The Soil Quilt by Tracy McMurphy

Amanda Radke

Illustrated by Michelle Weber

America’s Healthy Soil - A living legacy for the future.

Published by Ag Storytellers on behalf of the South Dakota Soil Health Coalition

This material is based upon work supported by Natural Resources Conservation Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture, under agreement NR186740XXXXG001.

Our Dedication

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To my grandparents — thank you for teaching me how to be a true steward of God’s land and livestock.

To my husband — for your active pursuit of preserving the land we love for generations to come.

To the members and partners of the South Dakota Soil Health Coalition — for your vision and desire to pass on a healthier soil system to the next generation.

Hi! My name is Joey, and I live in New York City with my family. School is out for the summer, and I get to spend a few months at Grandma’s house in South Dakota. Grandma raises a variety of crops and animals on her farm and ranch. I’m sure going to miss my family and friends back home, but Grandma says she’s signed me up for lots of fun activities — swimming lessons, softball, and even art classes at the museum! Plus, she says there’s plenty to do on the farm. I guess we will see. I can’t wait to explore!

This is my first time ever on an airplane, and the views are amazing! The clouds look like big, fluffy marshmallows, and the cities scattered across the countryside look like tiny dollhouses from up here. As we get closer to South Dakota and fly over the state from Sioux Falls to Rapid City, I can’t believe how many different things there are to see! In between the towns and trucks traveling on the roads, I see fields, pastures, grasslands, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and forested areas, too. Looking at it from above, I notice that everything is pieced together in a unique pattern of colorful shapes. It kind of looks like a patchwork quilt!

After safely landing at the airport, Grandma and I begin the drive to the farm. There isn’t as much traffic as I’m used to seeing back home. Following the winding gravel roads to Grandma’s house, all I can see for miles around are fields of crops, sloping grasslands and pastures of cattle and sheep. I notice how peaceful and quiet it is as we park the pickup and head to the house. I’m hot and tired from traveling all day. Sitting in Grandma’s farmhouse, which was built by her family in the late 1800s, she offers me a big glass of lemonade and helps me carry my luggage to my new bedroom.

In my room, I see a soft patchwork quilt laid out on the bed. Each square on the quilt has bright and colorful shades of blue, green, brown, and white. I can hardly contain my excitement, and I quickly throw my bags down and jump onto the soft bed. Giggling as I jump up and down, I call out, “Hey, Grandma! This quilt looks exactly like how South Dakota looks from an airplane!” “Is that so? Well, this quilt is the legacy I want to leave for you, Joey,” she replies with a chuckle. “I spent a lot of time sewing it just for you. I want you to take care of it and give it to your children one day.” “Really, this quilt is for me?” I ask. “Thank you, Grandma! I love it!”

“You’re right that this quilt looks a lot like our South Dakota farms and ranches,” adds Grandma. “The colors of this quilt are inspired by our beautiful land. Every day, we work hard to take care of this land, so it is healthier and stronger tomorrow than it was yesterday. This land is also my legacy to you.” “What does that mean exactly, Grandma?” I ask. “You get some sleep, and I promise, I’ll teach you all about it tomorrow,” she says.

COCKADOODLE

DOO!

“Rise and shine, Joey! It’s chore time!” Grandma sings from the hallway as the rooster crows in the yard. I rise slowly, stretching my arms, and rubbing my eyes. It’s super early, and I’m so tired! I hear Grandma call me again, “Daylight is wasting! Let’s go, Joey!”

I quickly get dressed, brush my teeth and head out the door. By the time I get to the chicken coop, Grandma has already fed the chickens and gathered eggs in a basket.

I follow her to the garden, where she begins to swiftly pull a few pesky weeds away from the tomato plants. In the next row, the drip irrigation spritzes water at the base of the cucumbers. I hurry over to help her, but Grandma stops and teases me, saying, “You forgot something.” I look around. I’ve got my boots and gloves on, and I’m ready to work. What am I missing? With a twinkle in her eye, she grins and pulls a big, wide-brimmed hat from her basket. She hands it to me and says, “You need to protect yourself from the sun. Wear this while we work.” “Thanks, Grandma,” I reply as I put on the hat. It shades me nicely, and we begin the task of gathering ripe string beans and crunchy snap peas from the neat rows Grandma lovingly planted for the growing season.

