Carbon-based farming in Michigan’s Great Southwest will be in the spotlight alongside many other topics when the Van Buren Conservation District fires up its annual “Farming for the Future” Conference later this month.
Gary Zimmer, a Wisconsin-based agricultural consultant and founder of Midwestern BioAg, will be the keynote presenter at the District’s annual “Farming for the Future” conference, slated to be held on Wednesday, March 20th at the Van Buren Conference Center in Lawrence. Registration begins at 8:30 am that day and the conference runs until 3 pm with free lunch included.
Colleen Forestieri is a Conservation Technician with the district. She says, “Many growers are looking at adding biologicals, composts, cover crops and manures to boost their soil health,” and adds, “Soil health continues to be a hot topic for farmers, but we want to talk about how to incorporate these practices into a conventional system. We will also learn about how carbon drives the biological system of soil, which is something that we all need to learn about. Gary is a fantastic and enthusiastic speaker and we are thrilled to bring him to the area.”
Zimmer will explain the basics of carbon-based farming and how to start incorporating biological practices. Biological farmers work with nature, feeding soil life, balancing soil minerals and tilling soils with a purpose. The methods they apply involve a unique system of beliefs, observations and guidelines that result in increased production and profit. Using composts, manures, cover crops and biological products can jumpstart the soil to be more productive and can lead to reducing synthetic inputs.
“Farming for the Future” is an annual educational event for local farmers and is a great opportunity to learn from agricultural specialists, educators, researchers, businesses and other farmers. Additional topics this year will include:
- DEQ permitting
- Spray technology
- Invasive pests
- Soil health
- Transitioning to organic
A MAEAP Phase 1 credit will be available for attendees along with six RUP credits. Registration will begin at 8:30 am with coffee and doughnuts, and a free lunch will also be provided.
This event is free and open to the public, however, pre-registration is required and space is limited. Farmers are asked to register by March 15th by calling the Van Buren Conservation District at 269-657-4030 x5 or visiting online at this link: http://www.vanburencd.org
