RUSH CENTER — On Monday, Dec. 5, Barton and Rush County Conservation Districts are hosting a Sustainable Farm Workshop at the Township Hall in Rush Center. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. with presentations and panels from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with a catered meal. The speaker topics will be Soil Health, Drought Resilient Farming, Farming with Cover Crops, Spring Wheat, and Marketing. 

Speakers on soil health include Candy J. Thomas, Regional Soil Health Specialist for NRCS, and Dale Younker, State Soil Health Specialist for NRCS. Dale Strickler, author, and an international sustainable farming consultant, will talk about drought resilient farming, and Travis Brunner, CEO of Agribusiness Solution LLC, will discuss risk management of crops. 

Local presenters include Kevin Wiltse, rural Rush County, who incorporates cover crops in his intensive rotation of cattle on standing forage, and Tim Maier, rural Barton County, who also incorporates cover crops into his farm operation.  

Earlier in 2022, Ken Urban and Mike Younger, both of Rush County, participated in a spring wheat trial in cooperation with the Barton County and Rush County Conservation Districts and funded through the Kansas Department of Agriculture through the Division of Conservation (KDA-DOC) with Kansas Water Plan Funds. Both will be present to discuss their findings.

Sponsors for this workshop include Star Seed Inc., Sharp Bros Seed Co, American Plains Co-op, Midland Marketing Coop, LaCrosse Livestock Market Inc., Walnut Creek Extension District, Wet Walnut Creek Watershed, Sunrise Agribusiness Solutions LLC, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, KDA-DOC, Kansas Association of Conservation Districts, Barton and Rush Co. Conservation Districts.

Reservations are preferred for meal count, but walk-ins welcome. Call 785-222-2615 ext. 3 or email stephanie.royer@ks.nacdnet.net. There is no charge for this event.