Josh Slotnick, Director of the PEAS farm and Lecturer, Environmental Studies Program, University of Montana,

Long-term Soil Management for Land-Limited Student Farms

Long term soil management for tilth, fertility and production poses specific challenges for land limited farms. This presentation will consider the involvement of annual and multi-year cover crops in farm planning and crop rotations. The presentation will also look at the coordination of various elements of a farm to reach long and short-term fertility goals including animals, vegetable cropland and pasture. I will also look at compost construction, and talk through a broad inventory of bio-resources available to a student farm. The presentation will conclude with a brief discussion of soil management in an educational farm context, where practicality can sometimes vie for attention with curricular goals.