A thriving, healthy soil can sprout vigorous, productive and environmentally sound crops, but you must be aware of warning signs requiring corrective action.

There are many spokes in the well-oiled wheel of quality soil. If one spoke gets out of whack, the whole wheel wobbles and the crop and potential profits go for a bumpy, uncertain ride.

Experts say all soils need consistent checkups to determine if they are maintaining, improving or deteriorating.

To test your soil health knowledge, No-Till Farmer created a 10-question quiz, “How much do you actually know about soil health?" Scroll down or take the quiz here »

No-Till Farmer didn’t create this quiz “just for fun,” but to act as an educational tool. After taking the quiz (which should take 5 minutes or less), you’ll see your score in addition to the answers to each question – whether you answered correct or incorrectly. We’ll email you a copy of your quiz results so you can reference it. Additionally, you’ll also receive a FREE PDF copy of our latest eGuide, “A Simple Guide to Healthier Soils & More Profitable Yields.”

In this 19-page eGuide, you’ll learn:

• How reducing soil disturbance, increasing plant diversity and adding livestock to farms accelerates soil health and productivity, helping you stay profitable.
• 14 steps to properly interpret your soil health test reports to help inform your management decisions
• How improving soil structure with no-till and cover crops can help alleviate compaction problems (listen to a 40-minute podcast episode with Jim Hoorman)

The eGuide will be delivered immediately after you submit your soil health quiz. Feel free to print it out or read it on the go by saving the file to your phone, tablet or desktop.

Get your free eGuide by scrolling down to take the quiz or click here »

It can take hundreds of years to build just an inch of new topsoil, which is why a sustainable system is a great step in protecting the natural resources. There’s so much more to soil than just a spot to place your feet.