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Can we agree on a definition of mining the soil?
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Blusteryknollfarm
Posted 1/4/2026 16:52 (#11496989 - in reply to #11496422)
Subject: RE: Can we agree on a definition of mining the soil?


North Central Illinois
Kooiker - 1/4/2026 09:02

Blusteryknollfarm - 1/4/2026 00:25 Agreed. I'm just pointing out that whether we're mining on our own farms, or paying for someone else to do it in a far away land we're not actually that different in the big picture.



The difference is in who owns the land being mined.    On owned ground you're (not speaking about you specifically, just speaking generally) just selling long term assets to generate cash.   Do so as you please, some day it may or may not come back to bite you.    

On rented ground, the one mining the soil is stealing from the landlord to put cash in his/her pocket.



All fair points. I'll argue that sometimes it ain't stealing to mine rented ground though. If the landowner wants it farmed organically, but doesn't want the smell of poultry litter out their front door they can either give up one of those expectations or give their blessing to mine it. That's the setting where I prefer lower yield specialty crops to reduce nutrient removal.

I cut the couple acres behind my house for hay a few years without putting anything back. It took until the 3rd year for yields to really tank. Cleaning the lambing barn onto it every spring fixed it after a couple years though.
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