Go outside and collect three small soil samples from different locations, such as a garden bed, a patch of lawn, and an area of bare dirt, and compare them side by side. Look at the color, texture, and smell of each one and write down what you notice. Healthy soil is darker, crumblier, and earthier-smelling than compacted or depleted soil, and learning to read those differences is one of the first things agronomists do.

Make your own compost bin using a container, kitchen scraps like fruit peels and vegetable trimmings, and a little soil. Check it every few days, mix it gently, and observe how the scraps break down over several weeks. Composting is one of the most fundamental soil health practices agronomists study and recommend to farmers around the world.

Visit a local farmers market and ask one of the vendors about the soil they grow their produce in, what they do to keep it healthy, and whether they have noticed changes in their land over the years. Farmers who grow food directly are some of the best practical teachers about how soil and plants work together, and most are happy to talk about their work.