Building Better Soil Field Day - Litchfield

Join the Meeker Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) and University of Minnesota Extension for a field day focused on building better soil.  This free field day for farmers and agricultural professionals will be hosted at Winton Nelson’s farm at 23453 CSAH 9, Litchfield, MN 55355. Parking will be on the left side of the driveway. Follow UMN Extension Event signs to the field day location.

The event will include demonstrations and a discussion around the impact of long-term reduced tillage and increased crop residue on soil organic matter and soil health. While increasing the organic matter of soil takes time, using multiple soil health practices can help that process and feed soil biology. Evidence has shown that every 1% increase in soil organic matter in a silt loam soil results in an increase of 0.4 inches of water holding capacity, meaning corn could go another 2 days before needing a rain event in a system with increased soil organic matter. Hear from our farmer host, Winton Nelson, on how he has incorporated ridge-till and cover crops in his crop production operation with a focus on increasing his organic matter, even on sandy soil. A soil pit and tillage demonstration will give participants a hands-on opportunity to see how these soil health practices impact the soil below the surface. Discussions on local and statewide resources for soil health practice implementation will round out the evening.