{"id":3750,"date":"2025-11-18T10:36:27","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T18:36:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carnationfarms.org\/?p=3750"},"modified":"2025-11-20T18:58:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T02:58:11","slug":"soil-science-regeneration-2024-impact-report-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carnationfarms.org\/soil-science-regeneration-2024-impact-report-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"The Soil Science of Regeneration: Carnation Farms\u2019 2024 Impact Report (Part 1)"},"content":{"rendered":"

At Carnation Farms, regeneration starts beneath our feet. Our foundational goals: biodiversity, adaptability, and resilience, are built on living soil health<\/strong> that can be stewarded for generations. Across our acreage, diverse rotations integrate vegetables, livestock, and cover cropping<\/strong>, while habitat for pollinators and wildlife expands on-farm biodiversity. Central to our work is humus content<\/strong>, which is the dark, stable fraction of soil organic matter that keeps nutrients cycling, prevents erosion during floods, holds moisture during droughts, and supports more nutrient-dense food for our community.<\/p>\n

Our 2024 Impact Report<\/a> explores how an Adaptive Farming<\/strong> mindset guides practice at the individual field level. In 2024, we tested and compared tools (select tillage, rest periods, fallow, haying, mowing, and Rotational Grazing<\/strong>) to learn what actually builds long-term organic matter here.<\/p>\n

Key Takeaways<\/h3>\n

\u2022 Humus Content<\/strong> drives long-term Soil Health<\/strong> and Carbon Sequestration<\/strong>.
\n\u2022 Adaptive Farming<\/strong> beats one-size-fits-all.
\n\u2022 Cover Cropping<\/strong> and Rotational Grazing<\/strong> build stable organic matter.
\n\u2022 Biodiversity reduces inputs and boosts resilience<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Where the Past Feeds the Future<\/h2>\n
\"Sheep

Sheep graze on lush pasture at Carnation Farms, reflecting a century of stewardship and regenerative farming.<\/p><\/div>\n

Rooted in more than a century of stewardship in King County, Washington, Carnation Farms advances regenerative agriculture<\/a> with a clear, outcomes-driven mission. Our work connects history to innovation by improving soil health<\/strong>, integrating livestock with the landscape, and building a resilient food system that benefits people and the ecosystem.<\/p>\n

Carnation Farms\u2019 Regenerative Mission<\/h3>\n

Carnation Farms is a historically significant agricultural hub now focused on regenerative agriculture<\/strong> across fields, pastures, and waterways. In 2024 we aligned programs and businesses into one holistic mission to advance a regenerative food system measured by on-farm results and community impact.<\/p>\n

Defining Regeneration<\/h3>\n

For us, regeneration is about relationships among soil and plants<\/strong>, livestock and landscape<\/strong>, and farmers and eaters<\/strong>. This relationship-centered approach guides how we grow food, integrate animals, and share results with our community.<\/p>\n

Our Adaptive Approach<\/h3>\n

We practice Adaptive Farming<\/strong> by testing methods field by field, tracking soil metrics, and refining what works in our local context. This first Impact Report summarizes goals, practices, and measured outcomes from 2023 to 2024, creating a reliable baseline to guide future decisions.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur mission is to leave the land better than we found it.\u201d – Eric Popp<\/p>\n

Our Director of Regenerative Agriculture emphasizes learning by doing, pairing practices, observing, and iterating, and invites neighbors and partners to participate in the movement.<\/p>\n

The Foundation of Health: Humus and Carbon Sequestration<\/h2>\n
\"Infographic

Humus-rich soil and regenerative field practices at Carnation Farms highlight how carbon is stored and soil health improves.<\/p><\/div>\n

Core Regeneration Goals<\/h3>\n

At Carnation Farms, our regeneration work<\/a> is anchored in biodiversity<\/strong>, adaptability<\/strong>, and resilience<\/strong>. These goals come to life through living Soil Health<\/strong> that can be farmed for generations without depleting the resource base. We design diverse rotations that weave together vegetables, perennial forages, and cover cropping<\/strong>, and we integrate ruminants through thoughtful rotational grazing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This living system improves structure, increases water infiltration, and supports beneficial soil biology that powers nutrient cycling. The outcome is a more resilient landscape, reduced reliance on external inputs, and a stronger foundation for regenerative agriculture<\/strong> in the Pacific Northwest.<\/p>\n

Humus Content as the Key Metric<\/h3>\n

What is humus?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Humus<\/strong> is the dark, granular, most decomposed fraction of soil organic matter<\/strong>. It is often called stable organic matter <\/strong>or long term organic matter<\/strong> because it resists chemical and microbial breakdown. In practical terms, humus is where soils store carbon in the long run. It binds with minerals to form stable aggregates, creates pore space for air and water, and provides a long lasting pantry of nutrients for crops and forage.<\/p>\n

Why it matters<\/strong><\/p>\n

Higher humus content<\/strong> boosts climate resilience and productivity. In Washington\u2019s wet weather, humus rich soils protect fields from erosion by improving structure and keeping soil in place. In dry spells, humus acts like a sponge that holds moisture and makes water available to roots. This stability improves nutrient availability<\/strong>, supports balanced plant growth, and leads to more nutrient dense food<\/strong>. Healthier soils also reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers, which helps protect waterways and lowers production risk for farmers.<\/p>\n

Soil, Climate, and Carbon Sequestration<\/h3>\n

Healthy soils are a natural carbon sink<\/strong>. Because humus is chemically stable, building it extends the time carbon remains in the soil rather than returning to the atmosphere. That is why we treat humus content<\/strong> as a practical proxy for on farm carbon sequestration<\/strong>. By tracking humus year over year and pairing it with field level practices such as cover cropping<\/strong>, rest periods<\/strong>, and rotational grazing<\/strong>, we can see which combinations most effectively lock carbon in place while improving Soil Health<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Practices Driving Soil Health Outcomes (Data Deep Dive)<\/h2>\n
\"Regenerative

Regenerative field trials at Carnation Farms show how adaptive practices influence long-term soil health outcomes.<\/p><\/div>\n

Adaptive Soil Management through Experimentation<\/h3>\n

Carnation Farms uses a field-by-field, data-led approach to improve humus content<\/strong> and long-term soil health<\/strong>. In 2023 and 2024 the team sampled 18 fields on a consistent annual schedule to establish a baseline for long-term organic matter and to compare practice combinations at the field scale. Management varied intentionally by plot, including low or no tilling, periods of rest and fallow, cover cropping<\/strong>, haying, mowing, and rotational grazing<\/strong>. Results were then evaluated against humus changes to identify what worked best under local conditions.<\/p>\n

The Tillage Surprise: Context Beats Dogma<\/h3>\n

No\u2011till is not a silver bullet.<\/strong><\/p>\n