Pictured: Robert Pierce runs Half the 40 Acres Farm in Fitchburg and will be hosting a Conservation Connections field day on his farm on Wed. Sept. 14, sharing his experiences improving soil health and tapping into NRCS programs like EQIP for building a high tunnel to expand the growing season.
Join farmer Robert Pierce as he shares his expertise building soil health on his farm, Half the 40 Acres, south of Madison and learn about various programs and opportunities to enhance conservation practices on your land.
The free field day takes place Wednesday from 4-6 p.m. This event is open to farmers of all experience levels as well as anyone interested in conservation and organic agriculture and will provide information and resources as well as opportunities to connect with representatives from Natural Resources Conservation Service and Farm Service Agency.
“For me, it’s pretty simple; everything starts with healthy soil. To grow good food you need good soil and that has always been my priority here on the farm,” shares Robert Pierce, owner of Half the 40 Acres.
Born and raised on Madison’s south side, Pierce has been growing and selling organic produce and managing the South Madison Farmers’ Market for over 20 years. Robert is a long-standing community leader and advocate in the development of sustainable locally grown food systems and runs Neighborhood Food Solutions to connect people with their food source.
At the event, attendees can see Pierce’s new high tunnel and gain information on potential NRCS EQIP funding for such farm enhancements as well as tour his growing fields and composting operation.
Snacks will be provided featuring samplings from Pierce’s harvest. Please register: https://www.renewingthecountryside.org/conservation_connections. Walk-ins are also welcome.
Farm location:
Half the 40 Acres
4879 Goodland Park Rd
Fitchburg, WI, 53575
This field day is part of Conservation Connections, a project led by Renewing the Countryside in partnership with NRCS and FSA with a mission to support historically underserved farmers in Wisconsin and Minnesota and build connections between these farmers and resource support. The project uniquely utilizes a “boots in the field” team of over fifteen Connectors, including Pierce, to assist these farmers to tap into information and opportunities that support conservation and soil health to create a more successful farm business.
“Conservation Connections provides support to historically underserved farmer groups including African Americans, Asian, Latino, Indigenous, veterans and beginning farmers,” shares Jan Joannides, executive director of Renewing the Countryside and lead on this project. “Our goal is to use farmer-to-farmer education like this field day to help expand awareness of programs and resources available through the NRCS and FSA that foster more successful farm businesses and at the same time steward the land.”
Experts from NRCS and FSA will be on hand to answer questions on various programs, including conservation enhancements and loan programs for beginning farmers to access land, including John White, State Outreach Coordinator, NRCS; Katie Demrow, State Outreach Coordinator, FSA and Pattie Haack, Soil Conservationist – Dane County, NRCS, Diane Mayerfeld, North Central SARE & UW-Madison Extension. Additional partners include Groundwell Conservancy and Sustain Dane.
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