Wonder Worm to the Rescue

Summary in the original language of the document

“When the question is asked, ‘Can I build top-soil?’ the answer is ‘Yes’, and when the first question is followed by a second question, ‘How?’ the answer is ‘Feed earthworms’,” so wrote Eve Balfour in the introduction to Thomas J. Barrett’s book, Harnessing the Earthworm.
Indeed there are many instances of organic farms around the world preserving or restoring healthy soils. Organic farming has many approaches, with Rudolph Steiner’s biodynamics being one manifestation. All these solutions comfortably find a home under the wide umbrella of permaculture, as defined by Bill Mollison.
In conclusion, we should consider the humble earthworm who — as Aristotle, Buddha, Cleopatra and Darwin, amongst others, realized — works tirelessly night and day, unseen and almost totally under-appreciated for our benefit.