In 2026, we’re especially looking forward to introducing our new teammates, collaborators, and communities to the assets that provide so much definition to our work. In April, we were thrilled to share this wisdom from a longtime OC friend and collaborator, Marie Nava — a producer, regenerative agriculture advocate, and all-around lovely human!

Living Soil

Thoughts from Marie Nava

“Some call it dirt and do their best to avoid it. But to those who understand it, soil is a marvel – a living space that harbors vibrant life within it and supports all life above it.” – Neil Sampson, “The Living Soil”.

Dirt is sand, silt, and clay, but soil has the added dimension of life, and healthy soil has a diversity of life. Healthy soil lives together with healthy plants. Those healthy plants in turn make healthy animals. And we become properly nourished when we eat products from a healthy soil. As healthy people, we feel better, perform better, think better, behave better — all good reasons to steward healthy soil.

The six principles of healthy soil apply to all soils anywhere in the world and at any scale. The first principle is Context, knowing what your situation is. Maybe you can’t move your cows every day or put compost on your garden. But maybe you can grow some of your food in pots with added worm castings or buy produce from a soil stewarding farmer. The second is Do Not Disturb. Our microbial soil neighbors don’t necessarily like mechanical or chemical disturbance. The third is to Cover and Build Soil Armor. With covers such as plants or mulch, wind and water erosion are greatly diminished, microbial life survives, and the air temperature around us diminishes by several degrees. The fourth is Mix It Up. Encourage diversity of species – plants, animals, and microbes. Number five is Keep Living Roots in the Soil. This means we often need perennial plants or cover crops that live all year round so the microbes stay fed. And sixth is Grow Healthy Animals and Soils Together. The soil needs both animals and plants to become an optimal, life-generating environment.

As Neil Sampson says, “Each of us can take some kind of active role in soil and water stewardship. That role will take many forms, but it must have the effect of building, restoring, and improving the world that we touch. For to the extent that each living person becomes a net contributor rather than a net consumer, a builder instead of a destroyer, the entire world is a world of hope.”

Some of my favorite resources for soil study are the websites www.understandingag.com and www.soilfoodweb.com, the book The Complete Guide to Restoring Your Soil by Dale Strickler, and the movie “Roots So Deep, You Can See the Devil Down There” by Peter Byck.

May Fun(d)raising Focus:
Intern Orientation

This Spring, the OC team is excited to launch a new way for friends and collaborators near and far to engage with our mission and work!

Each month from now through November, you’ll find us sharing now and then about how every dollar donated to OC can make a difference.

From now through the end of May, all funds donated to OC go toward supporting our annual intern orientation retreat. Every dollar donated helps us meet our goal of $600 to purchase each intern a shirt and help them feel like part of the team!

Help Meet the Goal

April at OC…

Colorado Youth Entrepreneurship

It was a delight to gather with almost 300 students from across Colorado in two E-Fairs this April!

On April 16th, students from the southeast corner gathered at the GrowSECO E-Fair, with some outstanding projects, and investments awarded to:

• Shake it Up
• Evi’s House Cleaning
• Swept Away
• Berry Blast
• Bad Boys Lawn Care

And on April 29th, we had a great time joining our friends at Generation Schools Network for the Wiggins E-Fair, with investments awarded to:

• Snug’n’ Secure
• Moo-La-La Body Butters
• Plains Precision Whitening
• Petal & Pearl Jewelry
• Snook 3-D Designs
• Pristine Solutions
• Cleanstream Bin Service
• Dirty Fizz Soda Shop
• Rustic Rose Jewelry
• Sip’n’Step

Borger Landscape Rehydration Field Day

We had an amazing day with our friends in Borger, TX, and loved the video they shared with some highlights! Watch at the link below:

Watch the Video