Summer 2012: Soils Building Workshop Series
Download and Print Registration Form
To mail in with check or money order
To register online, click the BPT link next to the workshop (coming soon)
Series Overview
Soil health is a foundational component of a successful organic farming system. This workshop series takes place at farms throughout Massachusetts that are using a range of practices to build their soils to increase the yield and nutritional quality of their crops.
The workshops are led by growers who are implementing a variety of practices including mineral balancing, biological inoculations, and integration of crop and livestock systems on their farm. Presenters will explain and demonstrate the systems they have developed to enhance soil fertility and discuss the connection they see between their farming practices and nutritional quality. The emphasis of this workshop series is on the "how" of implementing soil building objectives on the farm, although the "why" will also be addressed.
Be prepared for an outdoor workshop and please refrain from wearing any scented body care/laundry products.
Important Registration Details
- The cost of all workshops is $30, with discounts for NOFA membership and early registration (14 days before the workshop).
- Pre-registration is required unless arranged by phone with the organizer, Ben Grosscup, cell: 413-658-5374.
- Cancellations will be honored and refunds issued (except $8 processing fee) with notice made within 10 or more days of the workshop. After that, you may designate someone else to attend in your stead, but refunds will not be available.
- Potluck Lunches will be shared at many of these workshops where the learning and discussion will continue. Where listed, participants are invited to bring something to share, or bring their own lunch. Please bring utensils & plate.
- Carpooling is encouraged, and on your registration form, you'll have the opportunity to be connected with other registrants in your local area who also want to carpool to the workshop.
For info: Ben Grosscup, 413-658-5374. By email, ben.grosscup@nofamass.org; put "Soils Building" in subject.
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Brix Bounty Farm, 858 Tucker Road, Dartmouth, MA
- Instructor: Derek Christianson is a farmer and community educator at Brix Bounty Farm, which emphasizes a biological approach to increasing the nutritional quality of their produce while strengthening their soils for long-term productivity.
A) Saturday, May 12, 9am-12pm, Transplants and Seed Starting, $30 ***followed by optional potluck lunch
Starting strong seedlings is an essential step toward maximizing yields. Our seed starting program includes inoculation, seed soaking, drenching, and foliar. In addition, we'll focus on steps taken to ensure transplants develop a vigorous root system after transplanting and thereby increase the potential for crop health and production.
B) Sunday, June 17, 3pm-6pm, Foliar Sprays and Crop Monitoring, $30 ***followed by optional potluck lunch
Addressing mineral deficiencies through foliar sprays may improve crop vigor and vitality; and thereby increase root exudates which feed soil biology. This workshop will focus on discussing, demonstrating, and formulating proper foliar sprays used to improve crop health while including an emphasis on tools and techniques useful for crop monitoring.
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Simple Gifts Farm, 1089 N. Pleasant Street in North Amherst, MAb>
- Instructors: Jeremy Barker-Plotkin and Dave Tepfer are co-owners of Simple Gifts Farm. This community farm in the heart of North Amherst is restoring soil fertility through a crop rotation between vegetables and fallow/pasture period, featuring livestock and forage crops.
C) Saturday, June 23, 1pm-4pm, An Integrated Crop & Livestock System for Soil Building, $30
We build into our rotation one out of four years in a forage crop. Grazing animals (cattle and sheep) are used to help the forage crop cycle nutrients, and grain-fed animals (chickens and pigs) import nutrients to the farm. This workshop will explain our crop rotation, management systems for the animals, as well as touching on the mineral and liquid fertilizers that we use to supplement the fertility generated by our animals and forage crops.
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Many Hands Organic Farm, 411 Sheldon Road, Barre, MA
- Instructor: Julie Rawson life-long farmer and zealot for nutrition in the soil and the human body.
- Instructor: Jason Cucchiara - the irrigation specialist, aka "the big drip".
- Instructor: Brian Fecteau - the machine guy, construction and repair whiz.
D) Sunday, July 22, 9am-1pm: Managing Biological Fertility on a Diversified Certified Organic Farm, $30 ***includes potluck lunch
On less than 3 acres of vegetable and small fruit land we gross $93,000. On roughly 6 acres for our meat chickens, layers, pigs, steers and turkeys, we gross $46,000. We will cover seedlings, fertility management - manure (including intricate animal rotations), dry fertilizers, biologicals, fertigation and foliars - cover and undersowing crops, mulches and compost. We will demonstrate drip irrigation, foliar feeding, our new vermi-composting experiment in our hoop house, and animal systems.
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Lindentree Farm, 10 Old Concord Road, Lincoln, MA
- Instructors: Ari Kurtz and Moira Donnell own and operate LindenTree Farm CSA.
E) Saturday, September 15, 3pm-6pm, Fertigation and Cover Cropping Systems for Fertility Management, $30
On our farm, we're aiming to respond to soil tests with strategies for increasing availability of nutrients and improve quality of selected crops. We will demonstrate and explain our practices for foliar feeding and fertigation in vegetable production as well as several cover-cropping strategies we use. Some control plots demonstrate the effectiveness of these techniques. This will be our third season using these methods on parts of our 14 acre farm.
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This page was last modified on January 25, 2012 at 10:26:55 AM.
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