While working alongside Grandma, I accidentally trip on one of the pumpkin vines. Lying on the ground in the plant residue, I see an earthworm squirm and wiggle right next to my hand. “Ugh, Grandma, how do you work in this dirt all day?” I ask her. “This is not dirt, Joey; it’s soil!” says Grandma with a laugh. “Soil is kind of like your quilt. It has many layers that piece together to provide a protective blanket for plants to grow.”

Grandma helps me up. Then she kneels down and peels back the garden mulch to show me the protective layer of soil underneath. “Soil is a complex, living mixture of minerals, water, air, and organic matter, which is the decaying remains of living things like plants, animals, and countless small organisms,” she tells me. “Healthy soil allows plants to grow strong and remain free of disease. When taken care of properly, healthy soils also absorb and filter water, capture carbon, and recycle nutrients, too!”

soil was so “Whoa! I had no idea healthy a, I have another important!” I say. “But Grandm on top of the question. What is all this stuff soil?”

“Well, Joey, every summer, I add mulch to my garden, which includes a protective layer of straw and grass clippings on top of the soil,” she explains. “I also leave the residue from previous year’s plants for added soil cover in our garden and on our fields, too. This extra layer helps control weeds, minimize water needs, reduce erosion, and manage the temperature of the soil. That is also why I gave you a hat. We have to protect ourselves while we care for our soil. There are many other things we do on the farm to promote soil health. You have a lot to learn, but I’ll teach you all about it this summer!”

After we finish our morning chores, we enjoy a quick breakfast before heading back outside for the day. The next task is scouting the fields. We hop in Grandma’s red pickup and head down the bumpy gravel roads to check on the crops. As we drive by acres and acres of corn, soybeans, wheat, sunflowers, sorghum, oats, and barley, I start to get a little grumpy. Feeling a little bored, I whine to Grandma, “Where is the action? What are we looking at here? It’s just a bunch of green crops!” She’s quiet for a moment, and then she tells me a story.

Grandma says, “In the 1930s, the United States experienced the Dust Bowl, a time when a severe drought and high winds caused terrible dust storms to sweep the nation. Because the soil was left uncovered, the winds eroded the land and blew away the soil and the crops. The extreme winds also damaged our air quality, our homes, and our health.” “That sounds terrible,” I say. “It was a really tough time, Joey. That’s when my parents, your great-grandparents, learned to pay close attention to ways we could better conserve the soil, reduce erosion, and regenerate our lands for the future.”

That favorite about the in the

evening, while tucked in my bed under my new patchwork quilt, I couldn’t sleep. I kept thinking Dust Bowl. I pictured Grandma’s farm blowing away gusty winds, and it made me sad.

Wide awake, I was curious to learn more, so I grabbed my tablet and typed, “Dust Bowl” in the search bar. Reading more about that difficult time on the prairie, I learned that many farmers discovered the benefits of conservation. These farmers realized that the land in South Dakota, which used to be covered in thick prairie grasses, would benefit from limited disturbance and additional protective coverage. Suddenly, it all clicked for me. I remembered Grandma saying earlier that day, “We’ll never forget the Dust Bowl. To this day, we minimize tilling wherever possible before planting our crops to promote healthy soil biology, to prevent soil loss, and to build up organic matter.”

