Page 59 - Sonoma County Gazatte May 2017

Solutions Beneath Our Feet
Can Regenerative Agriculture & Healthy Soils Help
Combat Climate Change? LEARN - May 3rd.
Some of the most hopeful news on the climate front is coming from scientists, farmers and ranchers who are developing new methods to regenerate the soil, revealing how agricultural productivity and environmental health can go hand- in-hand to confront our world’s greatest threat: climate change and humanity’s growing carbon footprint.
One practice now in the spotlight is the innovative use of compost and its capacity to draw CO2 out of the atmosphere and put it back in the soil all while also bolstering soil health, diverting waste and reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.
Dr. David C. Johnson is a molecular biologist whose innovative research focuses on soil microbes as the primary drivers of soil regeneration and carbon sequestration. Dr. Johnson and his wife, Hui-Chun Su Johnson, have developed the Johnson-Su Bio-Reactor, a composting process that results in a microbially diverse, fungal dominant compost that can be applied as a soil or seed inoculant. Test plots using this fungal rich compost have had exceptional results for both soil productivity and amount of soil carbon sequestered.
Presentation and Panel Discussion: May 3rd at 6:30 pm at Shed, 25 North St., Healdsburg with Dr. David C. Johnson, New Mexico State University & Director of the Institute for Sustainable Agricultural Research.
Followed by a panel discussion with the following:
Sara Ti any, Climate Smart Farming Program Specialist for CAFF & The Famers Guild
Jessica Chiartas, Ph.D candidate in Soils and Biogeochemistry at UC Davis
Keith Abeles, Water Resources Specialist for Sonoma Resource Conversation District and former farm owner/ manager of Quetzal Farm
Paul Kaiser, co-owner and manager of Singing Frogs Farm
- Celebrate International Compost Awareness Week with us by joining attending the bio-reactor workshop on May 4th at 3 PM at Coyote Family Farm, 3662 Lichau Road, Penngrove. Learn how to support healthy microbial life in your cropland, rangeland or garden and help restore and protect our biosphere. Sponsored by Regenerative Agriculture Group of 350 Sonoma, Healdsburg Shed and Farmer’s Guild/CAFF. A $10 donation is suggested for each event.
Plant Sales for Good causes
Apr 29 ~ Redwood Empire Rose Society - 1-4p, Luther Burbank Art & Garden Center, 2050 Yulupa, SR
Apr 29 ~ Healdsburg Garden Club - 9-1p, 725 Grove St. Healdsburg
Apr 28 & 29 ~ Willowside School - 5299 Hall Rd, SR, 9-2p, 707-569-4724
Apr 28 & 29 ~ Graton Community Club - 9-4p, 8996 Graton Rd, 707-829-5314 gratoncommunityclub.org
Apr 29 & 30 ~ Luther Burbank Experiment Farm - 10-4p, 7777 Bodega Ave. Seb. 707-829-6711, www.wschsgrf.org
Apr 29 &30 ~ Occidental Arts and Ecology Center Organic Nursery - 10-5p, 15290 Coleman Valley Rd, Occidental, 707-874-1557, oaec.org/events/plant-sales/ summer-plant-sale/
May 6 ~ Sonoma County Jail Plant Nursery & Teaching Garden - Bring a cart or wagon to carry your plants. 9-12p, 2254 Ordinance Rd., SR, scoe.org/jailindustries 707- 525-8310, jailind@mcn.org
May 6 & 7 ~ Willowside School - 9-2p, 5299 Hall Rd, SR,707-569-4724.
May 6 & 7 ~ SR Iris Society – Sat:1-5p, Sun:10-5p, 2050 Yulupa Ave, SR
May 7 ~ SR Junior College - Day of the Oaks 10-4p, 1501 Mendocino Ave, SR. Lark Hall Greenhouse
May 13 ~ Laguna Native Plant Sale – 10-4, 900 Sanford Rd. SR. 707-527-9277 anita@ lagunafoundation.org
May 14 ~ Luther Burbank – 11-3p, 204 SR Ave, SR, lutherburbank.org
Keep Pests Away SAFELY Sprinkle baking soda on your soil with a flour sifter to keep ants, roaches and slugs away from your garden. (Be sure to avoid your plants!) It’s a safe way to keep beneficial insects around and say sayonara to the ones you’re tired of seeing.
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