|
Soil
Fertility &
Nutrient Management Workshop Series
The Darke Soil and Water
Conservation District (SWCD) and the Ohio State University Extension,
Darke County will be jointly hosting a Soil Fertility and Nutrient
Management workshop series beginning in November 2013 and wrapping up
in April 2014. This series will consist of four workshops –November,
January, March and April – that will cover basic agronomy, how to
obtain a proper soil sample, a tour of a soil lab, understanding and
interpreting the results, recommendations and how to properly
maintain and enhance your soils, and development of a field plan for
2014. The cost to participate in this workshop series will be
$10.00. This registration fee will cover all of your meals, resource
materials and soil samples for up to 50 acres. Space is limited, so
call or email to reserve your spot today!
The first workshop will be
November 19th at the Darke County Emergency Management Agency meeting
room located at 5183 County Home Rd in Greenville beginning with a
meal at 6:00pm. This first workshop will give an introduction to the
series, cover how to properly collect a soil sample and discuss
nutrient sources and concentrations. It is important to note that
the Darke SWCD, through a series of grants and sponsorships, will
cover two (2) samples to be tested from your farm. This workshop
series will utilize your samples to walk you through understanding
your soil fertility and nutrient management needs. You will need to
turn in your soil samples at the office before the second meeting
date.
The second workshop will
take place on January 21st, 2014. The group will meet at the Darke
SWCD office at 9:00am before traveling to Brookside Labs in New
Bremen. While there, we will tour the facility and visit with
available technicians to understand the process of soil testing. This
is when and where the samples you pull will be delivered for
analysis. After the tour, the group will grab lunch before returning
to Greenville.
The third workshop will be
held on March 11th, 2014 at the Darke County Parks’ Assembly Room,
just off 503. This meeting will cover your soil sample test results
and begin the process of interpreting and understanding the results
for an analysis of your farm. We will also go over recommendations
for the area and cover any environmental limits or concerns that may
exist. Like the first meeting, this one will begin at 6:00pm with a
meal.
Finally, the group will
gather for a fourth and final workshop on April 8th, 2014. This will
cover ways you can build upon or maintain your soil health by
identifying practices you can utilize on your farm. The workshop
series will end with an overview of the 4R Tomorrow program and a
certificate of completion for all participants.
All workshops in the series
will include a meal. The goal is to help you better understand how
to identify and address the needs of your soil. Upon completion of
the series, you will have a wider knowledge base and many reference
materials to help you get the most out of your soil in a healthy
manner.
“The benefits of proper
nutrient management are two-fold: the farmer lowers inputs and
environmental impairments are reduced. These are two goals any
farmer should have because it relates to money and protecting their
land,” said Greg McGlinch of the Darke SWCD.
This workshop wouldn’t be
possible without the cooperation of the Darke SWCD; OSU Extension,
Darke County; Menke Consulting; Brookside Laboratories and the
support of our sponsors: Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Top
of Ohio RC&D Council and the Ohio Livestock Coalition.
If you are interesting in
learning how to best manage your soil’s needs, sign up now for this
workshop by calling the Darke SWCD at 937.548.1752, emailing
greg.mcglinch@oh.nacdnet.net or by visiting our website
www.darkeswcd.com
|
