Innovating with Soil Biology - Daniel Tyrkiel [Soil Ecology Laboratory]

In this episode we return to one of my favourite topics - that microscopic life that lives in the soil.

After recognising the significance of soil life for supporting the climate, Daniel Tyrkiel set about exploring solutions that would support farmers to support and work with the biology in soil. The desire was to create a plug and play solution; something easy and accessible that allows farmers to shift from chemicals to biology without a need for heavy learning or investment.

Daniel's company Soil Ecology Laboratory are becoming recognised for their innovative products which are continually being developed and explored further.

It was a pleasure to chat with Daniel and learn about the mindset behind the products and his determination which seems to have been inspired by his mentor Dr Elaine Ingham.

We talk about:

• The significance of soil life
• The barriers to supporting soil life on farms
• The products & evolution of Soil Ecology Laboratory

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Resources Shared by Daniel:

• Recent news about Soil Ecology Laboratory - https://www.farminguk.com/News/-goop-boosts-soil-life-on-welsh-farm-in-no-input-trial_66709.html
• Soil Ecology Lab website: https://soilecologylab.co.uk/
• Consumer product website: https://soilsmiths.co.uk/

Learn more about Soil Ecology:

• Teaming With Microbes (book by Jeff Lowenfels & Wayne Lewis)
• Google Scholar - look up Dr Elaine Inghams' Ecological Monograph from 1986

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Learn more with We Are Carbon:

Soil Life -

• Decoding Soil Biology with Adrian Ferrero https://www.wearecarbon.earth/podcast-episode/soil-biology-transition-to-regenerative-farming/
• Soil; Living Support for Plants & Climate with Christo Miliotis https://www.wearecarbon.earth/podcast-episode/soil-microorganisms-plants-climate/

Farming Transition -

• The Weather Proof Farm with Niels Corfield https://www.wearecarbon.earth/weatherproof-farm-niels-corfield/
• We Can Regenerate! with Finian Makepeace https://www.wearecarbon.earth/podcast-episode/finian-makepeace-we-can-regenerate/
• Holistic Management with Shiela Cooke https://www.wearecarbon.earth/podcast-episode/holistic-management-transition-mindset-farming/

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Episode Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

06:12 - Why learn about soil life?

10:00 - The barriers to support soil life on farms

15:45 - The products & evolution of Soil Ecology Laboratory

33:14 - Recommendations for learning about soil life

38:16 - Making compost at S.E.L

41:13 - Taking steps for regeneration