No-till drill seeding by Larry Ward in Thorndike, Maine.

2016 Maine Soil Health Workshop

November 15, 2016 News & Events

Friday, December 9, 2016
8:45 AM – 3:00 PM
Spectacular Event Center
395 Griffin Rd, Bangor, ME

Healthy soil is fundamental to growing health crops. In this day-long workshop, farmers, educators, and technical advisors will learn about ways to measure, protect, and build soil health. Speakers include Extension educators, crop advisors, and farmers, who will discuss their research and experiences with reduced tillage, no-till, and cover cropping on dairy, mixed vegetable, and potato and grain farms.

Who should attend: Farmers, educators, and technical service providers. 4.5 Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) credits will be offered.

Cost (includes lunch): $20.00 before December 2, 2016; otherwise $25.00. NOTE: No refunds will be offered for registrations made by check OR after December 2. Pre-Registration required.

Register & Pay Online

If you need registration assistance, please contact Michele Lodgek at michele.lodgek@umaine.edu or 207.581.2721.

Agenda

8:45 – 9:00 AM: REGISTRATION, coffee, tea, snacks

9:00 – 9:15 AM: Welcome and Announcements.
Soil Health Concepts and Considerations — Ellen Mallory, UMaine Extension

9:15 – 11:00 AM: Reduced Tillage and No-Till Strategies — Mark Hutchinson, UMaine Extension; Paul Thomas, Thomas Farm, Corinth; Sam Wright, Cavendish AgriServices; John Jemison and Rick Kersbergen, UMaine Extension

  • Reduced-till in mixed vegetable systems
  • No-till following potatoes
  • No-till and cover crops in silage corn
  • Discussion

11:00 – 11:15 AM: BREAK

11:15 – 12:30 PM: Soil Health Tests — Bruce Hoskins, UMaine Soil Testing Service; John Jemison, UMaine Extension; Will Brinton, Woods End Lab

  • What do they mean and what do you do?
  • A no-till example

12:30 – 1:10 PM: LUNCH

1:10 – 1:30 PM: Maine Soil Health Teams — Caragh Fitzgerald, Andrew Plant, and Rick Kersbergen, UMaine Extension

1:30 – 3:00 PM: Cover Crop Opportunities and Management — Eero Ruuttila, Johnny’s Selected Seeds; Ellen Mallory and Jason Lilley, UMaine Extension

  • Strategies, considerations, and examples
  • Terminating strategies
  • Northeast Cover Crop Council
  • Discussion

3:00 PM: ADJOURN

For questions about the workshop: contact Ellen Mallory: ellen.mallory@maine.edu or 207.581.2942.

If you are a person with a disability and need an accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Ellen Mallory at 207.581.2942 or ellen.mallory@maine.edu to discuss your needs. Receiving requests for accommodations at least 7 days before the program provides a reasonable amount of time to meet the request, however all requests will be considered.