Transforming Landscapes: Before and After with Nature's Brew

At Saint Michael Catholic High School in Niagara Falls, Ontario, the sports field was once a testament to conventional lawn care practices, suffering from the heavy toll of contract cutters using equipment of all sizes, leaving ruts, cutting in the same direction, and creating excessive clippings. Before our intervention in October 2018, the field was plagued with compaction issues at depths of 3 to 6 inches(using a penetrometer to measure), leading to poor water infiltration. Rain events or over-watering would result in water pooling on the surface, as seen in our initial photographs. The soil life was imbalanced, with a biomass ratio(using bright field microscopy) of 1B:.435F(bacteria:fungus), and 2 root-feeding nematodes, but a hopeful presence of 4 good protozoa.

Fast forward to today, and the transformation is remarkable. With Regenerative processes using Nature’s Brew, we’ve not only improved the soil life, now boasting a biomass ratio of 1B:1.1F, with 1 bacterial feeding nematode, 10 good protozoa, and 1 ciliate, but also significantly enhanced water movement both sideways and downward. Compaction has been reduced to well below 16 inches, and the areas once prone to flooding, particularly near the scoreboard, are now lush and vibrant.

The presence of weeds/plant diversity like crabgrass, dandelions, clover, and plantain are present, although sporadic, they are helping improve soil life and structure. Our approach eschews herbicides and conventional lawn care fertilizers, focusing instead on natural, sustainable regenerative methods. While challenges persist due to budget constraints, usage intensity from gym classes to game days, and occasional issues with irrigation, we adapt our strategy seasonally, ensuring we meet expectations without setting unrealistic goals.

We apply Nature’s Brew in April, May, and October, just 3 applications per year, alongside overseeding, aerating, and rolling. I monitor throughout the season to ensure proper cutting and watering practices are followed. This coming year, 2025, we are introducing a new nitrogen source, and some fields will receive extra pelletized compost, but all will still receive the 3 Nature’s Brew applications. The measuring of the biomass ratio using bright field microscopy allows me to see and measure results to figure out what could be needed for the next application to continue progress in the regenerative process.

While we still see some ruts, the soil’s increased life and structure are making a noticeable difference, reducing injuries from previous conditions which once led to an ambulance call for a football player as seen in the below October 2018 pictures.

NOTE: We have never used any pesticides on these fields since we managed the soil health, resulting in no insect issues or disease of any sort. Weeds are minimal, as you will see by the below pictures. We used the microscope to calculate the biomass ratios by taking soil samples before the first application and before the last, providing a clear measure of our progress

The following pictures are from when we started October 2018.