Sandro Lopes is a farmer from Brazil who now lives in David City, Nebraska, and is the owner of Huertos Regenerativos Na Terra.

He grows a variety of vegetables on two plots of land that are 10 by 40 feet and located behind his home. He uses two types of growing systems that are focused on soil health and sun exposure.

On one plot, he has vegetables such as corn, zucchini, peppers, and different types of lettuce that get full sun exposure. On the other plot of land, he has a black net hanging over different types of lettuce and microgreens where they get limited sun exposure, between 5 and 6 hours a day.

His other focus is making sure the soil has enough microorganisms. With the help of the Center, he has been able to get his soil tested to find out what nutrients are needed for a better yield.

According to Sandro, if the soil only has one or two types of fungus or bacteria, it means the soil is in poor condition. The more microorganisms in the soil, the better it is to see nature at work to regenerate the soil's health.

For more information on Sandro’s operation, visit our website: https://www.cfra.org/blog/latino-farm...

Video and audio by Carmen Montes.