Translations:Manfred Klett: Von der Agrartechnologie zur Landbaukunst/732/en

Long before the above-ground growth awakens from its winter rest, a surprisingly lively soil life is already stirring — after no more than a few days of warming early-spring sun, sometimes as early as February. The soil surface has lightened slightly as water evaporates, air and warmth penetrate into the pores of the uppermost soil layer, the four elements begin once again to interpenetrate one another. It is the time when the farmer takes over the direction of soil development in the course of the year — and the time when impatience overtakes him, tempting him too early to drive the heavy tractors across the field. To guard against this and to form a clear picture of the soil's condition, he climbs down from the high seat of the tractor, kneels on the field, pushes aside the uppermost layer of soil with hand and arm, and discovers to his astonishment how many weeds have already germinated and advanced to the thread-like seedling stage, how beetles are already going about their business, how many earthworms, larvae and the like are already out in search of food — above all, however, how through microbial activity the frost tilth of winter is beginning to consolidate itself into a crumb structure. The process of *living consolidation* is taking place.

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