SELL THE SOIL

            Friday's Wall Street Journal carried a full page story titled The Microbiome Makeover divided into numerous little snippets:  Born this Way, Probiotics of the Future, Better Cleaning with Bacteria, Eating Right, Absorbing Fat, Furry Friends, The Impact of Covid-19, and Bring the Outdoors In.

             In general, those of us in the wellness tribe would concur with the article and applaud an outfit like WSJ for running it.  Articles like this in main line publications indicate progress, however slight or watered down.

             The last snippet, though, was truly special.  Here is the opening sentence:  "Research suggests that growing up in the country enriches young children's microbiomes, reducing their risk of getting asthma or allergies down the line."  For those of us in the wellness community, such a statement elicits a "tut tut, I told you so" and is not even considered news.  But for the folks carrying sani-wipes around, wearing three masks,  and living in abject fear of others, this is quite revelatory.

             On this blog I've mentioned more than once the cutting edge research in Finland regarding robust immune systems in farm kids who grow up in livestock barns.  Not surprisingly, then,  this snippet goes straight to Finland for its proof.  A researcher there "packed a thin layer of microbial-rich soil from rural areas into rugs and placed them in the entryways of six homes. . . The microbes got distributed through the air in the home over the course of several weeks," modifying the micro-biota in the home and instilling measurable microbiome enhancement in the people.

             The bottom line prophecy on the research:  "homes could have play mats or carpets enriched with beneficial outdoor microbes that could help kids develop robust microbiomes and tamp down the development of asthmas and allergies."

             Note that the researchers used "microbial-rich soil" in the trials, which means they didn't get the soil from industrial chemical-laden farms.  Certainly soil enriched with compost would be the ultimate source.

             Folks, here is a plea for an entrepreneur out there to develop a business putting together compost-soil entry mats for doorways.  The research is there and what better time to augment the microbiome than during this Covid mess?  It could be a semi-annual subscription service where the pouch could be emptied and replenished every six months.  Surely urbanites would pay $100 a year to bring the micro-diversity of our farm into their house.

             Does anybody except me smell a million dollar business opportunity here?  Goodness, I get frustrated at all the opportunities out there that go begging.  Here's a big one.  I've got the perfect soil.  Who has the business savvy?  Let's do this.

             How many hours a week do you spend interacting with soil or non-urban air?