In the not-so-distant future, the key to building a resilient and profitable farm operation may require farmers to see their system as a pyramid that that uses biological tools to build and manage healthy, productive soils and produce nutrient dense food.

Soil microbiologist Kristine Nichols — founder of KRIS (Knowledge for Regeneration and Innovation in Soil Systems — calls this the “soil regeneration pyramid,” and at the foundation of it is living roots that are growing for as long as possible. It’s a worthy goal, she says, even for farmers facing challenges with growing-degree days or growing season length.

“I can guarantee you can have something green and growing out there for probably 250-280 days, but you also have to choose the right plants,” Nichols said at the Regenerative Agriculture Conference in Brandon, Manitoba recently. “This is about poly cropping, relay cropping and intensifying your systems.

“Having something growing during the…