Q: FACT SHEETS

Dig a Little, Learn a Lot - NRCS Healthy Soils Are Full of Life - NRCS Principals for High Functioning Soils - NRCS Healthy, Productive Soils Checklist for Growers - NRCS Farming in the 21st Century: a practical approach to improve soil health - NRCS Carbon to Nitrogen Ratios in Cropping Systems- NRCS Total Organic Carbon - NRCS Soil Carbon - Pennsylvania Soil Health Coalition Particulate Organic Matter - NRCS Reactive Carbon - NRCS Value of Soil Health - NRCS Iowa Soil Health Key Points - NRCS Five Questions Landowners Should Ask Their Farmers about Soil Health - NRCS What is a Soil Health Management System? - NRCS Soil Respiration - NRCS Soil Enzymes - NRCS Potentially Mineralizable Nitrogen - NRCS Soil Structure and Macropores - NRCS Available Water Capacity - NRCS Aggregate Stability - NRCS Measuring Soil Compaction Using a Penetrometer - Penn State

Q: COVER CROPS

Cover Crop Periodic Table Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Steve Groff's Resources for Successful Cover Cropping (Training Binder) Northeast Cover Crop Council - Cover Crop Decision Support Tools Cover Crop Selector Tool - Precision Sustainable Agriculture NRCS Comprehensive Guide to Cover Crop Species Used in the Northeast One Pass Only: Seeding Cover Crops While Harvesting - Ray McCormick video

Q: GRAZING

Building Healthy Pasture Soils - NCAT PA Grazing Lands Coalition resource webpage Stepping Up Your Grazing Management How to Assess Soil Health on Grazing Lands Using a Shovel and a Knife - NCAT YouTube video Grazing Support & Mentorship in Pennsylvania Grazing for Good: The Benefits of Regenerative Dairy - Pasa Sustainable Agriculture, 4 videos PSU Integrating Grazing into Cropping Systems: Grazing Cover Crops for Soil Health PSU Integrating Grazing into Cropping Systems: Cover Crop Species & Crop Rotations PSU Integrating Grazing into Cropping Systems: Infrastructure PSU Integrating Grazing into Cropping Systems: Livestock Class Considerations Potential to Integrate Grazing into No-Till Systems - PSU U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef

Question 1

FACT SHEETS

Accepted Answer

Dig a Little, Learn a Lot - NRCS
​
Healthy Soils Are Full of Life - NRCS
​
Principals for High Functioning Soils - NRCS
​
Healthy, Productive Soils Checklist for Growers - NRCS
​
Farming in the 21st Century: a practical approach to improve soil health - NRCS
​
Carbon to Nitrogen Ratios in Cropping Systems- NRCS

Total Organic Carbon - NRCS

Soil Carbon - Pennsylvania Soil Health Coalition

Particulate Organic Matter - NRCS

Reactive Carbon - NRCS
​
Value of Soil Health - NRCS Iowa
​
Soil Health Key Points - NRCS
​
Five Questions Landowners Should Ask Their Farmers about Soil Health - NRCS
​
What is a Soil Health Management System? - NRCS

Soil Respiration - NRCS

Soil Enzymes - NRCS

Potentially Mineralizable Nitrogen - NRCS

Soil Structure and Macropores - NRCS

Available Water Capacity - NRCS

Aggregate Stability - NRCS

Measuring Soil Compaction Using a Penetrometer - Penn State

Question 2

ASSESSMENT TOOLS

Accepted Answer

NRCS Cropland In-Field Soil Health Assessment 
 
NRCS Tech Note for cropland in-field assessment
 
NRCS Cropland In-Field Assessment video
​
NRCS Pasture Condition Score Sheet
 
NRCS Residue Evaluation
 
Maryland Soil Health Assessment
 
South Dakota Soil Health Assessment Card
 
Soil Health Indicators - quick photo reference
​
Soil Health Indicators & Tests - NCAT
​
Estimating Soil Texture by Feel
​
Field Slump Test video

Measuring Water Infiltration in Agricultural Soils video - NCAT & Stroud Center

Question 3

GENERAL RESOURCES

Accepted Answer

Soil Health in Field & Forage Crop Production (Higher Quality PDF or Faster Download PDF)
​
The ABCs of Soil Health- NRCS

