This Field Day continues our series about a Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (WSARE) funded project investigating use of Giant Sacaton, Sporobolus wrightii, in windbreaks on farms and ranches. Deep-rooted and fast growing, Giant Sacaton is an impressive grass native to the arid Southwest, standing up to 8 feet tall and 4 feet wide. Planted as a hedgerow or wind break, it can help prevent erosion, trap dust, and create a better environment for beneficial soil microbes.
You will learn about the Soil Food Web and how to use microscopy to identify soil organisms for a qualitative soil health assessment. We will take soil samples around grass seedlings planted earlier this year and look at them under the microscope. This workshop is for beginners and experienced soil nerds alike: Several microscopes and instructors will be available to get you started while we’ll also try some more advanced techniques, e.g. nematode extractions.
Lunch will be prepared by Synergia Ranch’s kitchen with produce from their market garden! This Field Day is free of charge, but please register so we know how much food to prepare.
Topics:
- Update on the WSARE project From Soil to Shelter: Boosting Tall Grass Growth for Natural Wind Protection
- Introduction to the Soil Food Web
- Soil sample collection and preparation
- Hands-on soil microscopy demonstrations
Learn more about the research project:
The Benefits of Big Sacaton Grass (Sporobolus wrightii) Windbreaks for Soil Biology
Can on-farm Windbreaks boost Soil Health and Biodiversity?
This Field Day is offered by Synergia Ranch in collaboration with Seeding Regenerative Agriculture Project and NM Healthy Soil Working Group.
This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2023-38640-39571 through the Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under subaward project number G139-25-WA507. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider.
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s)
and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
