Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams (KAWS) is pleased to announce it has received a grant from the North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center. These funds will support a series of workshops called “Improving Soil Health: Regenerative Agriculture and Water Quality Protection” across the state of Kansas this summer and fall. Ranchers, farmers, producers and landowners are invited to attend one of ten workshops focusing on soil health and grazing practices to improve profitability on Kansas farms and ranches. “The more we learn about the biodiversity contained within healthy soils, the more important it becomes to support the foundations of agriculture and healthy water supplies in our state. Healthy soils improve productivity, protect our water supplies, reduce input costs, and ultimately increase the bottom line for farmers and ranchers,” said Jessica Mounts, Executive Director at KAWS. “This funding makes it possible for us to bring well-known soil experts to Kansas at a minimal cost to producers.” 

These workshops will feature nationally known instructors who will focus on how to improve farm and grazing resources with soil health and management to reduce input costs. A healthy soil improves productivity and prosperity for producers exploring cover and alternative forage crops, managed grazing, farm and ranch economics and cost management.

The first series Soil Health Sustainability for Cropland; will be held July 9th – 13th, 2018.  

Five 1-day workshops will be led by Candy Thomas, NRCS Soil Health Specialist for Kansas and Nebraska, and Doug Peterson, NRCS Soil Health Specialist for Missouri and Iowa. Both have over 20 years of experience training producers and employees on soil health and adoption of soil health management practices.  Each workshop is a full day starting at 8:00 am and ending at 5:00 pm.  Cost for the workshop is $25.00 and includes lunch and handouts. Attendees will also receive a handy pocket guide: Midwest Cover Crops Field Guide provided by SARE.

Soil Health Workshops:

Monday - July 9

Allen Comm. College Theatre

1801 N. Cottonwood St., Iola

 

Tuesday – July 10

Parsons Experiment Station

25092 Ness Rd, Parsons

 

Wednesday – July 11

Clay Center CTI (John Deere}

1181 18th RD, Clay Center

 

Thursday - July 12

Stull United Methodist

1596 E 250 Rd., Stull

 

Friday – July 13

Lansing Community Center

800 1st Terrace, Lansing

 

The Grazing Management for Improved Soil Health Workshop, will be September 17th – 21th, 2018.  

Five 1-day workshops will focus on grazing management strategies designed to improve both soil health and water quality. These workshops will be delivered by Jim Gerrish, American Grazing Lands Services.  Jim has extensive experience as an instructor for these topics both in the US and internationally.  Jim’s full day workshops starts at 8:00 am and ends at 5:00 pm.  Cost for the workshop is $25.00 and includes lunch and handouts.

 

Grazing Management Workshops:

Monday – Sept 17

Anderson Building, Lyon County Fair

2650 W Hwy 50, Emporia

 

           Tuesday – Sept 18

           Samuels Community Building

110 S Jefferson, Eureka

 

Wednesday – Sept 19

St. Columbkille’s Parish Hall

13305 KS – 16, Blaine

 

Thursday – Sept 20

Jewell Community Center

Delaware St., Jewell

 

Friday – Sept 21

KS Polytechnic Center

2310 Centennial, Salina

 

Project partners include: Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams, NRCS-Kansas, Kansas Water Office, Kansas State University, Kansas SARE, No-Till on the Plains, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, 9 Watershed restoration and Protection Strategy Groups, Kansas Grazing Land Coalition, the Climate and Energy Project, and Friends of the KAW.

 

The Kansas WEALTH Partnership is offering a limited number of full scholarships to attend the workshops.  Scholarships are made possible thanks to POWDR and Copper Mountain’s intention to Play Forever, a commitment to protecting our environment and inspiring participation in sport.  The Kansas WEALTH (Water, Energy, Land, Transportation, and Health) Partnership is facilitated by the Climate and Energy Project and funded by the Kansas Health Foundation.

 

Registration required. Sign up online at:  www.kaws.org/events

For more information contact Mary Howell – call 785-562-8726 or at mhowell@kaws.org.

 

“Improving Soil Health: Regenerative Agriculture and Water Quality Protection” was funded by North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center and the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture under Award Number 2015-49200-24226.