A Practical Guide to No-Till & Cover Crops in the Mid-Atlantic - North Jersey RC&D
 
CBF Rainfall simulator video
​
Advancing Eco Agriculture webinars

Tainio Biologicals, Inc webinars 
​
Web Soil Survey – Custom Soil Maps & Reports
​
Getting Started with Web Soil Survey
​
Soil Health Demo by Leroy Bupp (PA No-Till Alliance)
​
Pasa Sustainable Agriculture soil health resource page
​
Green Cover Seed Resource Website
​
No-Till Farmer Magazine free eGuides
​
Soil Health Research list compiled by Jim Hoorman
​
ACRES Healthy Soils Problem Solving Booklet
​
Optimizing Managed Grazing for Soil Health - Soil Health Institute & NRCS
​
One Good Idea website

Fertilizer Salt Index

Pennsylvania Beginning Farmers Resource Guide - Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Overview of plant micronutrients, insect pests, and herbal oils for insect control (click on the critical topics category) - Apical Crop Science

Soillife.org website

Question 4

SOIL BIOLOGY

Accepted Answer

Soil Biology Primer - USDA, Elaine Ingham

Tainio Biologicals - Natural Growing Through Biology YouTube channel (also available as audio podcasts through Spotify and Apple)

Biological Pathways to Carbon Rich Soil - Christine Jones presentation

Symphony of the Soil movie
​
Soil Microbes Help Save Plant Growing Input Costs (Included in the video library)
​
Beneficial Insects (Included in the video library)
​
Farming with Soil Life: A handbook for supporting soil invertebrates and soil health on farms - Xerces Society, available through SARE website

Farming with Soil Life - digital download
​
Farming with Soil Life video series
​
Soil Organisms fact sheets by Jim Hoorman
​
Understanding Soil Biology & Nutrient Recycling

Introduction to the Plant Microbiome - Pioneer
​
Intro to the Soil Food Web - Urban Worm Company

Fertilizer Salt Index - salts can impact the soil microbe community

Soil Microbes in Organic Cropping Systems 101 - Penn State University

Management of Soil Microbes on Organic Farms - Penn State University

Earthworms - NRCS factsheet

Biological Indicators Overview - NRCS factsheet

Jeff Lowenfels Teaming with Microbes books

The Rhizophagy Cycle: How plants get nutrients from microbes - Dr. James White, Rutgers University, webinar

Question 5

COVER CROPS

Accepted Answer

Cover Crop Periodic Table
​
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)
​
Steve Groff's Resources for Successful Cover Cropping (Training Binder)
​
Northeast Cover Crop Council - Cover Crop Decision Support Tools

Cover Crop Selector Tool - Precision Sustainable Agriculture
​
NRCS Comprehensive Guide to Cover Crop Species Used in the Northeast

One Pass Only: Seeding Cover Crops While Harvesting - Ray McCormick video

Question 6

GRAZING

Accepted Answer

Building Healthy Pasture Soils - NCAT
​
PA Grazing Lands Coalition resource webpage

Stepping Up Your Grazing Management 
​
How to Assess Soil Health on Grazing Lands Using a Shovel and a Knife - NCAT YouTube video
​
Grazing Support & Mentorship in Pennsylvania

Grazing for Good: The Benefits of Regenerative Dairy - Pasa Sustainable Agriculture, 4 videos
​
PSU Integrating Grazing into Cropping Systems: Grazing Cover Crops for Soil Health
​
PSU Integrating Grazing into Cropping Systems: Cover Crop Species & Crop Rotations
​
PSU Integrating Grazing into Cropping Systems: Infrastructure
​
PSU Integrating Grazing into Cropping Systems: Livestock Class Considerations

Potential to Integrate Grazing into No-Till Systems - PSU

U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef

Question 7

TEACHER & STUDENT RESOURCES

Accepted Answer

Teacher's manual for understanding soil health and watershed function
​
 The Little Regenerative Farmer book
​
General agricultural information (suggested by a student named Ainsley)
​
Mighty Mini Microbe
​
The ABCs of Soil Health - NRCS
​
NRCS General Soil Education website (including soil-related lesson plans)
​
NRCS Soil Health Educators Guide website

