Saturday, March 13, 2010
Registration is closed.

While we can all agree that healthy, living soil is the foundation of successful organic agriculture, there is no one path to its achievement and maintenance. How we approach soil management depends largely on our background and training, our operations, our temperaments, and our priorities. While the goal is a common one, the strategies are diverse.

MOFGA is proud to be able to gather several luminaries in organic soil management  -- each with different but highly effective approaches and strategies -- for a day-long engagement with each other and their audience on this vital topic.

Please join us and contribute to this important discussion!

Participants include:
Will Brinton, Woods End Laboratories
Eliot Coleman, Four Season Farm
Dr. Sue Erich, University of Maine
Dr. Fred Magdoff,  University of Vermont and co-author of Building Soil for Better Crops
Dr. Marianne Sarrantonio, University of Maine
Dr. Eric Sideman, MOFGA Organic Crop Specialist


9:00 AM Registration Check-In

9:30 AM Crop Insurance Presentation

9:50 AM Principles and Practices of Ecological Management of Soil
Fred Magdoff's presentation will be on the basic principles and practices of ecological management of soil. He will stress the importance of soil organic matter management in building better soils and how to do so, but also discuss other issues such as compaction and use of fertilizers and amendments.

11:00 AM Soil Management Panel Discussion
Following Fred’s presentation he will be part of a panel with Sue Erich and Marianne Sarrantonio from the University of Maine and MOFGA’s own Eric Sideman. The panel will be there solely to facilitate discussion and answer questions from the audience about soil management, so come prepared with your queries.

12:30 pm LUNCH catered by Local Sprouts Cooperative website

1:30 PM The Role of Compost
Will Brinton, President, Woods End Laboratory, Mount Vernon. For over thirty years Will has explored the way compost works, from production systems to its effect on plants. He’ll share some of his knowledge, experience and observations.

3:00 PM Plant Health through Soil Fertility
Eliot Coleman, Four Seasons Farm, Harborside. Four Seasons Farm relies on building soil fertility as the basis of food quality. A side result has been a significant decrease in plant pests. Eliot will talk about the farm’s soil-building strategy and how it all fits together.

4:00 PM Closing Remarks


Registration fees: $45 individual / $60 couples / $25 students & apprentices
Fees includes lunch

To Register:
Walk-In Registrations will be accepted on a limited basis.

The event will take place at:
MOFGA’s Common Ground Education Center
Unity, Maine