HANCOCK COUNTY – About 40 local farmers had a field day learning about various practices designed to make their work more successful.
The Hancock County Soil Health Farmer Field Day was held Monday at For-Lou Farms in Greenfield.
Everyone from large-scale farmers to hobby and garden farmers gathered inside a historic barn-turned-event-venue to hear a variety of speakers share information on a variety of topics like soil health, cover crops and conservation programs.
“We hope to make this an annual event,” said Cynthia Newkirk, executive director of the Hancock County Soil & Water Conservation District.
The district hosted the event along with Purdue Extension-Hancock County and Farm Service Bureau.
Throughout the day, attendees learned about various conservation and smart farming practices, which included a drone demonstration showing how drones can help monitor large-scale crops.
Andrea Engleking, who farms with her father Robert Engleking on his eastern Hancock County farm, said it was nice to learn about the latest practices alongside her farming peers.
“So far it’s very interesting. I’ve learned a lot about cover drops and soil conservation,” she said between morning sessions.
Kiley Blalock, who farms with the Englekings, said the information was invaluable, especially for fairly new farmers like herself.
Having access to such a wide variety of information available in one place was a great experience, she said.
That’s exactly what the Field Day was designed to provide, said Newkirk.
“We’re there to educate farmers and to provide the partnerships to provide funding for them, and to provide education on the conservation practices we need to establish,” she said. “The hope is to just get those conversations going and create those connections from farmer to farmer and farmer to educator.”
Ideally those in attendance would go home with a number of takeaways from a variety of agencies, like the county’s soil and water district and Purdue extension office.
By promoting conservation efforts countywide, “over time it’s going to give them better soil so they have better yields for their crops,” said Newkirk, who has passionate about supporting local farmers, having worked with the local soil and water district for the past 25 years.
Russ Sparks, the acting district conservationist from the National Resources Conservation Service, said local conservation efforts can pay off big dividends for local farmers, and Monday’s field day was a great way to learn and share how to make that happen.
The NRCS and other program partners are available to teach and assist farmers throughout the year, he said.
Monday’s field day also featured representatives from Pheasants Forever, a nonprofit that works to conserve wildlife habitats, including those for pheasants and quail.
Jacob Frame, a farm bill biologist with the organization, was there to share his specialized insight into habitat conservation.
“Events like this are a really great way to connect people,” he said.
