to learn more about the agency’s work, how they partner with groups like SHP to help farmers implement soil health practices, and why she sees soil health benefits extending beyond agriculture.