On August 28 and 29, the Pennsylvania No-till Alliance will host soil health field days at Schrack Farms of Loganton, Pa., and Criswell Acres at Lewisburg, Pa. Both field days will feature technologies that build healthy soils – and yields with less input costs.
Two July field days drew more than 100 farmers each. All interested farmers are invited. The programs run from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and are the same each day.
The Aug. 28 program is at Schrack Farms, located at 860 West Valley Road, Loganton. The Aug. 29 program is at Criswell Acres, 6229 Col. John Kelly Road, Lewisburg.
Dr. Christine Jones, a soil health expert from Australia, will be the keynote speaker. The scientific advisor on plant nutrition for Australia's Division of Best Environmental Technologies will talk about soil health and carbon sequestration. She'll also share tips on how to build critical humus levels through appropriate ag practices and how to maximize photosynthesis through biological processes.
Jones works with landowners to implement practices that regenerate soil through enhancing biodiversity, increasing biological activity, sequestering carbon, activating soil nutrient cycles, restoring water balance, and creating new topsoil to improve productivity.
More expertise to tap
Will Brinton, president of Woods End Laboratories of Maine, will talk about the Solvita/Soil Health Tool, and show how farmers can save money while reducing inputs and producing better crops each year by adopting new soil testing technology.
John Chiberka, a Natural Resource Conservation Service soil scientist, will explain the finding in soil pits on each farm. And, an NRCS pollinator expert will discuss the direct benefits to farmers of practices that encourage pollinators (introduced species and native species).
Sarah Troisi, a biologist/ecologist, will be working with central Pennsylvania farmers to document environmental and socio-economic gains of soil health and no-till crop production.