Explore practical soil management techniques through lectures, farm visits and guided discussions with fellow farmers on measuring soil health, cover cropping, composting, soil amendments and more. Assess the soil health on your own land, or another farmer’s field if you don’t own land yet. Participants will be encouraged to submit at least one soil sample for a Cornell Soil Health Assessment ($50 or $95 additional cost).
Course Schedule: Four evening sessions, 5-8 PM, on the fourth Wednesday of April through July:
Wed, April 27 — Soil Science 201 for Farmers. What makes healthy soil? Participants will learn basic soil health characteristics and conduct physical property tests on various soil samples. We will review basic soil types and the issues you have with your current or future soils. Presentation by Bob Schindelbeck (Soil Health Lab). Field tour TBD.
Wed, May 25 — Land Assessment and Advanced Soil Testing. What does healthy soil look like? Learn to do a visual assessment of land and soils. Learn how take samples for a soil health test and how to read their results for different crop needs. Students will submit individual soil samples for analysis. Presentation by Crystal Stewart, Field Tour by Plowbreak Farm.
Wed, June 29 — Cover Crops and Soil Amendments. How can you improve your soil through cover crops and other soil amendments? We will discuss individual cover crops and various mixes, composting, and other amendments.Presentation by Brian Caldwell. Field Tour by Tree Gate Farm
Wed, July 26 — Soil Biology and Advanced Soil Management. Gain a better understanding of the biological life in your soil and the implications for your cash crops. We’ll also look at planning multi-year cash/cover crop rotations, methods to reduce tillage in various cropping systems, and the effects of integrating livestock and other biological support systems.Presentation and Field Tour TBD.
Location: Diverse small farms in the Ithaca, NY area
Cost: Full tuition is $150 for the series, $45 per session. Tuition support is available.