Soil Tech Note 21A- "If you get the chance..."

“If you get the chance…”

SITUATION:  Landowner comes into office and wants to sign up for program activities…… BE PREPARED! 

• You need to have a plan for your discussion on soil health!  Nothing detailed but need “talking points” to see if there is interest in actual soil health.

• You need to decide what good soil management points you want to get across!  Only “cover crops” or all other possibilities?!

• Have tentative list for his “problems” that can be addressed!  i.e.

• •  “doesn’t dry out” 
  • “hard pan”
  • “corn stalks don’t seem to decompose”
  •  “weeds where I didn’t have before” …….

• Know or find out what the “resource concerns” are…..if they doesn’t know specifically, apply what you know in the county to his general farming location and operation.

• Listen intently and “read between the lines” as best you can to determine what their needs are.  Example, did he sign up for cover crops because he has a real soil need for them or just heard that might be a good way to get more government money?!

• If they chooses a program activity explain it in detail so that they understand what affect that practice will have on improving the soil.