Later that summer, on a hot July day, Grandma takes me to a field. I see tiny rows of seedlings popping up out of the soil. Across the fence, the cattle and sheep graze peacefully on hills of rolling grasslands. “Why are we stopping here, Grandma?” I ask. “What’s so special about this field?” “Following the wheat harvest, we drilled in a mixture of seeds including oats, kale, rye, forage sorghum, flax, clover, turnips, and radishes,” says Grandma, as she grabs her drone to study the field from an aerial view. “These cover crops will provide cover, add carbon to the soil, and are a

great food source for micro-organisms, wildlife, and livestock, too. This fall, our cattle will graze on these cover crops, which allows the cattle to naturally fertilize the fields while eating the plants.” “That mixture sounds like a huge salad for the cattle, but they can’t really eat big, round turnips, can they, Grandma?” I ask. “You bet they can, and you can see it firsthand when the field is ready to be grazed!” Grandma promises.

The summer is moving fast, and one evening in August while checking the cattle in the pastures, we make a stop by the creek in the grassy valley to relax and enjoy the view. “Sit quietly, and listen closely,” Grandma whispers. t, “What do you see and hear? Make a list on your table so you don’t forget.”

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Joey

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bit b a R k - D uc ant as - Phe - Fo x tle t a C k - H aw

ing At first, I see and hear nothing but cattle and sheep rustl in the grass, but then, the pasture comes to life. I hear rent birds chirping. The ranch is home to hundreds of diffe e, and types including hawks, eagles, grouse, pheasants, gees ing ducks. I also see a rabbit, and I notice a sneaky fox lurk nearby.

dma planted In the distance, alongside a thick row of trees that Gran ict, I see a years ago with the help of her county conservation distr deer and her fawn peeking out from the branches. head. A As dusk approaches, I hear geese honk as they fly over ks splash in mouse scurries for cover. A pheasant struts nearby. Duc from flower to the creek. Colorful butterflies and buzzing bees flutter es of grass. flower, and a silvery spider web spans between two blad “Grandma, does it bother the cattle and sheep to have so many wild animals roaming nearby?” I ask. “Not at all. In fact, the livestock and wildlife are very happy together here,” Grandma says with a smile as she scoots me closer to her and wraps an arm around my shoulder. “But that’s not all that I see in this pasture.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, as I scour the pasture looking for what I missed.

Grandma replies, “In our fields, we rotate through a variety of crops to mimic nature. On our native grasslands, we enjoy more than 300 plant species. These include cool and warm season grasses, tender forbs, colorful wildflowers, and so much more. The roots of some of these prairie plants can reach 12-feet below the surface, which makes them hardy and resilient to drought. Our grasslands and croplands serve as the fabric and threads that patch together a living quilt for the land — and our healthy soil, too.”

My head is spinning thinking about this big quilt that covers the entire world. It’s pretty neat when you think about it like that! There really is so much to learn about the soil that covers so much of our planet! Then, Grandma instructs me to pick one stem of each type of grass and flower I can find. Later, we will use a nature book to identify the plant variety, and I will glue each stem into my summer scrapbook for safe keeping. “These plants will be a souvenir to take back home with you,” she says. “I’m sure going to miss this place,” I think to myself.

Summer will soon draw to a close, and I will pack up my bags and head home. We have done a lot of fun things during my break from school. Grandma has taught me so much about conservation and how to take care of our soils to keep them healthy. I have weeded the garden, picked vegetables, fed the chickens, and cleaned their coop. I have scouted the fields with a drone, checked on baby calves and lambs in the pasture, and learned about wildlife, plant varieties, and soil health. Most importantly, I have learned what I can do to take care of the land and protect it for the future.

Along the way, I’ve been hot, sweaty, dirty, and tired, but it has been worth it. Our livestock are healthy and ready for market. Our crops are standing strong and will soon be harvested. And our garden is full of fresh produce to enjoy at home and share with our community. Our hard work has definitely paid off!

