Digging Deeper: How Regenerative Farming Can Save Our Soil and Our Climate

In the days of Granny Greatest, every inch of land had a purpose, and every scrap of compost found a second life. Back then, folks didn’t need buzzwords like “regenerative.” They just called it being a good steward of the land. But somewhere along the way, we forgot. Industrial farming replaced cover crops, synthetic sprays took the place of compost, and monocultures marched across the fields like an army with blinders on.

Today, as our world warms and our soil weakens, it's time to turn back—not in retreat, but in reverence—to the wisdom that came before us.

The Carbon Crisis Beneath Our Feet

Let’s start with the dirt. Modern agriculture contributes nearly 24% of global greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, primarily through soil disturbance, synthetic fertilizers, and animal agriculture (1). But it’s not just the machines or livestock—it’s what we’ve done to the land itself.

Tilling, chemical inputs, and monoculture systems have stripped the soil of its organic matter and natural carbon-holding capacity. Instead of acting as a carbon sink, our soil has become a source of emissions (2).

Granny Greatest would’ve called that “wasting good dirt.”

"Treat your soil like a bank account—if you keep makin’ withdrawals without any deposits, you’ll go broke."

What Is Regenerative Farming?

Regenerative farming is more than just organic. It’s a holistic approach to agriculture that restores soil health, increases biodiversity, improves water retention, and most importantly, draws carbon out of the atmosphere and stores it in the soil through natural processes (3).

Here’s how it works:

• Cover Crops protect soil between harvests, preventing erosion and building organic matter.

• No-Till or Low-Till Practices reduce soil disturbance, preserving soil structure and keeping carbon locked in.

• Compost & Natural Amendments feed soil life without synthetic inputs.

• Rotational Grazing mimics nature, cycling animals through pastures to regenerate grasslands.

• Polyculture Farming (growing multiple crops) encourages ecosystem diversity and resilience.Polyculture Farming: Growing a variety of crops strengthens the land’s natural resilience.

“A good soup needs more than one ingredient to make it hearty.”

Why Carbon Drawdown Matters

If climate change is the fire, excess carbon is the kindling. Regenerative farming pulls carbon from the air—where it drives global warming—and returns it to the soil, where it nourishes life.

This process, called carbon sequestration, has remarkable potential. According to Project Drawdown, scaling regenerative practices globally could sequester up to 23.2 gigatons of CO₂ by 2050, while improving food security and farmer livelihoods (4).

That’s right! The very dirt beneath our feet might hold the cure for the fever above our heads.

“A root cellar keeps the good stuff tucked away ‘til it’s needed.”

More Than Carbon

Regenerative farming doesn’t just help the climate. It builds stronger communities. It creates more nutrient-rich food (5), restores local water cycles, reduces runoff, and revives depleted ecosystems. And it gets us back to what really matters. Pilchuck Parlor customers already know the joy of using products made with intention and care. Now imagine that same care woven into the food system.

“Teach ’em to grow, and they'll never go hungry.”

How You Can Support the Shift

The good news is you don’t need a pitchfork or pasture to be part of the movement.

Start here:

• Support regenerative farmers. Shop your local farmers market or seek out “Regenerative Organic Certified” labels. Let the farmers know about the need for no-till and low-till practices.

• Compost your food scraps. Just like Granny Greatest always did.

• Choose pasture-raised meat and dairy. Properly managed livestock can help regenerate land, not harm it (6).

• Grow something yourself. Even a few herbs in a windowsill reconnect you to the cycle.

• Speak up! Advocate for policies that support soil health and small farmers.

“We didn’t have much, but we took care of what we had.”

Regenerative farming isn’t about going backward. It’s about carrying forward the best parts of the past into a future where our food heals the land instead of harming it. Just like Granny’s garden, it starts with one good seed, a little grit, and a whole lot of care.

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Sources

1. IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land (2019), https://www.ipcc.ch/srccl/

2. Lal, Rattan. “Soil Carbon Sequestration Impacts on Global Climate Change and Food Security.” Science, vol. 304, no. 5677, 2004.

3. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. “What is Soil Health?” https://www.nrcs.usda.gov

4. Project Drawdown. “Regenerative Annual Cropping.” https://drawdown.org/solutions/regenerative-annual-cropping

5. Regeneration International. “The Truth About Regenerative Agriculture.” https://regenerationinternational.org

6. Savory Institute. “Holistic Management: Regenerating Grasslands and Drawing Down Carbon.” https://savory.global