05.21.2014 SW HUB TELECONFERENCE NOTES

NE REGIONAL HUB TEAM TELECONFERENCE

May 21, 2014

Present:

/ Lisa Holscher, IASWCD / CCSI
Meg Leader, ISDA
Barry Fisher, NRCS / CCSI
Mike Werling, CCSI Farmer
Brad Kohlhagen, Purdue Extension
Elysia Rogers, Purdue Extension
Susi Stephan, Wabash SWCD
Joe Updike, NRCS
Wes Slain, NRCS
Dave Lefforge, ISDA
Michael ODonnell, Purdue Extension
Notes by: / Dave Lefforge, Lisa Holscher
  1. Sampling / OnFarm Research
  • Conventionally Tilling Neighbor
    Looking for nearby conventionally-tilled fields to sample as comparison to CCSI replicated strip trials (RST). Should be similar soils, fairly close to RST.
  • Temperature at minimum.
  • If possible, include moisture using probe. Many of the pH meters included in NRCS soil health kits have moisture sensing capabilities. Collect readings at both CCSI RST and Conventionally-tilled site. NOTE – STILL collect soil moisture using cans on CCSI RST! The data from hand-held moisture probes will probably not as accurate as can method, but can still provide valuable comparisons.
  • Collect readings, samples at same depth, distance from rows as CCSI RST.
  • Werling is a possible site – neighbor not lined up to date. The neighbor adjacent to field w/ Drainage Water Mgmt installation feels the DWM may be flooding his field.
  • It was suggested that Dave Lefforge contact Adam Jones w/ Huntington Tech Team re thermometer / pH probe availability. Joe Updike to follow up with Adam & Dave to make sure everyone is on the same page.

Impacts of Soil Temperature
Cannot control air temperature, but can impact soil temp through improved soil health / soil health systems. Soil temp has a greater impact on yields than cool temps, especially when you consider the negative impacts on night-time respiration. Cool nights = cooler soils = better yields. Hot days + warmer nights = warmer soil temps = yield losses.
Werling noted a presentation by Mark Seely that struck home – trends of increasing night-time air temperature.

