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Resources to maximize soil health on farms in California's North Coast region. |
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IN THIS EDITION
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What's New at the Hub: Strategic planning continues, update on NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant work
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Science Spotlight: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report
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From the Field: DIY infiltration rings, Climate Farm School in Sonoma
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Carbon Farming Practice Highlight: Pollinator-friendly hedgerows
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Listening and Learning: Sheep in vineyards podcast episodes, soil health assessment tests in Spanish
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Funding Opportunities: Western SARE Farmer/Rancher and Productores Agricolas Grants
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What We're Reading: Carbon markets
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Events | Resources: NCAT Investing in Your Soils, UC SAREP Racial Equity in Extension, No-till seeding services in Sonoma County
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The Soil Hub continues to develop its strategic plan and action plan for the upcoming year. Stay tuned to find out more information about what the Soil Hub has in store.
In the next edition of the Soil Hub's eNewsletter, you will notice the addition of content about other production systems as well as information and resources for the vineyard community. This is part of our expansion to serve all farmers and ranchers in the North Coast region. Please share with friends in the agricultural community who could benefit from our soil health network!
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Update on the Hub's Conservation Innovation Grant work
By: Miguel Garcia, Napa RCD
In 2016 the Soil Hub embarked on a quest to raise awareness among winegrape growers in Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino counties about climate beneficial soil health practices. As part of this effort, the Soil Hub established trial sites across the region to test the benefits of sustainable farming practices in vineyards and collected soil samples in vineyards across the region to assess how different soil management practices impact soil health.
To date, the Soil Hub has maintained 9 ongoing field trials in vineyards and has collected 475 soil samples from 91 vineyards across three counties. The purpose of wide-scale sampling is to develop a database with regionally-specific parameters in order to assist farmers in interpreting the results of soil health assessments through providing a comparison between their soils and other soils in the region.
Soil sampling is coming to a close and the final stage of the project - the development of the database and soil health scoring system - is underway. To this end, the Soil Hub is partnering with Oregon State University and Dr. Shannon Cappellazzi, formerly of the Soil Health Institute. Expect more news of the database and scoring system by the end of Summer 2022!
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Science Spotlight: IPCC 6th Report |
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By: Jonathan Wachter, Lead Soil Scientist at The Carbon Cycle Institute
In August the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released the first part of its Sixth Assessment Report entitled The Physical Science Basis providing a synthesis of the latest science on climate change since the IPCC’s last assessment in 2014.
The report comes to some very clear conclusions—that many of the effects of global climate change are already being felt around the world, and they will continue to grow in severity unless greenhouse gas emissions are immediately and dramatically cut. Even under the best scenario—described as “sustainability-focused growth and equality”—global temperatures are expected to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by the middle of the century. And while warming temperatures could be gradually reversed, other climate change impacts like global sea level rise and shrinking ice sheets will continue their trajectory for decades to millennia.
The report is a stark reminder of the importance of carbon farming. We know that agriculture can and must play a significant role in sequestering atmospheric CO2 and in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, farms and ranches must adapt to a changing climate. The western United States is already experiencing unprecedented drought, heat, and fires, and these climate change impacts are only predicted to continue.
Fortunately, many of our most valuable tools in sequestering carbon are also our most valuable tools in adapting to climate change and building agroecosystem resilience. Building soil organic carbon levels through, for example, compost additions, reduced tillage, and cover crops helps soil to more effectively soak up and hold onto valuable water. Agroforestry projects like windbreaks and silvopasture sequester carbon in woody biomass, provide shelter from wind and heat, and reduce the evaporative loss of water. These are just a few examples of practices in the carbon farming toolkit.
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In a video, the Carbon Cycle Institute breaks down the IPCC report and explains the implications for farmers in California. |
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From the Field: DIY Tools |
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DIY Soil Testing: Infiltration rings |
Local Sebastopol resident (and friend of Gold Ridge RCD), Matt Rossi, is fabricating stainless steel infiltration testing rings.
Gold Ridge RCD is currently field-testing the rings and will report back on performance. If you are interested in a set of rings for testing your soil, please contact William Hart at [email protected].
The rings come in a set of 3 for $100.
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From the Field: Climate Farm School |
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In September two members of the Soil Hub team, William Hart and Isis Howard of Gold Ridge RCD, led a soil carbon and carbon farm planning workshop at the Green Valley Community Farm in Sonoma County.
Isis and William demonstrated the basics of soil sampling, shared their experiences working with local land managers to develop effective carbon farm plans, and engaged in conversations about ways to make soil health easier to understand for farmers and community members.
