La Gomera
La Gomera is a small island full of wonders. We invite you to come and visit us!
Soil recovery
One step at a time.
Let’s start by explaining what is Soil Recovery. In simple words, Soil Recovery is an agricultural technique that restores land by keeping the soil covered at all times and bringing back the microorganism in the ground and retaining more carbon in the ground. For example the use of cover crops in between your normal crops.
It may sound weird, but as soon as you read or listen about it, it’s pure logic.
When we arrived to La Gomera we finally we would be able to grow our own fruits and veggies. Of course we were excited but at the same time, a bit concerned. Why? Well… we had NO CLUE about agriculture. We knew that we wanted to go 100% organic and somehow we started reading about this during our trip in India. We had read tons of books regarding permaculture (an agricultural method that seeks to integrate human activity and the surrounding nature).
Fortunately, the land where we live already has some fruit and nut trees. When we arrived, we had the following trees: apricot, plum, pear, apple, grapevines, orange, tangerine, quince, fig, medlar and almonds.
Our first year was a disaster! Everything that was growing so beautifully got destroyed either by fruit flies or mildew. Many neighbours advised us to start using chemicals but a voice in the back of our mind said NO. We were not interested in a temporary solution but wanted to know why this was happening. How come that our ancestors were able to grow without chemicals and nowadays, it is almost a must?! How can a forest grow healthy and “barely” need any “help” from us, humans?
Actually, Mother Earth doesn’t need us… Think about it!
I’ve we are not here on the Earth, Mother Earth will thrive. The forest would expand once again, birds would return and help to spread the seeds. Trees “call” the clouds, and with the clouds the rain. It would take its time but eventually be restored.
It felt like chemical agriculture, aka conventional agriculture, did not make any sense to us but everybody said this was the correct and only way of doing it… They learned it from their parents and their parents from their grandparents. So, why would they teach them something that is not correct?
The More You Know.
DESERTIFICATION.
One of the biggest problems in Spain in regards to soil is the increasing desertification caused by forest fires and the overuse of agricultural land. Almost 74% of Spain is in danger of this process and there are some estimates that if global emissions are unaffected by 2050, Madrid could have a climate like Marrakesh nowadays.
It is time to recover these soils and work with mother nature, not against it.
SO, WHAT IS CAUSING THIS EXPANSION OF THE DESERT?
Little did we know the effect of massive agriculture and the use of chemicals on our biodiversity. Looking at retrospect, now we know and understand that ploughing the ground, kills 50% of the microorganism (every time we do this). Removing our wrongly called “weeds” with herbicides actually does more harm than good. There are studies that show us that all this heavy equipment creates compaction layers in the soil.
In other words: We changed our land from soil to dirt! That’s right. Dirt. Useless ground…
Over the years, water was not able to penetrate the soil anymore because of these compaction layers. Resulting in erosion and losing organic matter.
To make up for this, wells were drilled to keep watering the trees and fields. Most of this water was not able to infiltrate the soil, and about 50% evaporates to never be returned to the soil. This, of course, destroys the soil even more.
Not a “fun” Fun Fact: Most of the chemicals used in agriculture are salts. This means that when watering your plants, the salt from the fertilizers (i.e.) combines with water and makes it no longer available for your plant. Even though you added a good amount of water.
See it this way. If you are thirsty and you drink seawater, you will dehydrate. And it could end with death.
In the meantime, the little forest that we have left in Spain is being terrorised by wildfires, leaving behind barren land without any vegetation growing and protecting. If we don’t act NOW, it will take years to recover those areas.
In short. We have burned and chopped forests, cut land for farming, burned down forests due to climate change. And now.. we are left with an expanding desert that keeps on growing and growing.
THERE IS HOPE. WE CAN STILL MAKE A CHANGE!
This is where Soil Recovery comes into action.
MICROORGANISMS.
After reading countless books and picking up a study related to microorganisms, we finally start to understand the beginning of this adventure. We are merely scratching the surface. Not many people are aware of this, but all the -cides that people use, are not only harmful to you and your family, but it is also killing the microorganism in the ground (and OF COURSE, the ones from your stomach). The organisms from the soil are fundamental for plant growth since they make sure that unavailable nutrients become available for the plants to “eat”.
One thing we know for sure is that we need to bring back our biodiversity. Above and underground. A change in practice and mindset is needed.
BE CONSCIOUS TRAVELS AND SOIL RECOVERy.
Our project completely focuses on this aspect: We test our soils to see what are all the missing organisms and make a perfectly designed compost, specific to those needs. It has all the microorganisms that your soil actually needs to start the motor again and prevent further desertification.
Just in case, we are not talking about “compost” or “soil” that you can buy at a store(this is sterile).
Afterwards, we apply this to the soil and plants in the form of a “tea or brewing”, restoring the soil food chain which will boost your plant’s growth.
Fun Fact: The “soil” or “compost” that you can buy at a garden store (i.e.), is actually decomposed food/waste products and organic matter produced in conditions with limited air and probably contain many chemicals. It can come with sicknesses and of course, resulting in dead plants due to the fungi and bacteria produced in these low oxygen conditions.
