What's New with the Soil Health Program?

Upcoming Events 

Field Day: Experimenting with Drought Resilient Ranching | August 26th, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm | Eckert, CO

The field day at Western States Ranches in Eckert is a hands‑on gathering where ranchers, farmers, water experts, and decision‑makers will explore what worked and what didn’t in building drought resiliency on working lands. There will be live tech demos and discussion of real-world findings. The event is free and lunch is provided.

Save the Farm, Save the Future Documentary Film & Discussion Panel| August 28th, 5:30pm | Boulder, CO

Save the Farm, Save the Future follows Colorado farmers and ranchers—from sheep and cattle ranchers to peach growers and small organic farmers—as they explore agrivoltaics, a promising new approach that combines solar power and agriculture on the same land. Head to the Dairy Arts Center in Boulder for the debut showing of the film. There will be networking time and Q&A with the filmmaker Chad Weber and Byron Kominek of Jack's Solar Garden.

Grazing on Challenging Landscapes | August 30, 11:00 am to 12:30 pm | Cañon City, CO

The Quivira Coalition is collaborating with Badger Creek Ranch, Grasslands LLC, and the Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) to host an educational community field day. Attendees will learn how to navigate the terrain and technical challenges of riparian areas in the high-desert to achieve increased soil carbon and soil moisture, healthier pasture, healthier animals, and healthier riparian areas. Lunch will be served. 

Roots and Rhythms: A Regenerative Farm Tour | September 6th, 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | Denver, CO

Join the tour for a curated, day-long experience visiting a diverse collection of urban and suburban farms, each modeling regenerative practices in their own way. This year's farms include: Sprout City Farms, The Urban Farm, Five Fridges Farm, and Fleischer Family Farm. The event is organized by The Alliance for Collective Action and is $50 a ticket.  

Western Colorado Farm & Ranch Innovation Expo | November 13-15th | Montrose, CO

This expo will showcase the latest tech, tools, and equipment to Western Colorado and surrounding ag communities. There will also be demos that focus on soil health, water conservation, livestock management, and equipment operation. This event is free and is put on with the Shavano Conservation District and the Tri-River Area. For more information, please call the Shavano Conservation District at 970-249-8407.

Email cda_soil@state.co.us to have your event featured here!

Grants & Other Soil Health Engagement Opportunities

Producers Wanted for New Soil Project: "Probing Our Country's Soil Health"

This new effort, funded by the NRCS, aims to refine soil health baselines and tools for benchmarking progress on working farms and ranches across the nation. The anonymous data collected will be used to expand a new and exciting tool called the Soil Health Assessment Protocol and Evaluation (or SHAPE). If interested, producers should sign up for a 1 hour Zoom call to complete a management survey and grant access to their fields for hand-probe soil sampling. Participating producers will receive a soil health report for their fields. Sign up for a Zoom meeting here or here. 

Zero Foodprint 

Winner of the James Beard "Humanitarian of the Year" Award, Zero Foodprint (ZFP) is a nonprofit mobilizing the food world around agricultural climate solutions. Learn about their work and apply for the Restore Grant here.

Watch: Restore Colorado Producer Webinar
Watch: Restore Program Webinar June 2023