(PRESS RELEASE) Rain or Shine – Join us for a Day in the Field! The Fulton, Hillsdale, and Williams County Soil and Water Conservation Districts invite you to the 10th Annual Nutrient Management Field Day on Thursday, August 22 at Stoney Ridge Farms in Waldron, MI.
Strong partnerships and generous sponsorships have made this annual educational field day a success over the past decade. Previous keynote speakers include Barry Fisher, Joe Nester, Frank Gibbs, Jamie Scott, Steve Groff, Clint Nester, Rick Clark, Loren Stienlage, and Mitchell Hora.
This year’s keynote speaker will feature Ray Archuleta, also known as “The Soil Guy”. Archuleta is a Certified Professional Soil Scientist with the Soil Science Society of America and has over 30 years’ experience as a Soil Conservationist, Water Quality Specialist, and Conservation Agronomist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
During his tenure with the NRCS Ray served in New Mexico, Missouri, Oregon, and North Carolina. He received his AS degree in Livestock Science from Northern New Mexico College and a BS degree in Agricultural Biology plus 30 hours of graduate work in soil related courses from New Mexico State University.
He served in the Peace Corps for two years in Guatemala as a Livestock Specialist. After his retirement from the NRCS in 2017, Ray founded Understanding Ag, LLC, and Soil Health Academy, LLC, to teach Biomimicry strategies and Agro ecology principles for improving soil function on a national scale.
Ray also owns and operates a 150-acre farm near Seymour, Missouri that he operates along with his wife and family.
Archuleta’s morning in-field demonstration will begin promptly at 8:30am featuring a hands-on presentation of the Principles of Soil Health. Archuleta will provide the afternoon keynote session after lunch on Biomimicry- Emulating Nature and Improving Soil Function.
Following Archuleta’s in-field demonstrations, four concurrent educational breakout sessions will be offered in locations across the farm.
Madelyn Celovsky, Conservation Agronomist for Michigan State University Extension will lead a session on Cover Crops and Herbicide Management, accompanied with Putnam County farmer Jeff Duling (Duling Family Farms) of Ottawa, OH. Celovsky covers Eaton, Ingham, and Jackson counties in MI as the conservation agronomist educator.
She completed her M.S. degree in Crop and Soil Sciences at MSU, investigating ways to evaluate soil health in potato cropping systems.
Her background is in soil biology, nutrient management, and the application of conservation and wildlife plantings. Duling, a 6th generation farmer from Ottawa, Ohio, along with his son, Nate, raised grass fed, grain finished Angus cross cattle on rotationally grazed pasture.
They have converted land from grain farming to pasture, and also graze fenced in farmland after corn harvest. Their corn ground is also inter-seeded with cover crops at the V4 growth stage by using a special toolbar built by Fennig Equipment. Duling Farms also run a contracted hog operation using their own swine nutrients for fertilizer on primarily strip-tilled or no-till grain fields, with 100% of their ground receiving cover crops from cereal rye up to 8-way blended varieties.
Eric Richer, Assistant Professor and Field Specialist, Farm Management at The Ohio State University will provide local On-Farm Research for Corn Nutrient Decisions, alongside Fulton County No-till farmer Les Seiler. Richer currently serves as the Assistant Professor and Field Specialist, Farm Management, in the Department of Extension since November 2022.
Is one of three Ohio State University Farm Management Field Specialists hired into the newly launched Farm Financial Management and Policy Institute (FFMPI) tasked with elevating farm management education in Ohio.
Through this appointment, Eric provides leadership on key farm management, risk management, and value-added enterprise analysis across the state and is currently leading Ohio State’s efforts to deliver an on-demand, self-paced farm financial management course called “Farm On.”
Through this effort, he will help meet Ohio’s beginning farmer financial management needs in collaboration with an expert faculty teaching team.
The impact will lead to unique partnerships with the Ohio Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture-Ohio Farm Service Agency. In this role, Eric will also help build farm management capacity with OSU Extension’s network of county Extension Educators as a developer of train-the-trainer curriculum.
Seiler is from Fayette, OH where he farms with his family practicing continuous no-till, cover crops and reducing phosphorus fertilizer in corn. Seiler’s received the 2023 National Conservation Legacy Award as well as the 2020 Ohio Master Farmers Award.
Christie Lee Apple, also known as Crop Scout Christie on social media platforms will provide a session on Biologicals – Bio Stimulants, Bio Fertilizers, and Bio Pesticides.
With over a decade in agronomy, Apple, a Product Development Manager at TIMAC AGRO USA, is renowned for her progressive approach to crop management and soil health.
Starting her career in Ag retail in 2009, she initially focused on traditional row crops before expanding to specialty crops including tree fruits, vegetables, and soil health consultation for vineyards, hops, and orchards.
At TIMAC AGRO USA, Christie plays a pivotal role in field education, mentoring technical representatives, and leading new business development in the Great Lakes Region. Her dedication to enhancing water quality and soil health, bridging the gap between academic research and practical farming applications, has made a significant impact in the agricultural community. Known as “CropScout Christie” on social media, she actively shares her expertise, building a learning community online.
In her upcoming collaborative presentation, Christie will explore the relationship between biological products and soil health in farming.
She aims to simplify the use of biologicals, offering a framework for farmers to understand and apply soil health principles effectively.
Drawing from her extensive experience, Christie and her team will focus on a soil-health-first approach, addressing key agricultural challenges and advancing modern agronomy practices.
With the assistance of Ray Archuleta and local farmer Denny Person, MSU Extension Grazing Educators Kable Thurlow and Michelle Sweeten will offer their expertise for a session on Regenerative Grazing for Beginners: Incorporating Livestock into a Cropping System.
Person farms in Williams County, OH and Hillsdale County, MI, practicing continuous no-till and cover crops on acres. He raises grass/forage fed beef, pastured pork, and lamb, implementing livestock on the land to create a true regenerative farming practice.
Thurlow is the statewide beef and grazing educator for Michigan, based in Gladwin County with expertise in grazing and forage-based beef production.
Following Archuleta’s afternoon session on Biomimicry, he will lead a local farm discussion on Regenerative Agriculture practices featuring stories from Duling, Seiler, and Person.
A local farm to fork lunch will be provided, featuring food grown by local farmers. Lunch will include updates from Terry Mescher, ODA, Michelle Selzer, MDARD, Tess Van Gorder, and Michigan Farm Bureau. 10 CCA credits, six Michigan RUP Credits and two Ohio Pesticide/Fertilizer Credits will be available.
Field Day registration opens at 7:30am with refreshments; Welcome announcements will begin at 8:30am with the keynote presentation starting at 8:30am.
Stoney Ridge Farms is located at 14031 Broom Rd. Waldron, MI 49288. For more information or to register, please contact Fulton Soil and Water at (419) 583-6517.
