By Hank McGowan as interviewed by Martha Mintz

Carbon is the foundation upon which I’m building a farm I believe will be increasingly resilient, low-input, high-production, and financially and environmentally beneficial.

I want a carbon (C) to nitrogen (N) ratio of 15:1 in my soils, and I’m getting there. When C is high it enables the rest of the systems on our farm to function as they should. The soil will capture and retain more water, soil biology will thrive, nutrients will be released from the soil, crops will need fewer inputs, pests will be less of a concern, and the list goes on.

It sounds simple enough but figuring out how to increase C has taken a while and is only one piece of the resilient farming puzzle. It is a big piece, but not the only one. I’ve come to firmly believe that large applications of humic acid are helping me achieve in a sprint what most people see as a marathon process.

The amount of humic acid I’m applying and how I’m managing my crops after the applications go against traditional recommendations. In the last two years I’ve seen positive results, and I expect the benefits to continue to build in the future as my soil and farming system adjust. 

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