Getting the dirt on soil

Many turn out at ATEC to explore 'new frontier'

MOSES LAKE — More people wanted the nitty-gritty on soil than was originally anticipated.

About 150 people turned up at Big Bend Community College's ATEC Building Tuesday morning to attend the workshop, "Building Soils For Better Crops," sponsored by the Grant Conservation District and Washington State University Grant/Adams County Extension, the Washington Department of Ecology and the National Resources Conservation Service.

Grant Conservation District manager Ron Hull said the number of people in attendance was about 40 more than workshop coordinators were expecting.

"(I'm) really excited that we're getting this kind of interest in what we're trying to do and helping people learn more about the organic role in the soil and what's going on with the biology as well as soil structure," he said. "I'm just excited to see there's that much interest out there."

Hull added that there are hopes to offer the workshop on an annual basis. Question and answer sessions and feedback from attendees' evaluations will help determine what direction to go and what subjects are of interest, he said.

The agenda for the day-long workshop included overviews of the basics of soil quality and biology, the role of organic soil amendments in soil quality and a lunchtime presentation about the emergence of a bioeconomy in the Pacific Northwest.

Quincy resident Keevin Schulz said he was looking for better knowledge of what soils consist of to get a general view of the different approaches available to build soils and new soil amendments.

"I farm, so I'm looking at trying to incorporate alternatives to current farming practices," he said. "I think (the workshop) is good for good public information, I think sustainable agriculture is important and I think it's obviously in our future."

Another Quincy resident, Carl Yeates, said he believes microbial activity is something that needs more attention.

"It's just something we need to learn more about," he said, adding he was interested in learning more about what's being composted, the difference between purchasing compost material against commercial fertilizers and the benefits of adding organic material to soil

"I'm a alfalfa farmer and I grow hay for export, so I'm trying to get more bang for the buck," Soap Lake resident Don Franks explained. "I use organic fertilizer now, and I'm looking to go more and more with it."

Franks said the workshop is important as more and more commercial fertilizers include too many salts, which deplete soil.

"We need to switch over to the natural," he said.

Royal Organic Products, LLC manager Bill Lamphere said the workshop was his idea, which he brought up at a meeting where the sponsors were all in attendance, turning it over so it could be promoted as a program. He thought the opportunity and turnout were wonderful.

"It's good to see there are so many believers," he said. "Understanding that soil health is our future, that's the future of agriculture. The interest that they have now means that people are embracing understanding soil. If we're going to compete both worldwide, regionally, with organic and conventional practices, we need to have good soil conditions, and soil health is a big thing."

Chemical fertilizers are expensive, Lamphere said, and there are practices that can be done to limit the need for them.

Ephrata resident Elaine Porter said the workshop was good for credit towards continuing education for Master Gardeners.

"We can apply it to our own yards as well as helping other people," she said of the knowledge gained from attending the workshop. "We've been through a lot of this, but the more you hear it, the more you remember. And it's interesting."

Hull said not everything is known about soil, but with the help of people like those in attendance and continued research, the questions can be determined so the answers can be found.

"We don't know all the answers yet," Hull said. "Soil science is a new frontier, so to speak. Even though there's been lots of work done through the years, we still have a lot to learn, especially the interrelationship of the biology with growing crops."