Soil fertility is subject to change over the course of the growing season and requires active management. A good fertility management program helps to ensure that commercial crop and forage production is efficient, as well as economically and environmentally sustainable. In recent years, extreme weather events characterized by extended periods of wet, dry or drought conditions have necessitated a fertility management approach that anticipates the effects of Maine’s changing climate on plant available nutrients and nutrient loss. In this workshop, University of Maine Assistant Scientist, Bruce Hoskins, will discuss climate smart fertility management strategies for Maine followed by a demonstration of best practices in soil sampling with UMaine Cooperative Extension Sustainable Agriculture Educator, Brett Johnson.
University of Maine Cooperative Extension has partnered with Maine Coast Heritage Trust, Maine Farmland Trust, Knox-Lincoln Soil and Water Conservation District and other local and national nonprofits to deliver a spring workshop series exploring climate resilient production practices, planning and design solutions for farms.
Adaptation in Action will take place at Aldermere Farm Welcome Center, 20 Russell Avenue in Rockport from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on March 5; 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. on March 19; and 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on April 2. The final workshop in the series is scheduled for April 30 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Brodis Blueberries, 87 Jones Hill Road in Hope.
The series will cover topics including climate adaptation planning with technical service providers from Maine Farmland Trust, American Farmland Trust and Maine Organic Farmers and Growers Association (MOFGA); ecological design using Erickson Fields Preserve as a case study; climate-smart fertility management with educators from UMaine and UMaine Extension; and farm pond construction, health and maintenance at Brodis Blueberries with Knox-Lincoln Soil and Water Conservation District.
Register on the event webpage or by phone at 207.342.5971. Workshop fee is $25 per session. Scholarships from American Farmland Trust and Maine Farmland Trust are available. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Billiejo Pendleton at billiejo.pendleton@maine.edu or 207.342.5971.
