Session 3: Practices to Improve Soil Health & Soil Fertility

Description:

This session focuses on resources and practices local farmers and researchers are curently using to improve soil health and soil fertiilty. As part of our farmer-to-farmer soil health network, we’re visiting with farmers across the islands to learn and writing features on the practices and values innovatiing farmers are using to build soil health. As our network grows, we hope to add more of the practices used by kupuna and more of the ‘ike on why those practices were used. Additionally, this session includes presentations, best available informaiton, resources to build soil health and fertility, with a focus on increasing nutrient cycling. In addition to resources provided in this session, you can also view features on specific soil health practices on: KNF Deep Litter Swine & Compost in Place practice being trialed by ʻĀīna Hoʻokupu o Kīlauea (AHK) and Crustacean Meal & Mustard Biofumigation Practices by Hui Makaʻāinana o Makana on Kauai, Lā Kāhea Community Farm’s soil health and fertility practices for their drylands kalo and turmeric plots on their Waikapū Mollisol soil, Compost Tea Fertigation and Foliar Application by Ahiki Acres and Poultry Litter Biochar trialed by Thrive Hawaii Family Farm on their organic, diversified veggie operations and In-Field Windbreak & Strip Tilling Practices from Hua Orchard on Oahu.
The next in-person workshop on this topic will take place with the Hawai’i Island farmer cohort on 10/23 from 4-6pm at Joe Hewitt’s farm in Hilo. Building on the lab and field monitoring tools covered at our last workshop, this workshop will  demonstrate practices for building soil health and ferrtility in an established agroforestry system. Oahu Agriculture and Conservation Association (OACA) and NRCS PIA will also share about Farm Bill programming and opportunities to fund soil health practices. 

Agenda (Tentative)
  • Farm Tour and Demonstration of Perennial Ground Covers in Orchard & Agroforestry Systems, Joe Hewitt;
  • Practices to Increase Soil Health and Fertility in an Agroforestry System with Dr. Ted Radovich UH Dept. of Tropical & Plant Sciences;
  • Applications Using Overyield Agroforestry Design Software- Kyle Jackson, Ulu Co-op

 

Course Content