Teagasc Soil Health Week 2025
Teagasc will host Soil Health Week from next Monday, 22 September to Friday, 26 September. During that week, the latest insights, innovations, and practical guidance on soil health will be provided to farmers, students, and the general public.
Group photo of Teagasc staff participating in Soil Health Week, taken at the Teagasc stand during the National Ploughing Championships.
A packed schedule of podcasts, a live “Ask the Expert” webinar, farm walks, expert-led lectures, and engaging talks, will be presented and take place. They are all aimed at deepening the understanding of sustainable soil management.
Dr. Fiona Brennan, Teagasc Soil Biology Research Officer based at Teagasc environmental research centre, Johnstown castle said; “The Soil Health week was organised as part of ‘GroundTruth’ a citizen science initiative, designed to improve soil literacy and raise public awareness of soil health. The project, which is funded under the Research Ireland Discover Programme, and co-funded by the Department of Education, is supported by the VistaMilk Research Ireland Centre for Digitalising Dairy Production and Processing. It will empower students, teachers, farmers, and local communities to assess and safeguard their soils by providing accessible tools, knowledge, and data collection opportunities.”
What’s happening during Soil Health Week?
‘Ask the Expert’ – Digging into the Soil – Live Q&A webinar
Monday, 22 September | 7pm
Are you curious about your soil? Want to understand more about how it works? Interested in managing the soil in your school, farm, or garden? Or maybe you’d like to learn more about soil biology—from the tiniest organisms to the mighty earthworm?
Join our live webinar Digging into Soil: Ask the Expert Q&A, where soil specialists will answer your questions on soil health, fertility, and management.
Growing Organics Farm Walk
Tuesday 23rd September | 2pm – Longford
John and Stephanie O’Hanlon farm organically on 38.88ha in Tipper, Ballymahon, Co Longford. This farm walk will focus on their suckler to stores farming system, discussing best practice and monitoring key financial and environmental metrics including demonstrations of soil health as part of soil health week.
The Hidden World Beneath Us: Why Soil Health Matters
Tuesday, 23 September | 12pm
Auditorium of the Visitor’s Centre, National Botanic Gardens, Dublin 18
The Hidden World Beneath Us: Why Soil Health Matters invites you to discover the hidden world right under our feet. Through striking images, this talk will uncover the life, complexity, and importance of healthy soil—and why it matters for our food, planet, and future. Join us for an eye-opening exploration that will change the way you see the ground you walk on.
Soil & Sustainability – student workshop
Wednesday 24th September, Munster agricultural society, Curaheen, Co. Cork.
University College Cork, agricultural science department will host a soil and sustainability event for local secondary school students on the Munster agricultural society site in Curaheen, Co. Cork. The event will focus on key topics relating to senior cycle subjects’ Agricultural science and biology through hands on activities in soil health and farmland biodiversity.
GroundTruth Farm Walk
Thursday, 25 September | 11am
Brothers Pat and Tony Dunne are farming a mixed system of drystock and tillage neat Ballacolla, Co Laois. In July this year the Groundtruth team visited the farm and conducted some simple soil health tests, including the GrassVESS, earthworm counts and the underwear degradation test. As part of soil health week, the Groundtruth team will return to review the same soil health tests. Margaret Farrell (signpost advisor) and Joseph Maher (ASSAP advisor) will also be talking on the day about soil health in relation to sustainable environmental land management.
benefits of having good healthy soils will be highlighted.
Signpost Webinar – Diverse Soils
Friday, 26 September | 9.30am
Dr. David Wall, Teagasc enterprise leader at the Teagasc environmental research centre, Johnstown castle, will present on the weekly Friday morning Signposts webinar and will cover the topic of Diverse Soils.
Soil Health workshop with Dr Luis Lopez-Sangil, Teagasc
Friday, 26 September | 2pm
In this engaging hands-on workshop, we’ll talk about the importance and diversity of Irish soils, including their their colours, textures and functions, and show simple methods to assess the soil health in your garden, school or farm.
GroundTruth Farm Walk
Friday, 26 September | 2pm
Gold River Farm, Kilacloran, Aughrim, Co. Wicklow. Eircode: Y14 CK40
Mark and Heather Winterbotham of Gold River Farm are farming a mixed system of drystock and tillage. They place huge importance on their soil health practising crop rotation, organic manure management and strategic soil remediation practices. Come and join the Groundtruth project team as they examine and discuss the soil health on this farm through some simple tests.
For more details on Soil Health Week 2025 visit https://teagasc.ie/environment/soil/soil-health/soil-health-week/