Spring's Arrival: Planting and the Pulse of Rural Life
(An excerpt from ‘The Dirt”: SCI’s Monthly Farmer Newsletter)
I’m sure things are getting busier every day with spring officially here.
It’s always neat to watch rural communities come to life as the days get warmer and longer — farmers out checking their fields, equipment starting to roll, and everyone just waiting for the right weather to start planting.
“Down here in the Delta we’re already drilling no-till soybeans into covers – and according to our furry field specialist, we’re doing it right!”
Farmers, don’t forget to join us for our monthly Office Hour this Thursday at 4pm ET. This month will feature Michael Thompson on the topic of “Growing Good Soil".
As you get cranking on farming, the SCI team is working hard to generate support for farmers like you who care about soil health and healing our land. As always, sending our best and don’t hesitate to reach out.
🌾 Taylor Herren, Farm Program Specialist
UPCOMING EVENTS
Webinar: Planting Green
March 28 at 12pm CT | Virtual
University of Missouri, Center for Regenerative Agriculture's Dr. Rob Myers will host a farmer panel to share experiences with cover crops and what it means to ‘plant green.’ There will be Q&A session at the closing of the webinar.
🌾 SCI farmers who complete University of Missouri's Fundamentals of Cover Crops course will receive full learning credits towards Verification. Click here to learn about the course.
Webinar: Spring Fertility Planning for Corn & Soy
March 29 at 3pm CT | Virtual
Join this two hour webinar to discuss spring fertility planning for corn and soy with Russell Hedrick. Russell will dive into soil fertility, product application and placement, and planning for foliar applications through the season.
Topics include:
Soil Fertility Management – Building a strong foundation
Product Application & Placement – Maximizing efficiency
Foliar Application Planning – Timing for peak performance
SCA On-Farm Network Meeting
June 17-19 | Atlanta & White Oak Pastures
Join us for the Soil & Climate Alliance (SCA) Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA.
This event is an excellent opportunity to build relationships with other farmers along with brands and other organizations that can support what you're trying to accomplish on your farm. You'll engage in learning sessions and collaborative working groups at the Emory Conference Center Hotel.
Registration also includes a farm visit and tour of White Oak Pastures in Bluffton, GA. As one of the most well-known regenerative farms in the U.S., White Oak Pastures is a living example of how holistic land management, multi-species rotational grazing, and on-farm processing can restore ecosystems, enhance biodiversity, and create thriving rural economies.
🌾 Registration is FREE for SCI Farmers! Contact us HERE to receive the code.
Beyond the Yield 2025
August 13 | Kearny, KS
Brought to you by Regen Ag Lab and Soil Regen, Beyond the Yield brings you the entire regenerative journey; from soil testing to practice implementation to marketing, and how to actually make it happen.
Learn more in the link below.
PROGRAM UPDATES
Starting this year, a set of basic field tests will be required for SCI farmers as part of your soil health monitoring under the SCI program. This includes a worm count, water infiltration, slake, and penetrometer tests at each of your designated Soil Health Monitoring Points.
Please reach out if you have questions or need help getting a plan in place and the supplies needed to complete the tests.
Resources
Some equipment required; (can be assembled DIY or purchased here)
INDUSTRY NEWS
New Drone Seed Spread Guide
University of Missouri, Extension
Photo by Shannon Beck, Article by morningagclips.com
A new University of Missouri Extension publication can help farmers and ag drone pilots maximize efficiency and precision in aerial seeding.
Gurbir Singh, state extension specialist in soil science, agroecology and landscape management, has published a first-of-its-kind guide on calibrating utility drones for broadcast spreading pattern check.
“Until now, spreading patterns have been a guessing game,” said Singh. “This new guide will provide a document for calibration that will save time and money. This will help determine the spreading pattern, and adjustments can be made in the drone settings to correct it.”