Conventional view. The classic definition of soil is “the unconsolidated inorganic and organic materials on the surface of the earth which support the growth of plants”. When we think of soil in this way, it becomes just a medium for growing plants. We can add elements to the soil such as nutrients, pesticides and maybe water, and mix it all together using tillage.

We assume this should reward us with bountiful crops. We think we can impose our will on the soil and force it to grow crops. Experience shows, that often it does not quite work that smoothly…