# 992: How Microbes Feed Healthy Plants w/ Landen Schaelling

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-urban-farm-podcast-with-greg-peterson-1101746/992-how-microbes-feed-healthy-plants-w-landen-schaelling
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-urban-farm-podcast-with-greg-peterson-1101746/992-how-microbes-feed-healthy-plants-w-landen-schaelling.md
Podcast: [The Urban Farm Podcast with Greg Peterson](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-urban-farm-podcast-with-greg-peterson-1101746)
Published: 2026-06-26T07:00:00+00:00
Episode link: http://www.urbanfarm.org/category/podcast
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/3ff6d8b5-0b34-437f-b8fc-d7366080f562.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-urban-farm-podcast-with-greg-peterson-1101746/episodes/992-how-microbes-feed-healthy-plants-w-landen-schaelling
Duration seconds: 3021

## Resource

In this Episode we have Landen Schaelling, founder of Sacred Soil Solutions, sharing how healthy soil biology transforms plant health from the ground up. Drawing on years of homesteading, regenerative soil research, and microscopy, he explains why bacteria, fungi, and other microbes are the true engine behind thriving gardens and farms. The conversation explores the science of rhizophagy, microbial ferments, compost quality, and practical strategies that gardeners and farmers can immediately implement to build healthier, more resilient soil. Landen also discusses how understanding living soil can reduce fertilizer inputs, improve plant immunity, and restore natural ecological balance. Our Guest: Landen Schaelling is the founder of Sacred Soil Solutions. He is focused on bringing optimal and approachable microbial inputs to gardeners and homesteaders, while also teaching farmers in the American West how to implement soil-building solutions at scale. Landen has been homesteading through a permaculture lens in Northern Arizona for over a decade. In the last couple of years, he has devoted his focus to restoring holistic soil microbiology and using practical microscope work to verify and guide that process. Key Topics Living soil biology Soil microbiome Rhizophagy (plant root feeding) Compost quality and fungal dominance Soil microscopy Symbiotic Antioxidative Microbes (SAM) Microbial ferments Compost extracts vs. compost teas Soil pH and alkalinity Water retention in arid climates Plant Health Pyramid Complete protein synthesis in plants Regenerative agriculture Homesteading and permaculture Key Questions Answered What makes soil truly healthy? Healthy soil contains a balance of minerals, water, air space, organic matter, and abundant biological life. Understanding each s…

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