Conservation District to Host Soil Health Presentation with National Expert

WELLINGTON — The Sumner County Conservation District will host a free presentation on soil health featuring nationally recognized speaker Jill Clapperton on Monday, Nov. 17, at the Raymond Frye Complex.

The event, titled "Getting to the Root of Soil Health," will run from 10 a.m. to noon at the complex, located at 320 N. Jefferson Ave. A complimentary lunch will be provided following the presentation.

Clapperton, a principal scientist and president of Rhizoterra Inc., holds a doctorate and master's degree in fungal ecology and a Ph.D. in plant ecophysiology studying plant mycorrhizal interactions. She previously worked at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Centre in Lethbridge, Alberta, before establishing her consulting firm.

Her international work spans large-scale fruit and vegetable production, dryland and irrigated grain cropping, vineyards and forage crops. She currently supplements livestock grazing operations with cattle in south-central Kansas.

The presentation targets anyone interested in creating healthy, productive soil and understanding interactions between plant roots, soil organisms and soils that transform dirt into productive growing medium.

The first half of the presentation will examine healthy soil components and what they support. The second half will focus on practical applications, including "Planning with Purpose" — designing yield-supporting and soil-building cropping sequences, using companion crops effectively and finding the right forage, cover or pollinator crop.

Clapperton consults with individual farmers, corporations and agencies, conducting workshops that offer practical knowledge on soil health characteristics, practices that foster soil health and success measurement using simple tools.

The event is co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Reservations are requested. To RSVP, contact Kacie at 620-326-2269, ext. 3072.