I first became interested in soil biology during my college years at UMass Amherst, in the Stockbridge School of Agriculture & Forestry (1986–1989). Back then, my coursework covered plant biology, ecology, propagation, forestry, arboriculture, turf science, entomology, pathology, dendrology, and soil science. What struck me, however, was that not a single class looked at soil as a living, breathing community of organisms working collaboratively below ground.

At that time, my focus was on using a wide range of organic fertilizers and amendments—soy, alfalfa, feather meal, fish, kelp, humates, molasses, rock dust and more. I understood they made plants healthier above ground, but I didn’t fully grasp how or why they improved soil function. That changed in the mid-1990s, when I attended an Acres USA conference and heard Dr. Elaine Ingham speak about the Soil Food Web. For the first time, I saw the full picture: how microbial communities, not just chemistry, drive soil and plant health. That was the turning point that launched me into soil biology as my life’s work.

The 1990s were pivotal. With Elaine, we brought scientific rigor to soil microbiology, while pioneers like Betsy Ross were proving its practicality in the field. I consulted with Sustainable Services Idaho, which scaled soil biology from small farms to large acreage. We supplied compost extract to over 25,000 acres, worked on petroleum reclamation projects and even designed programs for Horizon Organic Dairy to name just a few projects.

A closed-loop biological system is a self-sustaining engine beneath the soil. Instead of constantly applying synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, a closed-loop system recycles nutrients, balances microbial populations, and builds long-term fertility. It reduces costs, reduces risk and makes farms more resilient. It’s like upgrading from a leaky bucket to a sealed container—you stop losing value, and the system strengthens with time. It eventually self-regulates.

At Harrington’s Organic Landcare, we run a large vermicomposting system, Johnson-Su bioreactors and small windrows that produce diverse, biologically active composts and vermicompost. From these, we make liquid biological amendments (LBAs)and extracts tailored to each crop system. These are delivered through foliar sprays, soil drenches, irrigation or deep-root injections, depending on the context. Our landscaping division integrates these practices directly into turf, ornamentals, tree care, green house, nurseries, pastures, and small family farms. We also make customized mineralized vermicompost for our clients and have had a Soil Food Web lab internally since 2007.

Producing a quality biological amendment starts with diverse, mature, ecologically complete compost. Water must be clean, aerated, and pH balanced. Additives like molasses, kelp, fish, humates, micronutrients etc. are selected based on regional soils and crop needs. The compost extract is carefully monitored and managed to maximize microbial activity. Application rates vary, but the principle is always the same: deliver living, balanced biology that can establish in the soil.

My client work begins with soil biology and DNA testing—quantifying bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, and their ratios. Then we design phased roadmaps: year one jump-starts biology with compost and extracts, years two to three diversify with cover crops and grazing, and years four to five focus on tailored amendments to correct imbalances and stabilize with reduced inputs. It’s always a multi-year process, because biology requires patience, but the long-term payoffs are substantial. We also do extensive chemical analysis, sap and Haney testing.

Every client I've worked with has been unique, but my focus has always been creating a closed loop system. I've been pretty successful because I've had to work in countries with minimal inputs and resources available, which forced me to be creative. Sourcing feedstocks to make the compost has always been challenging, and I’ve really enjoyed doing that, but most of the people I work with have almost everything they need. The extractor is a really important tool, because the extract is the key to success when it comes to regenerative farming, to organic farming, and to any non-chemical farming or fertility program. It really is the catalyst that makes everything work.

Case studies using biological management:

What made Sustainable Services Idaho (SSI) unique was showing measurable improvements—doubling pea yields from 5,000 lbs/ac to nearly 12,000 with biological drenches, lifting oat production from 80 bu/ac to 127 bu/ac, and increasing sugar beet yields from 26 to 37 tons/ac with a 4% jump in sugar content. These weren’t just “organic stories,” they were hard data proving that biology could outperform chemistry.

In landscapes like Governor’s Island in New York, biology transformed engineered fill soils into resilient, living landscapes. By applying LBAs and monitoring microbial ratios, we created healthy turf and plantings on what was essentially sterile soil and only had two seasons to accomplish this.

In Turkey’s 593-Hectare orchard project, applying fungal-rich composts improved soil structure and tree health, supporting half a million apple trees and transforming their heavy chemical depended program to a local regenerative program using local feedstock waste saving millions of dollars.

Sugar Cane in Guatemala (Santa Ana Mill)

We assessed ~1,000 hectares of marginal land and existing compost operations. Key issues included aluminum toxicity, bacterial-dominant compost (Cachaza), and drainage problems in vermicompost pits. We recommended transitioning to CFT systems, ramial wood chip compost, and cover crops. By reducing NPK 20% in year one and building a regenerative system over 3–5 years, the mill can cut millions in chemical costs while diversifying into honey, livestock, and seed production.

Tobacco in Nicaragua (Plasencia Cigar Operations)

In Jalapa and Estelí, soils were degraded by decades of chemical use. Our approach integrated thermophilic and vermicomposting systems, sap testing, and microbial LBAs. Early results showed improved root development, reduced disease pressure, and higher plant vigor. The program is now scaling across thousands of hectares with training for staff on microscope analysis and Soil Food Web testing.

Grapes in Mexico (Grupo Alta, Jalisco & Sonora)

At Grupo Alta vineyards, we found compacted, bacteria-dominant soils with poor aggregation, low brix (5–7 in leaves), and heavy fungicide use (18–20 applications per season). Our plan includes cover crops, irrigation redesign, custom vermicompost extracts, and training agronomists to assess microbial ratios. By shifting from leachate to true LBAs and building fungal networks, we expect higher grape quality, reduced disease, and lower input costs over a 5-year transition.