Explore connections between soil and health

Submitted by San Juan Islands Museum of Art

David Montgomery and Anne Biklé will present “Hidden Half of Nature: Microbial Roots of Life and Health,” based on their book about exploring the connections between soil and human health in Friday Harbor on Nov. 2. This fascinating talk is part of the Art As A Voice programming for the current exhibition, “Food For Thought,” at the San Juan Islands Museum of Art. The presentation is from 1-3:30 p.m., Nov. 2 at the San Juan Island Grange.

This engaging duo will consider the various connections between the loss of topsoil for food production, human health and climate change. Montgomery introduces us to farmers at the heart of a simmering soil health revolution. He cuts through debates about conventional and organic farming to show why regenerative agriculture can benefit farmers and the land.

According to Montgomery and Biklé’s website, “[The couple] begin in their garden and move to the human body. Here, they uncover stunning similarities between the root of a plant and the human gut that could transform the practice of agriculture and medicine.”

They talk about the science at the vanguard of a “soil health revolution that could reverse the ancient trend and bring humanity’s ailing soil back to life remarkably fast.”

Biklé is an author, biologist and gardener. She uses her broad background and captivation with the natural world to investigate and write about connections between health issues, plants and the environment. Her interests have also led her into public health, salmon restoration and environmental planning.

Montgomery earned his Ph.D. in geomorphology and teaches at the University of Washington where he studies the evolution of topography and how geological processes shape landscapes and influence ecological systems. Montgomery writes about the relationship of people to their environment and is the author of “Growing A Revolution: Bringing Our Soil Back to Life.” In 2008 he was named a MacArthur Fellow.

The admission to the talk is $18, with museum and Grange members at $15 and students’ rate is $10. Event tickets are on sale at the museum during regular hours, online at “Learn,” or at the door as seating is available. The co-sponsor of this talk is the San Juan Island Grange.

Also at SJIMA until Dec. 9 is “Tide of Transition” by Cathryn Mallory, a site-specific installation in the glass atrium inspired by the sea’s kelp beds and the nutrition they offer. In the North Gallery is “The Natural World” of Malcolm Curtis Ross, a retrospective exploring Ross’ joyful life in art.

Museum exhibition hours are Friday-Monday from 11 a.m.-5 a.m. Admission is $10 and free to SJIMA members and those 18 and under. Mondays are Pay As You Can Days. SJIMA is located at 540 Spring St. in Friday Harbor, Washington. Explore other museum programs at www.sjima.org.