Episode Details

What if you could actually see what’s happening in your soil—and use that to grow healthier food and more resilient farms?

On this episode of the Soil Sisters Podcast, meet bestselling author, educator, and citizen scientist Matt Powers and explore the soil science behind regenerative agriculture—and how it’s being taught from classrooms to farms around the world.

Matt shares how his unexpected journey through public education led to the creation of his K–12 “seed to table” curriculum, now used by everyone from homeschool families to colleges. His work connects biology, chemistry, and ecology through hands-on, project-based learning that helps people of all ages understand soil in a practical, measurable way.

This conversation dives into the living biology of soil—and how farmers, ranchers, gardeners, and even consumers can better understand the systems that grow our food. You’ll learn how tools like microscopy, DNA testing, and mineral analysis can reveal the full story of your soil—and how even simple at-home tests can help you start improving soil health today. Matt also shares his vision for a more transparent, community-driven future in agriculture, where growers can compare results, share data, and identify what’s truly working in regenerative systems.

Whether you're producing food or simply want to better understand where it comes from, this episode offers a powerful look beneath the surface.

MEET OUR GUEST: MATT POWERS is a bestselling author, an educator, citizen scientist, and family guy who is helping gardeners, small and large scale farmers and ranchers, work with the soil, plants, microbes, and microscopy in new and regenerative ways that can be tracked and proven. 

TIME STAMPS:

00:00 Welcome to Soil Sisters

00:28 Meet Matt Powers

02:08 Teaching Without a Curriculum

04:20 From Subbing to Full-Time Teacher

05:43 Who Uses Matt's Coursework

08:39 Project-Based Soil Learning

11:31 Soil Microbiome and Health

14:34 Data Driven Regenerative Farming

17:30 If We Don't Look, We Don't See

19:03 Simple Soil Tests

21:32 Microscope Setup Tips

23:51 Scaling Up and Cutting Noise

27:40 Creative Breakthroughs in Microscopy

29:06 Teaching Kids Soil Wonder

29:59 Seeing Water Biofilms

31:14 Meditation Driven Epiphanies

32:54 Writing the Regenerative Soil Textbook

35:23 Visualizing Soil Cycles

38:50 Research Library

39:33 Microscopy Kickstarter Leap

41:42 Practical Soil Testing and Timing

47:27 Mycorrhizae Glow Method

49:56 DIY Learning Community

53:55 FREE Webinar And Poster from Matt Powers

55:16 Connect with Matt Powers And Farewell

💚 MEET & SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS 💚

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