HOULTON, Maine –Approximately 50 people attended a field day Aug. 16 held by the Southern Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District at Donald Fitzpatrick’s farm in Houlton.
The CIG Field Day was part of a three-year Conservation Innovation Grant that the SASWCD has been working on with local potato farmers Donald Fitzpatrick, Greg Schools, and Fred Whited. The grant project has focused on planting a nitrogen fixing legume mix along with potatoes and multi-species cover crop mixes for the crop rotation year.
The field day at Fitzpatrick’s featured a 10 species cover crop mix on a 25-acre field. Mark Fulford, the project’s technical advisor, discussed the building of soil health through the use of such cover crops, using the plants’ root balls and soil structure to determine health and vigor of the soil and plants.
Colorado biotic potato grower Brendon Rockey of Rockey Farms was the special guest speaker for the day. Rockey Farms uses biological inputs, companion crops, livestock, green manures, and nectar rich flowers in place of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Brendon used attendees to create a soil system to demonstrate its resilience against farm management techniques and nature’s whim.
Participants wore various hats depicting their role in soil health such as soil structure, bacteria, plant, fungi, nitrogen, water, etc. The presentation stressed the importance of carbon in a healthy soil system and demonstrated how a functioning carbon cycle can result in economic profits.
After a locally-sourced lunch provided by The Vault Restaurant, Will Brinton of Woods End Lab spoke about soil test analyses and more specifically, gains attributed to the CIG fields over the three-year project period. The day ended with a wagon ride to Fitzpatrick’s organic potato field that had several rows trialing a legume mix. Brendon discussed his planting methods, results from his own potato and legume trials, and overall benefits of planting potatoes and legumes together.
The Southern Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District would like to thank Donald Fitzpatrick, NRCS Houlton field office, Brendon Rockey, Lauren Krizansky, Mark Fulford and Will Brinton for a great opportunity to provide on-the- ground soil health demonstrations to area farmers.
For more information on the CIG Field Day, check out SASWCD’s website at www.saswcd.org or visit their Facebook page.
