The Ground Truth - Soil Health in Agriculture

Soil means everything. Without healthy soil, you have no crop and without a crop you have no product. Though we understand the importance of crop yield and agricultural output, are we paying enough attention to the soil? As larger format operations boom alongside local family farms, we want to dig in and see just what can be done about giving back to the land. What is the importance of a cover crop and why is it useful to farmers during on and off season? What is the importance of SAP testing, used to measure the nutrient density and health of plant tissue? How does the presence of Actinomycetes infer a fertile soil? In this episode, we’re digging deep to get to the root of Soil Health in Agriculture.

Meet Our Guests

Tannis Axten, Co-Owner of Axten Family Farms

Axten Family Farms was the first Canadian farm to earn Regenified certification. Tannis and her family have transformed their operation through low disturbance farming, intercropping, cover crops, pollinator habitat and livestock integration. Their commitment to rebuilding soil health has led to dramatic improvements in soil structure, aggregation, infiltration and biological life—including earthworm populations and living roots year-round. Beyond agronomy, the Axtens have also built a food-grade seed cleaning plant, flour mill and packaging line to add value to their grains. Tannis is known for her curiosity, honesty about the ups and downs of regenerative farming and her relentless drive to “give back to the soil” every season.

Blain Hjertaas, Rancher and Holistic Management Educator

After spending his first 25 years farming the conventional “high-tech” way, Blain transitioned to a grass-based, Holistic Management system that emphasizes adaptive multi-paddock grazing, plant diversity, and rebuilding soil function. Today, he supports producers across the prairies by measuring soil carbon and water holding improvements on working farms and by coaching families through practical, profitability focused transitions. His work has included the General Mills Oat Pilot Project, one of the largest agro-ecological efforts to assess carbon sequestration and ecological function in North American grain systems. A frequent keynote and field-day speaker, Blain also serves as a Holistic Management educator and has instructed at the University of Manitoba. In recognition of the on-farm outcomes achieved with his family at Redvers, Saskatchewan, Blain and his wife Naomi received the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA) in 2018.

About UFA

Founded in 1909, UFA Co-operative Limited is an Alberta-based agricultural co-operative with more than 125,000 member-owners. UFA’s network comprises more than 121 bulk fuel and Cardlock Petroleum locations, 35 Farm & Ranch Supply stores and a support office in Calgary, AB. Independent Petroleum Agents and over 1,200 UFA employees provide products, services and agricultural solutions to farmers, ranchers, members and commercial customers in Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan. Learn more at UFA.com.

About Your Host
Don Shafer, PhD, is an award winning broadcaster, veteran media executive, and recipient of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame’s Lifetime Achievement Award. He holds a PhD in Social Justice, bringing a rare blend of industry expertise and academic insight to the evolving media landscape.

Credits
Host: Don Shafer, PhD
Guests: Tannis Axten, Blain Hjertaas
Senior Writer: Eric La Febre
Showrunner: Jessica Grajczyk
Audio Producer: Scott Whittaker
Executive Producer: Jennifer Smith
Contributor: Trish Nixon