Green Hills Farm Project Winter Seminar

The Green Hills Farm Project (a grass-based farmers group) is hosting a seminar on Soil Health, Soil Organisms, Cover Crops, and Grazing featuring Molly Haviland and Doug Peterson on Saturday, February 22^nd from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Linneus Community Center in Linneus, MO.

Topics to be covered include:

- Microherding the Soil Food Web - Establishing and Maintaining the Soil Food Web

- Identifying the Soil Food Web - What your local Missouri soil biology looks like

Molly received her BS in Sustainable Living with a focus in soil ecology from Maharishi University of Management.  She has been under the mentorship of soil microbiologist Dr. Elaine Ingham since 2011.  Molly is the director of The Living Soil Compost Lab in Fairfield, Iowa.  This lab specializes in developing hand turned aerobic thermal compost, aerobic compost tea and extract.  They do treatments, consultations, workshops, individual training as well as qualitative soil analysis. 

Molly will be accepting soil samples to take back to the lab for analysis.  A biological test will cost $30.  You will need to be sure to collect the samples the day of or the day before the seminar and place them in a paper bag or cardboard box.  Use a core sampler to get 3-4 inches below the soil surface.  You will normally receive results and photos of your sample 5 days after submitting the sample(s).

Doug Peterson, NRCS Soil Health Conservationist, will be covering some basic soil health trends and topics relative to Missouri.

There will be an extensive question and answer session in the afternoon. If there is anything you want to know about soil health or soil biology here is your chance to get those questions answered.

Cost is $10 for individuals and $20 per family.  Bring a covered dish to share for lunch.

For more information call 660-425-4894 or email.