What is Dirt? - Curious Kids, University of North Dakota

Healthy Soils Activity Guide - Stop Waste

Soil Activity Book - Maryland Department of Agriculture

Healthy Soil: Healthy Life - 2022 NACD booklets, educator guide, & activity sheet

Life in the Soil: Dig Deeper - 2019 NACD booklets, educator guide, & activity sheet

Healthy Soils are Full of Life! - 2017 NACD booklets, educator guide, & activities

Soil is Alive! video - SciShow Kids

The Soil Awakens video - Soillife.org

Layers of Soil video - Peekaboo Kidz

I Farm Ugly song - music and lyrics by Jon Chandler

Question 8

HOMEOWNERS & BACKYARD GARDENERS

Accepted Answer

Building Healthy Soils in Home Gardens - PA Soil Health Coalition
​
Soil Health in Raised Beds - Penn State Extension

Resources for the small-scale grower - Green Cover
​
How to Manage Common Weeds Without Chemicals video - by Soil Shepherds

Regenerating the Home Landscape - by Soil Shepherds, ACRES magazine
​
Soil Health Academy no-till gardening blog post
​
Cover Crops Are an Easy Way to Improve Your Garden's Soil - Lancaster Farming article
​
Backyard Soil Health Q&A with Dr. Steven Mirksy - USDA-ARS YouTube video

Ruth Stout Lazy Gardening

Best Practices for the Sustainable Urban Garden - SARE

How Regenerative Farming Could Impact The Food We Buy In Years To Come - Tasting Table article

Bryan O'Hara | Organic No-Till Vegetable Farming - YouTube webinar recording

Soil Biology in Home Gardening - Lisa Blazure webinar recording, Prince George's SCD

Question 9

ORGANIC MANAGEMENT

Accepted Answer

Penn State Farmer to Farmer Case Study videos

Penn State Organic Crop Production Guide 
​
Transitioning to Organic Production - SARE
​
Growing Organic No-till Garlic video - Beech Grove Farm
​
Soil Health and Organic Farming Guidebooks - Organic Farming Research Foundation
​
Rodale Institute Soil Health webpage

Los Fundamentos de la Salud del Suelo - Organic Farming Research Foundation

Bryan O'Hara | Organic No-Till Vegetable Farming - YouTube webinar recording

Soil Microbes in Organic Cropping Systems 101 - eOrganic, Penn State University

Management of Soil Microbes on Organic Farms - eOrganic, Penn State University

Healthy Soil Problem Solving 2022 - ACRES

Soil Health and Cover Crops at Burroughs Family Orchards - SARE video

Investigating the Benefits of Integrating Cover Crops into Organic Vegetable Systems - Rodale Institute webinar

Question 10

BOOKS WE LOVE

Accepted Answer

The Art and Science of Grazing by Sarah Flack
 
The Complete Guide to Restoring Your Soil by Dale Strickler
 
Cows Save The Planet by Judith Schwartz
​
Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations by David Montgomery
​
Farmacology by Dr. Daphne Miller
​
For the Love of the Soil by Nicole Masters
​
A Growing Revolution by David Montgomery
​
Grow Your Soil! by Diane Miessler
​
Life in the Soil by James Nardi
​
One Straw Revolution by Masanobu Fukuoka
​
Plowman's Folly by Edward Faulkner
​
Soil Biology Primer by multiple authors including Elaine Ingham
​
Soil Health, Soil Biology, Soilborne Diseases and Sustainable Agriculture by Stirling, Hayden Pattison, and Stirling

Teeming With Microbes by Jeff Lowenfels
​
What Your Food Ate by Anne Bikle & David Montgomery

Question 11

PODCASTS

Accepted Answer

Regen Ag podcasts - John Kempf, Advancing Eco Agriculture

Green Cover Podcasts - Keith Berns (also on YouTube)

Natural Growing Through Biology - Tainio Biologicals (also on YouTube)
 
Joel Myers - the history of Pennsylvania no-till
​
Rodale Farming Systems: Watershed Impact Trial
​
The Graziers Grapevine by the PA Grazing Lands Coalition
​
Ryan Graham, Butler County farmer: Every Day is Earth Day for Farmers
​
Interseeding Covers Into Corn at V4-V5 for No-Till Success, John Wallace, PSU

