Conversations with Farmers: Plants in Soil can Make Magic

As the farmer at Waterloo Village, I could talk about soil all day. Growing food starts with understanding what’s happening beneath the surface and how that affects the plants I tend above it.

So when another farmer called me around 7am with a reel about hydroponic growing and an idea for a new side business, he happened to get me started on one of my favorite subjects: why I choose to grow in soil.

Here’s how that conversation went…

Farmer #1: “Did you see the hydroponics reel I sent you about an hour ago? We should start a part-time side business doing this!”

Farmer #2 (Me): “Well we could, but I feel pretty strongly about growing in soil, so I’m probably the wrong farmer for a hydroponics side business.”

Farmer #1: “Oh? Why is that?”

Farmer #2: “Because the leaves of plants are solar panels making and throwing sugars down into the soil profile all day long (photosynthesis) but also throughout the day, another process called protein synthesis is simultaneously going on.

First thing in the morning, the leaves are highest in nitrates that are being converted into amino acids that help build proteins. From there, with the right conditions, plants also want to make complete proteins throughout every day, and with enough extra resources, they are capable as well of developing fats, lipids, essential oils/secondary metabolites and immune boosting compounds that give the plant aroma, flavor, color, thicker leaves, and a dark, waxy sheen, along with health and vitality that gets passed on to us by consuming it.

The first part of transmutation/nitrogen metabolism can happen in water using hydroponics and chemical fertilizer. But what I’m really interested in is what happens in the soil profile with biochemical processes and the right environmental conditions.”

Farmer #1: “You explained that so well I think I understand it even though I can’t repeat it, haha. I guess I understand why you feel so strongly about growing in soil!”

Farmer #2: “Yes! And our takeaway could be: A whole lot of magic happens in the soil! (And if you have a garden, always pick your leafy greens later in the day.)”