The Fulton, Williams and Hillsdale Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) invite you to the Nutrient Management Annual Field Day on Thursday, Aug. 20, at Stoney Ridge Farms in Waldron, Michigan.
Strong partnerships and generous sponsorships have made this annual educational field day a success for over 10 years.
This year’s keynote speaker is Tom Cotter. Tom is the 2025 Leopold Conservation Award winner from Austin, Minnesota, and spoke at the 2026 National No-till Conference.
Tom is a fourth-generation farmer from Austin, Minnesota, and a nationally recognized leader in regenerative agriculture. Through nearly three decades of implementing no-till, diverse cover crops and integrated livestock grazing, he has transformed his family farm into a model of soil health, water quality and profitability.
Tom is a frequent speaker and educator, sharing practical strategies that help farmers improve soil resilience, increase organic matter and enhance long-term return on investment.
He will present several times on “Successfully Controlling Weeds with Cover Crops,” “Finding Your True Soil Health Potential,” and “Taking Advantage of Covers with Livestock” with Ethan Short, a local regenerative livestock farmer with an operation committed to 100 percent grass-fed and finished beef.
The day also includes the following breakout sessions:
-“Soybean Weed Management and ROI” with Aaron Brooker, agronomist from Beck’s Hybrids.
-“Making Every Nutrient Count: Insights on N, P and Manure” with Heather Rindler, research agronomist from Brookside Labs.
-“Measuring Soil Energy with Biomass Development” with Russ Rice, 30-year certified crop consultant with Nutrient Ag Solutions who has conducted research with the Ohio Conservation Action Project.
-“Practices to Improve Soil Moisture, Organic Matter and ROI” with Rachel Henry from OSU Water Quality.
-On-Farm Soil Moisture Meter Data” with Alex Kuhl, PhD, MSU Institute of Water Research.
-Sprayer Calibration Station: Ground Rigs and Drones.
-“Understanding Wetlands and Drainage Infrastructure,” with several knowledgeable presenters.
Registration opens at 7:30 a.m. with morning refreshments. The field day begins at 8:30 a.m., with concurrent breakout sessions to follow. A local farm-to-fork lunch will be provided, and Hillard’s Soft Serve Ice Cream is available throughout the day.
CCA credits, Ohio Pest and Fertilizer credits, and Michigan RUP credits will be available. Stoney Ridge Farms is located at 14031 Broom Road, Waldron, Michigan. To preregister or for more information, contact the Fulton SWCD at 419-583-6517.
