Sign Up Now for the Soil Health Academy at Chico State
The Soil Health Academy and the Center for Regenerative Agriculture at Chico State are offering a unique opportunity for three days of in-depth classroom and hands-on field training(opens in new window) in regenerative farming & ranching at the CSU Chico University Farm, December 3-5, 2019. It will be led by Allen Williams, Gabe Brown, and Ray Archuleta who have extensive experience in helping farmers and ranchers succeed at transforming their operations. The course will examine all aspects of regenerative farming and ranching, soil health, plant health, and animal health, including how to succeed financially. Participants will work in teams to solve real-world grazing problems and sharpen their skills. This is an extraordinary opportunity to benefit from the wisdom of some of the most well-respected leaders in regenerative agriculture.
Allen Williams(opens in new window) is a 6th generation family farmer and consultant who has worked with more than 4,200 farmers and ranchers in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and South America. Allen pioneered many of the early adaptive grazing protocols and forage finishing techniques and has helped ranchers apply these skills on operations ranging from a few acres to over 1 million acres.
Gabe Brown(opens in new window) is one of the pioneers in the field of regenerative agriculture and recently wrote a book about his experiences “Dirt to Soil, One Family’s Journey Into Regenerative Agriculture.” The model he developed over twenty years of experimentation and refinement, focuses on continuously enhancing the living biology in the soil. After being on the verge of bankruptcy when he started, Brown has been able to transform his farm by using these principles into a highly successful 5000 acre ranch with crop yields 20-25 percent higher than the average yields in his county. It also has at least three times the stored carbon than is typical on conventionally farmed soils in the same region.
Ray Archuleta is a Certified Professional Soil Scientist with the Soil Science Society of America. He has over 30 years of experience as a Soil Conservationist, Water Quality Specialist, and Conservation Agronomist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and his infectious enthusiasm for making soil science accessible has earned him the affectionate nickname of “the Soil Guy.” In addition to consulting and teaching workshops across the country, Ray owns and operates a 150-acre farm near Seymour, Missouri with his wife and family.
Graduates of Soil Health Academy workshops report a wide range of benefits from attending. In particular they mention rapid building of their soil, improvement in livestock performance and increased grazing land health, significantly reduced input costs, and substantial increases in farm/ranch profitability within a short period of time. We are excited to be offering this workshop at Chico State.
This intensive workshop is already starting to fill up so be sure to sign up soon(opens in new window)! Scholarships may be available. Apply at the Soil Health Academy(opens in new window).