Celebrating World Soil Day –

November 28, 2025 | Land management | 3 minute read

World Soil Day is celebrated on the 5^th December to raise awareness about the importance of healthy soil and advocate for sustainable soil management practices. In this journal, we hear from James Beamish, Director of Holkham Farming Company and Sue Penlington, Sustainability Manager and learn about how our soils are cared for here at Holkham in North Norfolk.

Soil is a sometimes forgotten yet precious resource – without it, humanity simply could not exist. It plays many essential roles, from supporting the trees that produce the oxygen we breathe to sustaining the plants that grow into the food we eat. Did you know that just one teaspoon of healthy soil contains more microorganisms than there are humans on Earth?

As a farmer and food producer, it’s probably no surprise that I spend a lot of time thinking about our soils. Which soils are best for certain crops to grow in? Do they need additional nutrients? Are they at risk of compaction or waterlogging? And how can we make them even healthier than they already are?

Resilience is key. We need soils that can withstand sudden downpours of rain and also endure prolonged periods of dry weather in the summer. They must be in a condition that allows them to recover and support the growth of next year’s crops. That’s why we take a number of steps to help build and strengthen that resilience:

1. Keep a living root in the soil all year round – this helps provide structure and nutrients while binding the soil together to reduce erosion.
2. Maintain cover over the soil – by growing cover crops through the winter or leaving crop residues after harvest, we protect the soil from the elements while also helping to sequester carbon.
3. Integrate livestock – sheep graze cover crops and cattle graze the grass on freshwater marshes. Their grazing encourages regrowth, while their manure fertilizes the soil and supports habitats for microbes and invertebrates.
4. Reduce soil disturbance – we assess each field and make cultivation decisions based on context and soil conditions, minimizing soil movement wherever possible.
5. Diversify species grown – by rotating a range of crops over six years, we avoid depleting the soil of key nutrients and reduce the risk of soil‑borne pests and diseases.

Sheep are protective of their lambs.

Traditionally, the best measure of soil quality has probably been a farmer with a spade. But technology is changing this. Each year we send soil samples to a laboratory, which produces a report detailing the biological and chemical properties of the soil. This allows us to make informed decisions, such as applying tailored nutrients to suit the crop being grown. To save time and money, and to explore the biological aspects of soil, we have been trialling the use of a Soil Sniffer (developed by PES Technologies). This device provides results directly to our phones in the field, enabling us to make decisions instantly.