Today, we will sell some of our garden produce at the local farmer’s ! market. I’m so excited to be part of this big event in our community We arrive in town and begin setting up our farm stand with fruits, of vegetables, and some of Grandma’s quilts. While we work, I see all my new friends I met during my summer in South Dakota. Merle, my swimming lessons instructor, has carrots, green beans, and peas for sale. Jacob, my softball coach, is selling melons and — pumpkins, along with his famous strawberry watermelon lemonade a tasty treat on this hot day! Then there’s Lila, my art class teacher. She has a stand offering specialty soaps made with goat’s milk and homegrown lavender. Next to our stand is Miss Mae, who volunteers at the South Dakota Ag Heritage Museum with Grandma. I learned more about the Dust Bowl on my visits to the museum this summer! She is selling delicious jams and breads. Oh, and for lunch, I’m going to Big Al’s. He is grilling lamb chislic, bacon-wrapped pork-on-a-stick, and cheeseburgers. Yum!

As the day goes on, people from all over gather and visit as they shop from stand to stand. “Grandma, I love seeing everybody here celebrating harvest,” I say as I count change for a customer. “Joey, when rural communities work together to support one another, we are stronger, happier, and more connected,” says Grandma. “But the food we grow here doesn’t just end up in South Dakota. Big semi-trucks will haul our corn, soybeans, wheat, grains, and meats to elevators or packing plants where they are processed and shipped. These products will then be enjoyed by many people across the United States and around the world! Later that day, I use some of my earnings from our garden stand to buy a pack of vegetable seeds from a local vendor. I have big plans for planting a garden of my own next year back at home. I will get my classmates to help in our urban garden, and I will show them everything I learned on the farm in South Dakota.

It’s the last night of my summer vacation at Grandma’s farm. My bags are packed, and the plane will take off in the morning. As we sit down for one last meal together at the farmhouse table, I’m grateful for my time spent in South Dakota.

Tomorrow, I will be taking my quilt back with me to remind me of this fun summer. Every time I look at it, I will be reminded of our family farm’s beautiful soil quilt — the living landscapes that are the true legacy of our nation.

“Never forget, Joey, that healthy soils need five things to thrive — protective cover, limited disturbance, living roots, diversity, and grazing livestock,” says Grandma. “These are the pieces that create a rich and healthy soil quilt to blanket our land to make it better tomorrow and 100 years from now, too. “I won’t ever forget, Grandma,” I promise. “When I get home, I want to use these seeds to plant a rooftop garden above our apartment complex. Can I call you if I have questions?” “That sounds like a good plan to me,” says Grandma. “And don’t forget to wear your sun hat!”

Glossary

Aggregate - Particles of soil that are held together by biological glues created by soil organisms, and other physical, chemical, and biological activity below ground. Carbon - Naturally occurring and stored in the Earth’s soil, carbon is the basic building block of all living tissues. Carbon moves from plants and animals to soils in the carbon cycle. Conservation - The practice of carefully preserving and protecting natural resources to maintain a healthy environment. Conservation District - Subdivisions of state government that provide local conservation leadership, teach the value of natural resources and encourage practices that promote healthy air, land, water, plants, and animals. Cropland - Land used for production of crops for harvest. Diversity - The practice of mimicking nature by including cool and warm season grasses and broad leaf plants, along with three or more crops in rotation to benefit the soil food web, improve filtration and nutrient cycling, reduce disease and pests, and aid in weed suppression.

Glossary

Drip Irrigation - A system of crop irrigation that delivers water directly to individual plants through a network of pipes or tubes. Drought - A period of abnormally dry weather and low rainfall. Dust Bowl - In the 1930s, a period of extreme drought and windstorms caused severe soil erosion, lost vegetation, and unsuitable lands for farming. Erosion - The process through which the surface of land is dislodged and moved by stressors such as an abundance of wind or water, removal of vegetation, or excessive disturbance of the ground. Grassland - A large open area of the land covered with grasses and plants and home to wildlife and livestock. Legacy - A concept, lesson, or achievement intended to benefit and educate future generations. Limited Disturbance - The practice of minimizing tillage, and other types of physical, biological and chemical disturbance, as much as possible to build soil aggregates, pore spaces, soil biology, and organic matter.