Understanding Carbon:Nitrogen Ratios & Cover Crops - Steve Groff on Cover Crop Strategies Podcast

On the Road with Cover Crops - Jim Hershey on No-Till Farmer Podcast

Question 12

LAND LEASING & CONSERVATION PRACTICES

Accepted Answer

Landowner Help website - recorded webinars and resources
​
Agricultural Conservation Lease Builder - step-by-step help for developing leases
​
Long-Term Leasing Booklet & Ag Leasing 101 - PA Farm Link
​
Five Questions Landowners Should Ask Their Farmers about Soil Health - NRCS

PA Farm Link website - land and legal information

Question 13

CASE STUDIES

Accepted Answer

Thiele Dairy Farm - 2023 American Farmland Trust Pennsylvania Farm

B&R Farms - Boots and Robin Hetherington +  Morgan and Kevin Bond, PA

American Farmland Trust - national case study list

Quantifying Economic and Environmental Benefits of Soil Health - AFT

Economics of Soil Health Systems in Midwest Corn and Soy - Soil Health Institute

Question 14

PENNSYLVANIA FARMER TESTIMONIALS & INTERVIEWS

Accepted Answer

Thiele Dairy Farm: No-till & Cover Crops in PA - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Deploy Cover Crops to Drop Your Herbicide Use
Steve Groff, Cedar Meadows Farm (Lancaster County) - No-Till Farmer
​
Healing Soil through No-Till
Leroy Bupp, Bupplynn Farm (York County) – No-Till Farmer
​
No-Till Pioneer on a Mission for Soil Health
Leroy Bupp, Bupplynn Farm (York County) – Chesapeake Bay Foundation
​
Focusing on Profits, Not Yields
Lucas Criswell, Criswell Acres (Union County) – Farm Progress
​
Planting into Living Covers
Lucas Criswell & Jim Hershey (Union & Lancaster Counties) – No-Till Farmer
​
Using Untreated Seed to Boost Beneficial Insects
Lucas Criswell, Criswell Acres (Union County) – No-Till Farmer
​
Farmer Profile: Dave Graybill
Dave Graybill, Red Sunset Farm (Juniata County) – Chesapeake Bay Foundation
​
Fine-Tuning Fertility for Top Yields
Dean James, Don Cotner Farms (Northumberland County) – No-Till Farmer
​
Connections Between Soil Health & Nutrition
Jennifer Montgomery & Greg Boulos, Blackberry Meadows Farm – Pasa Sustainable Agriculture
​
NRCS showcase
Jim Harbach, Schrack Farms (Clinton County)
​
Mimicking Natural Systems
Jim Harbach, Schrack Farms (Clinton County) – Dairy Herd
​
Harvesting Sunlight to Feed Soils
Jim Harbach, Schrack Farms (Clinton County) – No-Till Farmer
​
Planning and Research is Necessary for No-Till Success
Jim Hershey, Hershey Farms  (Lancaster County) – No-Till Farmer
​
60” Corn Rows Make Space for Cover Crops
Ben Peckman, Slate Ridge Farm (Franklin County) – Farm Progress
​
Water In, Slugs Out, Inputs Down, Profits Up
Ben Peckman, Slate Ridge Farm (Franklin County) – No-Till Farmer
​
Feeding Worms, Microbial 'Livestock' Transforms No-Till Fields
Dave McLaughlin, Little Germany Farm (Perry County) - Cover Crop Strategies
​
Behind the Scenes with a Local Beef Farmer
Dave & Holly Albert, Misty Mountain Farms (Lycoming County) - Dirt to Dinner

Drone aids in making farm decisions 
William Thiele (Butler County) - Farm & Dairy

Soil health and forage: A cover crop twofer 
William Thiele (Butler County) - Farm Progress

The Next Step in No-Till: Planting into Living Covers - Cover Crop Strategies featuring Jim Hershey and Lucas Criswell (Lancaster & Union)

Profiles in Soil Health: Rowan Miller (Cumberland County)
American Farmland Trust

Profiles in Soil Health: Teena Bailey (Lehigh County)
American Farmland Trust

Links & Articles

RESOURCE CATEGORIES

Pennsylvania Farmer Testimonials