Regenerative Agriculture or R.A.
Irregular weather and climate instability has become more regular, almost normal, impacting agriculture and our global food supply. For organic farmer and winemaker Luca Nesi, Earth Day is not just one day. It is a daily commitment to grow high quality, healthy fruit and restore the soil via R.A. Regenerative Agriculture.
What is R.A. and why is it more important than ever?
According to Terra Genesis International, RA farming principles and practices increase biodiversity, enrich soil, improve watershed, and enhance the ecosystem. Regenerative farming assists in countering the effects of climate change to maintain the overall health of agriculture.
R.A. practices protect soil, a precious and finite resource and our earth’s largest water filter. It contains more carbon than above ground plant and vegetables and regulates carbon dioxide discharge in our atmosphere. R.A. management strives to keep carbon stored in the soil as Soil Organic Carbon-SOC. Acting as buffer against harmful substances, SOC improves nutrition, builds hardiness, and promotes fertility in soil.
As a 24-year organic certified farmer and wine maker, Luca not only farms without chemicals or pesticides, but his work also includes building a nutrient rich, resilient, robust soil structure. After the fall harvest, Luca creates an ideal home for soil life by “feeding” it with compost and cover cropping via manure and minerals from natural sources such as artichokes, beet root, broad bean, clover, horse radish, lentils, ryegrass and sweet pea seedlings. Broken down and absorbed by organisms this fosters carbon rich, hearty soil. Measured surface raking aerates to ensure moisture is absorbed and soil can breathe. By trapping carbon in the dirt, soil is vigorous with deep root systems nourished and protected from diseases and pests. R.A. focus on healthy soil life and biology to produces phytonutrient rich crops. Resulting in clean, healthy, better tasting grapes and olives benefitting consumers and our environment!
Tags agriculture, food security, land-use emissions, regenerative agriculture, restore our earth
Sources:
https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2021/
https://greenamerica.org/restore-it
https://news.italianfood.net/category/common/laws-labels/
https://www.regenerateillinois.org/