Glossary Living Roots - The practice of keeping plants growing for as much of the year as possible in order to feed and build the soil. Integrating Livestock - The practice of grazing crop residue or cover crops in an effort to rest grassland areas. This increases the soil biological activity on the cropland and improves nutrient cycling while allowing for proper grassland management for improved soil health. Microorganisms - Tiny, microscopic organisms such as bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and algae that cannot be seen by the unaided eye. Mulch - Decaying leaves, bark, or compost spread over the land or around plants to enrich and insulate the soil, retain water, and reduce erosion. Organic Matter - Any plant or animal material that returns to the soil and begins to decompose, providing nutrients and habitat to living organisms in the soil.

Glossary Pasture - Land covered with grass and other plants that is suitable for grazing livestock including cattle or sheep, which may have been planted specifically for this purpose. Plant Residue - Material left in an agricultural field after harvest, allowed to decompose and provide a protective layer of coverage on the soil. Soil - Soil is the loose upper layer of the Earth’s surface where plants grow. Soil consists of a mix of organic material, including decayed plants and animals, water, and air along with broken bits of rocks and minerals including sand, silt and clay. Soil Cover - The practice of keeping a protective layer of plant residues on the soil surface to minimize erosion and build soil health. Wetland - Saturated land consisting of shallow water such as swamps or marshes; a habitat for wildlife such as ducks and birds.

About the South Dakota Soil Health Coalition The South Dakota Soil Health Coalition is a producer-led, non-profit, membership organization that was created in the spring of 2015. The Coalition is governed by a nine-member board of farmers and ranchers from across the state and includes several staff members. Staff and board members strive to carry out the Coalition’s mission to “Promote Improved Soil Health” through education and research. Major projects and membership benefits include field walks and workshops, annual Soil Health School, mentoring network, bi-monthly newsletter, informational videos, and the distribution of soil health education kits to school groups. To learn more about the South Dakota Soil Health Coalition, visit www.sdsoilhealthcoalition.org.

Edible Infiltration Soil Science Activity

Lesson plan created by USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and South Dakota Ag in the Classroom. Reprinted with permission.

Objectives

Like a sponge, healthy soil holds more water in the soil profile than unhealthy soil. Because the soil profile has good structure and macro pores, precipitation soaks into the healthy soil profile while water will sit on top of or “run off” of tilled soil because the macro pores have been destroyed.

Characteristics of healthy soils:

• Are more productive soils. • Improve nutrient use efficiency. • Allow water to infiltrate into the ground, reduce runoff pollution, and provide water to plants when they need it. • Add nutrients to the food we eat. • Break down or capture pesticides and other contaminants. • Resist wind and water erosion to improve the quality of our air and water.

Healthy soil in a cup

Plowed soil in a cup

Instructions

Each student gets either a cup of tilled or no-till soil (chocolate “crispies” cereal). They watch as it rains (milk is poured on top of the soil/cereal). Rain (milk) soaks into no-till soil (infiltrates) because it has macro pores. Rain (milk) does not soak into the tilled soil and sits on top becoming run-off, which causes water erosion on soil.

Materials

• Clear/transparent cups • Spoons • Serving scoops • Milk • Chocolate “crispies” cereal • Plastic sanitary gloves for handling food

Process

Edible Infiltration Preparation: The no-till soil is used “as is” from the bag/box. The tilled soil is crushed prior to the lesson. A rolling pin can be used with cereal in a heavy-duty resealable baggie.

Infiltration

No infiltration, creates run-off

See the difference!

Edible Infiltration Discussion Sample questions to test students’ knowledge gained from the activity: Question 1: Compare the two cups. What do you notice about how the “rain” infiltrates or goes through the “soil?” What do you think is the reason the “rain” infiltrates or goes through the “no-till” sample and not the other? Answer 1: In healthy soil, roots and soil animals create pathways, or pores, for water to go down and through the soil. When these pathways, or pores, are destroyed, the water is unable to infiltrate the soil. Question 2: What do you think happens to the water when it cannot infiltrate the soil? Answer 2: It stays on tops and evaporates. Question 3: If the ground as a slope, like a hill, and the rain/water cannot infiltrate the soil, what does it do? Answer 3: It runs downhill. This is water erosion. It takes the soil with it as it runs off.

