- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
University of California Cooperative Extension and the Colusa County Resource Conservation District announce the launch of the Soil Health Connection, an informative outreach YouTube channel. The channel hosts virtual discussions and interviews with leading soil science researchers and farmers with the intention of shedding light on the importance of soil health in California's agricultural systems.
Hosts Sarah Light, UCCE agronomy advisor, and Liz Harper, Colusa County RCD executive director, bring their own knowledge and expertise to the channel by inviting guests and viewers to think about soil health through various lenses. The channel has...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
Organic farmer Phil Foster has developed a creative way to nurture the soil on his 200-acre farm near Hollister. He plants cover crops in a single line at the top of the planting bed, saving water and seed while keeping the furrows clear for irrigation.
"We were finding we couldn't use cover crops because of water," Foster said. The narrow strip makes the best use of the limited water supply, while garnering the benefits of cover crops - which buffer soil temperatures, inhibit weeds, increase soil microbial activity, improve water infiltration and add nutrients. Growing cover crops prepares the soil for the production of high-quality vegetables.
Foster is one of...
