For the last several years, farmers and ranchers have heard a lot about “soil health.” Not only have a plethora of public and private agronomists and specialists talked about soil health, but also the Natural Resources Conservation Service has made soil health a priority in most of its conservation initiatives.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines soil health as “the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals and humans.” This definition speaks to the importance of managing soils so they are sustainable for future generations. In short, healthy soils are resilient and can more capably withstand weather and environmental extremes.
Healthy soils have a texture and feel that takes some time to develop. There is a mix of air and soil aggregates, which makes the soil resilient to drought and flooding. Over time, soil microbe populations in healthy soils increase and in turn, these microbes turn crop residues and fertilizers into nutrients available to the next crop. Did you know that a handful of soil has more living organisms than there are people on Earth?
Welcome to Soil Health U
With all this in mind, High Plains Journal is proud to host our first ever Soil Health U and Trade Show event, Jan. 24 to 25 at the Tony’s Pizza Event Center (formerly the Bicentennial Center) in Salina.
This two-day educational program is packed with farmer-speakers and industry experts, all of whom will help you learn more about how to adopt soil health practices on your farm or ranch.
We are designing the program and trade show to suit a variety of audiences. If you’re a farmer practicing conventional tillage and want to learn more about how adopting soil health practices can help make you money, we want you at Soil Health U. If you are a farmer using a no-till system and want to take another step forward on your soil health journey, we want you at Soil Health U. And if you’ve adopted cover crops and want to see how you can implement grazing programs, we want you at Soil Health U. These are noble goals, but our only goal is to teach our readers why soil health is important and how to implement these practices on your operation.
There is no one right answer for every farmer. Practices that work for your neighbor may not work for you. But we can help get the conversation started and give you some practical ideas to take home. Plus, you will be able to network with fellow attendees and learn even more from trade show exhibitors.
For more information
Soil Health U is similar to all of our U events. We will have several farmer panel discussions, breakout sessions and keynote speakers, however, we do need you to register at www.SoilHealthU.net. There is a $95 fee for High Plains Journal subscribers—check the Soil Health U advertisement in this and other editions for a discount code.
Check the website frequently for speaker profiles, updates and agendas as we are continuing to work on the event.
We look forward to seeing you in Salina on Jan. 24 to 25 and we are excited to bring you Soil Health U.
Bill Spiegel can be reached at 785-587-7796 or [email protected].
