Eric Bendfeldt

4 The Soil: A Conversation

Science EN ↓ 130 episodes

Soil. What is it, really? It’s more than the dirt under our feet and the ground we stand on. Soil is living and life-giving. Listen in as we unlock the mysteries of soil by speaking with people at the forefront of the soil health movement. “4 The Soil: A Conversation” is part of the 4 The Soil Awareness Campaign led by Virginia Cooperative Extension and the Virginia Soil Health Coalition. The campaign’s purpose is to raise awareness of soil as a critical agricultural and natural resource for social, economic, and environmental health. The podcast is a collaboration of Virginia Tech's School of...

Author

Eric Bendfeldt

Episodes

Episode 21-Special 1: The Wisdom and Soil Health Insights of Ira Wallace of Southern Exposure Seed Exchange 01.12.2021 24:01

In preparation and celebration of World Soil Day on December 5, 2021, 4 The Soil and the Virginia Soil Health Coalition offer a special episode to hear and learn from the wisdom and insights of Ira Wallace of Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. In this episode, Ira shares about the importance of soil health to vegetable and food production, but specifically how soil health is relevant to seed saving,...

Episode 21-4: Soil Health Management: From Soil Judging to Gleaning with Dr. John Galbraith Part 2 23.11.2021 20:01

In this episode, Jeff Ishee and Eric Bendfeldt continue with part two of their conversation with Dr. John Galbraith, a renowned soil scientist at Virginia Tech in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences. In Part 2, John shares his expertise and perspective on soil health management based on leading and mentoring the Virginia Tech Soil Judging Team and his role in growing vegetables as part...

Episode 21-3: What in the World is Pamunkey Soil? The Many Soil Types of Virginia with Dr. John Galbraith Part I 09.11.2021 18:53

In this episode, Jeff Ishee and Eric Bendfeldt speak with Dr. John Galbraith, who is a renowned soil scientist at Virginia Tech in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences. John discusses his background in agriculture and how he became a student and teacher of soil science, while he explores the diverse soil types found across the state (including the Virginia state soil!) and touches on the...

Episode 21-2: Health from the Soil Up: A Conversation with Chris Lawrence of USDA-NRCS 26.10.2021 17:23

In this episode, Jeff Ishee and Eric Bendfeldt talk with Chris Lawrence, State Cropland Agronomist with Virginia Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). Chris discusses how the soil works for all of us and the importance of taking care of and respecting it by following the four principles of soil health. Virginia NRCS and Chris Lawrence first started the Virginia Soil Health Coalition in 201...

Episode 21-1: Why Soil Health? Why a Podcast? 12.10.2021 18:44

In the inaugural episode of “4 The Soil: A Conversation,” host Jeff Ishee sits down with Eric Bendfeldt, Community Viability Specialist with Virginia Cooperative Extension, and Mary Sketch, Coordinator of the Virginia Soil Health Coalition. Mary and Eric have been working through Virginia Cooperative Extension and with partners of the Virginia Soil Health Coalition to launch the 4TheSoil Awareness...