Have you ever wondered how healthy your soil is? Take the “Soil Your Undies Challenge” and find out!
The Soil Your Undies Challenge is a national event that has been brought to Montana! Northern Plains is challenging farmers, ranchers, and soil health enthusiasts across Montana to bury a pair of cotton underwear to promote soil health awareness. It’s a quick and dirty way to test the microbial activity in your soil. The more the underwear has deteriorated, the healthier your soil! Together, we’ll get curious about what is happening underground.
To participate:
- Grab a pair of 100% clean cotton undies.
- Bury them in the ground prior to June 1st, then dig the undies back up after at least 60 days. (Remember to mark the spot!)
- Take a “planting” photo and a “harvest” photo.
- Share your photos to gusty@northernplains.org with your name and location. If you have Instagram, feel free to also share your photos with the hashtag #SoilYourUndiesChallengeMT and tag @northernplainsresourcecouncil.
You can also add your entry to the national challenge map here.
Healthy soil contains billions of microbes that consume organic material (in this case, cotton underwear). In fact, one teaspoon of healthy soil contains more microbes than there are people on the planet! In addition to chowing down on organic matter like cotton, microbes help soil resist erosion, cycle nutrients, and store water. Interested in learning more about soil health? Visit our soil health resources page here.
Good luck and happy planting!