  • Davis PAC – Michael ODonnell has started a conventional v no-till plot with auto-loggers, including temperature.
  • Next Round of CCSI Sampling (Holscher)– timed near sidedress, corn approximately v4-v6
  • Ammonium-Nitrate 0-12”. Before sidedress. All fields regardless of crop
  • Solvita / Soil Health Nutrient Tool (Haney Test)
  • Soil Temperature – optional, but expect this information to be very valuable
  • Soil Moisture – optional. If cans aren’t available, can use soil moisture sensor on pH probe.
  • Plant population
  • Lisa will be sending shipping labels to ARS (for solvita) and A&L as needed. Be watching for Solvita-SHNT forms to include in shipment to ARS.
  • Suggested that Lisa send an email to farmers, site contacts to remind them of when/what to sample.
  • Soil Characteristics (Barry Fisher)– NRCS Area Soil Scientists have been asked to develop complete profile description of soil map unit. They will run test for texture, CEC, SOM at different depths. Will also be conducting a rapid carbon process. Farmers, site contacts should expect call from Scot Haley.
  • OnFarm Network (Meg Leader)
  • OFN sign-ups going on now.
  • Existing groups include Kosciosku, Lake Erie Group, Madison & Delaware Counties, Wildcat Creek, Carrol & Cass Counties
  • Sign-up by June 16th
  • Looking to add more groups next year, if anyone is interested, please contact Meg Leader
  • Other Research
  • Mentioned that Morgan Lucke, Christian Krupke’s student, had been looking for cooperators for a native bee colony project. Looks like they will be doing greenhouse simulations now. The project had been discussed more in depth during the SW teleconference. It is an example of potential opportunities for CCSI partners (field staff) to help Purdue researchers identify potential farmer-cooperators for their research projects.
  1. Workshops
  • CCSI Events
  • August 22nd–CCSI Archuleta- Delaware County
  • Candace Kindt, Wes Slain, and Michael ODonnell have been spearheading
  • Heartland Hall at the Delaware Co. Fairgrounds
  • July 16th – Presentation and Media Skills
  • Pilot project put on in partnership with SARE
  • Fred Whitford is key presenter
  • Target Audience = conservation partnership fields staff, farmers who are giving soil health presentations.
  • Max target = 30
  • Location –Indiana Corn Marketing Council / Indiana Soybean Alliance Offices in Indy
  • Ask Hub Teams and local staff to suggest individuals to attend. Note – each agency has their own chain of command that will make final decisions.
  • Suggested mix from each region
  • 2 NRCS
  • 2 Extension
  • 2 ISDA / SWCDs
  • 2 Farmers
  • ICP working on complementary workshop – “Selling Conservation”, focusing on using strategies commonly used in sales to identify obstacles to practice adoption, overcoming the obstacles and getting conservation on the ground. One-on-one communication with farmers and landowners.
  • Other Field Days
  • June 24thNEPAC - Field Diagnostic Training Clinic (Rogers)
  • Fred Whitford
  • Kirsten Weisse
  • Larry Neece (potential)
  • Joe Beckowitz on seed category / seed treatments
  • Mid-July Delaware - Summer Cover Crop Plots (Slain)
  • 1 mile E of Muncie Airport
  • Features summer/warm season cover crops
  • Want to target limited corn/soybean producers, smaller specialty crop growers
  • Also want to talk about manure applications, nutrient management
  • Could be a CCSI field day to fulfill CIG grant requirements
  • Mid to Late July – Wabash - Manure Management (Updike)
  • In paired watershed study fields. After wheat. Will have 3 different styles of applicators running
  • Jerry Sweeten will talk on water quality
  • VRA Manure will be covered
  • Could be a CCSI field day to fulfill CIG grant requirements
  • August 21stNEPAC – Producer Field Day (Rogers)
  • Bob Neilsen
  • Bill Johnson
  • Will include a soil health component
  • August 28th – Davis PAC Annual Field Day (ODonnell)
  • Number of rotations in research plots in morning
  • Soil health will be Michael / his research plot
  • September 9th – Ohio NoTill Council (Fisher)
  • Generally a pretty good field day
  • Have been talking about Nutrient Management A LOT in Ohio
  • Barry will be a presenter
  • Other Events
  • July 8th – Villwock (Knox/Daviess) – Irrigation and Soil Health
  • July 21-22 – NACD Tour. Will focus on CCSI / Indiana Conservation Partnership in soil health promotions. 22nd includes 3 different tours:
  • Legan Livestock & Grain (Putnam). Manure management, water qualtiy
  • Rulon Farms (Hamilton) – economics
  • Starkey Farms / Little Ireland Farms (Hendricks) – Water Quality, Edge of Field research
  • July 23rd – NRCS training day (following NACD Tour) for State, Area, and Assistant Conservationists from across the country.
  • August 6thSW Soil Health Expo - Precision Ag Focus
  • August 25th – Frank Gibbs (smoke bomb earthworm demo) – Roger Wenning Farm, Decatur County. Will also include rain simulator to reinforce that earthworm channels are not a direct connection to tile systems
  • Barry noted a summer 2014 “focus” on benefits of soil health to surface water quality

Everyone reminded to please submit events as soon as a date is set. A “save the date” can help make sure others are aware of planned events to avoid date conflicts. More detailed information can be added later. Do not need to be CCSI events to be place on calendar – just need a soil health, conservation cropping systems focus or component.
III. Other Outreach

  • Retailer Outreach (Werling)

Mike Werling has been doing a lot of work with 4R Retailer Outreach. St Joe/Maumee/St. Mary’s Watershed groups have a grant to set-up an advisor to meet with retailers to advise and instruct on soil health systems. Mike is working as a 4R Advisor and has met with retailers in the spring and is also “mentoring” in 1-on-1 meetings or small group meetings. He can go out to the field when retailers are meeting with customers to help advise in adoption of soil health practices like no-till and cover crops.

Werling also met with Amelia ______, a Becks Seeds rep. She was so amazed at what Mike was talking about that she passed along his contact info to Becks CCA at the Research Plant. Mike met with him for about ¾ day. He was amazed/impressed with Werling’s earthworm activity, the sponginess of the soil, and the overall soil quality. In general Beck’s reps didn’t know much about soil health. The interactions were a great opportunity for education.

If other groups / areas are interested in replicating the ag-retailer education/mentoring efforts, they should contact Ryan Noblitt, Greg Lake, or Dan Weir

  • NoTill Farmer (Werling)

Mike spent a morning with Laur Allen of No-Till Farmer. Look for a series of articles and videos.

  • Paired Watershed(Updike)

Wabash SWCD / Farm is working with Manchester University to “educate” EDF on positive impacts of cover crops on surface water quality.

  • 2 side-by-side watersheds NE of Wabash. Flows into Eel River – part of MRBI
  • 1 watershed has cover crop promotion. Other no promotions – farmers just operating with their “regular system”
  • Using an autosampler.
  • Seems to be a lot of in-stream residual P
  • Looking at 2-stage ditch