Resources to maximize soil health on farms in California's North Coast region.
Spring 2023: Edition 18
IN THIS EDITION

  • Event Alerts: North Coast Soil Hub compost event, NCAT Small Farm Tool Field Day
  • News from the Soil Hub: Soil Hub receives Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative grant
  • Science Spotlight: Carbon farming can enhance pollinator resources
  • From the Field: Kenwood tillage trial update
  • New Resources: Washington State University's SoilCon 2023 recordings, Drought Report from Marin and Sonoma Counties
  • Listen and Learn: In Search of Soil Podcast - soil nutrients
  • Funding Opportunities: CDFA Healthy Soils Block Grant Pilot, Western SARE Professional and Producer grant
  • Job Opportunities: Humboldt County Resource Conservation District
Event Alerts
Save the date - registration coming soon

Clear As Mud: Soil Health Technical Assistance for Ag Professionals

Thanks to support from the Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, the North Coast Soil Hub is hosting a five-part workshop series on soil health management and assessment.

Workshop #2 in the series will focus on overcoming barriers to compost production and application.

June 6, 2023
10am-noon
Virtual, Zoom link provided upon registration
Small Farm Tool Field Day

Join NCAT ATTRA Specialist to explore tools and strategies for the successful small farm. 
Live demonstrations will include a variety of walk-behind tractor implements and other innovative hand tools and machines. 

This event is FREE and lunch will be provided.

May 24, 2023
9:30am-3pm
College of Marin, Novato, CA
Latest News from the Soil Hub
North Coast Soil Hub secures a grant to improve technical assistance for grazed lands
The North Coast Soil Hub was awarded a Grazing Land Conservation Initiative grant from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service! The funding will help partners involved with the Soil Hub address the need for grazing lands technical assistance that is rooted in climate-smart agriculture principles. Outcomes include building capacity for grazing management planning and carbon farm planning that supports managed grazing, increasing access to peer-to-peer learning networks throughout the region, and providing science-based education opportunities on grazing management in English and Spanish.

We are proud to be one of 49 projects selected nationwide. You can read more about the grant and see a list of all awardees for 2023 on the NRCS website here.
Science Spotlight: Carbon farming can enhance pollinator resources

New research article highlights the multi-benefits of climate-friendly ag practices

From the article: "Native California bees and other wild pollinators, which are essential to many fruit and vegetable crops, are being threatened by climate change, pesticides and habitat degradation. Carbon farming, a set of practices that sequester carbon in the soil or woody biomass, can create habitat that supports these pollinators. This paper focuses on habitat management and farming practices that both increase carbon sequestration and benefit pollinator communities. By incentivizing and supporting conservation practices that incorporate carbon farming, we can protect wild pollinators and increase the resilience of California agriculture in the face of ongoing climate change."
From the Field: Kenwood tillage trial update
Vineyard field trial insights: tillage management impacts on
soil health and moisture retention
Field Trial Outcomes
  • Total soil carbon was 13% higher in the no till plots vs. tilled plots at the 0 – 10 cm (0 – 4”) depth
  • Reduced tillage could improve soil health and increase soil carbon
  • Reduced tillage does not appear to impact water availability to vines
  • Additional benefits of reducing tillage: increased organic matter, improved soil structure, reduced labor time and costs
New Resources
Recordings from Washington State University's SoilCon 2023
In February, WSU hosted SoilCon 2023: Taking Soil Health Principles to Practice

Recordings from the two-day conference are available on their YouTube page, linked below. Check out great talks on soil organic matter, on-farm resilience, climate-smart agriculture, feeding soil microbes, and more!
Climate-smart ag and healthy soil comes from agroecosystems that regenerate soil C over time
Presentation by Randy Jackson
The role of soil organic matter in soil health: build, store it, and keep it there!
Presentation by Kirsten Ball
Drought Response and Resilience Report for Marin and Sonoma Counties
Thinking about building resilience for the next dry period or drought?

Written by Marin and Sonoma County agencies and organizations, this report documents collective and coordinated responses to the extreme dry conditions from 2019 through 2022. In particular, it details the adaptations that were developed and implemented to relieve impacts on livestock and row crop agriculture.
Listen and Learn
In Search of Soil podcast - Soil Nutrients with Dr. Buz Kloot

"What if your soil test just came back, and suddenly someone tells you that your soil’s nutrient values will stay consistent regardless of whether or not you put amendments? Understandably, you would find that hard to believe. You’d probably ask, where is it coming from, and where does it go?"
Funding Opportunities
CDFA Healthy Soils Program Block Grant Pilot now open


The California Department of Food and Agriculture's Healthy Soils Program (HSP) block grant pilot program is now accepting applications. Applications are due June 19, 2023.

The traditional Healthy Soils Incentives Program funding will be open later this year. Learn more at: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/healthysoils/BlockGrantProgram.html
Western SARE Professional + Producer Grant Program now open

Western SARE funds projects where technical advisors and producers team up on research and education. Applications are due October 31, 2023. Learn more at: https://western.sare.org/grants/professional-producer/
Job Opportunities
Humboldt County Resource Conservation District
(HCRCD) seeks 2 or more employees to support its Agricultural Enhancement and Forest Health & Wildfire Resilience programs.

The Natural Resource Project Assistant(s) will assist private landowners to plan for and implement practices that improve the resiliency and viability of natural resources and agricultural operations in Humboldt County.

The Forest Health & Wildfire Resilience Project Coordinator will work collaboratively to develop and implement a variety of landscape-scale forest health and wildfire resiliency conservation projects.

Please visit http://humboldtrcd.org/ for more information and details on how to apply.