This workshop served as a field lesson for the new Climate Farm School program - a pilot course developed by the online climate school, Terra.do, in collaboration with local host farm sites. The program was designed as a hybrid online and on-farm course that blends climate and regenerative agriculture content with experiential learning on farms, incorporating presentations from leaders and innovators in regenerative agriculture. Many students come from outside the agriculture sector and are exploring ways to plug into regenerative ag work through a variety of career paths.
“It fills my heart with hope and joy to see folks from all across the country and beyond prioritize learning about soil health and carbon cycling,” says Isis Howard, “We truly have an incredible opportunity to promote climate resiliency through sustainable and regenerative ag practices that support healthy soils. I feel fortunate that we are able to engage participants in this type of work; may they go on to change the world!”.
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Carbon Farming Practice Highlight: Hedgerows |
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If you are interested in installing a pollinator-friendly hedgerow, here's a few resources to help you get started. |
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A fact sheet on hedgerows created by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance and Sonoma Resource Conservation District.
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The Community Alliance for Family Farmers' resource guide on hedgerows and farmscaping. |
Fibershed's quick-guide on hedgerow planting. |
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The California NRCS practice standard specifications for hedgerow planting, which includes an in-depth planting guide. |
The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation's guide to the estimated cost of establishing pollinator hedgerows. |
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Listening and Learning Opportunities |
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Listen: Sheep in vineyards
Join the Vineyard Team folks for two Sustainable Winegrowing podcast episodes about sheep grazing in vineyards.
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Episode 107: How Grazing Sheep Can Benefit Your Vineyard |
Episode 114: Designing a Vineyard for Year-Round Sheep Grazing |
Watch: Soil Health Principles – Application and Results of Investing in Your Soils |
Tune in to Rex Dufour of National Center for Appropriate Technology discussing the high returns of investing in soil health and hear two farmers share their experiences of putting soil health principles into practice. |
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El video: Guía para la Evaluación de la Calidad y Salud del Suelo
NRCS Soil Scientist Jacky Vega demonstrates soil health assessment tests in Spanish.
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Not sure how to feel about carbon markets? Here's some reading material to help make sense of it all. |
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The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition published an article comparing the benefits of carbon markets to public-sector incentive programs. |
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CarbonPlan recently reviewed 14 soil carbon protocols to determine the current state of voluntary market protocols. |
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Funding Opportunities: Western SARE |
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WSARE Farmer/Rancher Grant
With a Farmer/Rancher Grant, a producer and an agricultural professional work together to develop a proposal to conduct both research and outreach on a sustainable agriculture topic.
Deadline to apply is November 1, 2021.
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WSARE Productores Agrícolas
Con la ayuda de un asesor técnico, productores agrícolas de la region oeste de los Estados Unidos podrán diseñar e implementar un proyecto de investigación de campo (en granja y/o huerta) y difusión educativa para mejorar la producción y mercadeo agrícolas, y los recursos naturales sobre los cuáles se basa la agricultura.
Fecha límite de envío: 1 de Noviembre de 2021.
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The next round of funding for CDFA's Healthy Soils Program will be announced soon. Sign up for CDFA email notifications to ensure you receive information about the program as it becomes available.
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Upcoming Events | Resources |
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National Center for Appropriate Technology
NCAT’s Armed to Farm team is partnering with the NRCS and California Association of Resource Conservation Districts (CARCD) to present a three-part virtual workshop series for beginning farmer-veterans in October.
"Investing in Your Soils"
October 26, 2021
10 - 11:30am
In the final workshop in the series, Rex Dufour, NCAT's Western Regional Director, will discuss how and why to invest in your soils, with a focus on supporting healthy soils in the era of climate change. He'll also be covering some funding and technical resources available to farmers interested in investing in their soils.
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UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP)
UC SAREP is presenting a four-part series titled Racial Equity in Extension Webinar Series: Retracing the Roots of Sustainable Ag
"Leadership and perspectives of farmers of color in sustainable agriculture"
October 15, 2021
1:30 - 3pm
This session will explore how farmers of color have led the way in farming a sustainable landscape, and how their worldviews and cultures contribute to the way they tend the land.
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Looking for a no-till seeding service in Sonoma County?
Here are a few vineyard management companies who have no-till drills and may be able to provide a no-till seeding service to plant winter vegetative cover:
- Cornerstone Certified Vineyard
- Sanchietti Farming Inc.
- Atlas Vineyard Management Inc.
This list represents what we are currently aware of in Sonoma County - inquire with your local vineyard manager to see if they offer the same service. If you have further questions or if your vineyard management company offers no-till seeding services, please contact Keith Abeles at Sonoma RCD at [email protected] so we can add you to the list of providers.
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