Instead of paying for fancy big names from out of state, farmers are choosing to invest in local knowledge and farmer expertise at this year’s regional northwest Wisconsin and east central Minnesota winter meet-up.
Corn-soybean farmers are gathering in February to discuss how they can control their input prices while enhancing farm profits. While there are many ways to do that, a major opportunity for farmers in our region is expanding soil health practices. That means efficiently using nutrients, reducing erosion and unlocking soil nutrients in new ways.
Discussion over the past year within the farmer-led councils of the region centered around how to create an event that gets at the practical challenges of making soil health practices work right here. The event that came together is one based around local solutions and local experts. Each of the three panels will include a handful of farmers from the region who have found solutions that work for them and continue to test new ideas. Each panel will also include agricultural professionals who can explain the principles and research supporting the theory behind the practices.
Unsurprisingly, input costs are a top interest to farmers. More and more folks are considering ways to ensure more efficient nitrogen use. They’re coming up with means of unlocking nutrients in their soil without dependence on the coop or salesmen. Based on this, organizers recruited a panel of farmers, professionals and researchers who are exploring their nitrogen rates intentionally. Some are doing that with expanded soil testing, some with biological additions and some with crop rotations.
Also of interest to area farmers is establishing cover crops with our short season. Many farmers have tried covers and understand how they can help their soils, but they also struggle to get growth that justifies the cost of planting and termination. It’s an easy win for growers with livestock who can graze them off, but the benefits are not as clear for farmers without hooved stock. Members of this panel will talk about how they make covers work on their fields, including discussions of planting time, variety selection, termination tactics and more.
The final feedback we received suggested that farmers need more time to connect. Instead of being talked at, they want to have more dialogue. This event’s last session and networking times aim to meet that goal. The general session is a time for farmers to ask any question they like of the panelists and audience.
To keep up to date, you can follow four regional farmer-led councils @farmerledwatershed on Facebook.
To help plan for lunch, register for this event at farmerledwatershed.org. If you have questions or want to register over the phone or email, you can contact coordinator Tara Daun at [email protected] or 715-492-0329.
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