Farming systems: No-Till soil is in the bowl, Tilled soil is in the bag

Edible Infiltration Discussion Question 4: What did you learn about soil? Answer 4: Healthy soil holds more water in the soil profile than unhealthy soil. Like all living things, healthy soil needs air and water. Soil organisms need air to breathe, and they also depend on water to deliver nutrients and support the food web. Without pores through the soil, air and water would be unable to reach those living organisms. Soils are made up of air, water decayed plant residue, organic matter from living and dead organisms, and mineral matter like sand, silt, and clay. Earthworms and dying roots create pores. One acre of healthy soil can store more than 160,000 gallons of water in its upper foot. Soil microbes (bacteria and fungi) produce sticky substances that hold soil particles together. Disturbances, like tillage, destroy pore structure and kill earthworms and fungi. Tillage breaks up soil structure and destroys the pores in soil that allow water to infiltrate the soil profile. Certain cropping systems, such as no-till, are better for soil and create better soil structure. Question 5: What are some management activities that anyone can do to keep their soil healthy? Answer 5: Dig a little. Then look, touch, and smell your soil. Get help if your soil doesn’t appear healthy. Keep it under cover. Keep the soil covered, whether in a garden, field, or pasture. Mulch or residue left from plants provides soil with a protective cover that reduces erosion. It’s also a source for carbon, the essential energy source for the soil food web. Do not disturb – when soil is plowed or tilled, it can cause compaction or “plow pan” which restricts water infiltration and increases runoff.

About the Ag Storytellers We are a team of agricultural professionals and moms who are on a mission to tell agriculture’s rich stories through accurate, engaging and vibrant children’s books that will become a favorite on the bookshelf, as well as a legacy for the producers we represent. With decades of combined experience in the areas of writing, illustrating and design, Ag Storytellers is a collaborative effort that connects consumers with producers. Meet the author, Amanda Radke. She is a seasoned agricultural journalist, blogger for BEEF Magazine, children’s book author, international speaker and cattle rancher, based in South Dakota. She holds a degree in Agricultural Communications, Education and Leadership from South Dakota State University. With extensive media training, consumer advocacy experience and years of reading children’s books at elementary schools and libraries, Amanda works to create a dynamic storyline that will capture the attention of young readers while accurately representing the experiences of farmers/ ranchers. Meet the illustrator, Michelle Weber. She is an author, illustrator, ranch wife and artist, located in Minnesota. She specializes in agricultural and livestock art. Weber has built her portfolio on a national and international level, selling her work to 36+ states, Canada, Europe, Australia and Asia. With a degree from South Dakota State University in Advertising, Marketing and Sociology, Michelle not only brings unique design and perspective to every illustration on canvas, but she also understands how the visual impact will influence and inspire readers. Meet the designer, Tracy McMurphy. She is a graphic designer and online marketing specialist, as well as the owner of the Red Angus World and a beef cattle producer from Texas. McMurphy holds a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Communications from Oklahoma State and a master’s degree in Mass Communication from the Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University. With each project, McMurphy pulls the elements of the book together to create a gorgeous published product that will be a legacy on the bookshelf for years to come.

Meet the Ag Storytellers

Amanda Radke Author

Michelle Weber Illustrator

Tracy McMurphy Designer

AGStorytellers promoting agricultural literacy through accurate, engaging and vibrant books for kids.

To learn more about Ag Storytellers, visit our website.

WWW.AGSTORYTELLERS.COM

Hi! My name is Joey! I’m from New York City, and I’m spending my summer break at my grandma’s farm in South Dakota! Join me on an adventure as I explore the prairie, take care of the animals and discover how agriculturalists promote healthy soils with conservation efforts. Along the way, we’ll visit a farmer’s market, eat some good food, learn about cool insects and animals and have a lot of fun, too!