Farmers and growers in the East Kootenay will have a rare opportunity to see the living biology beneath their fields during a hands-on Soil Biology Field Day at Spring Creek Ranch near Fort Steele on September 29.

Led by Robby Gass, MSc Organic Farming, founder of ALBA Regenerative Agriculture, the field day will use live microscopy to magnify soil organisms on a computer screen, then connect what participants see below ground to practical questions about roots, nutrient cycling, water infiltration, pasture and farm management.

The field day comes as water management becomes an increasingly important issue for East Kootenay agriculture. About half of actively farmed land in the East Kootenay relies on irrigation, according to the BC Climate Change Adaptation Program. The region already experiences typically dry summers, with hotter and drier conditions and increased irrigation demand projected in the decades ahead.

Forage and pasture account for about 95% of cultivated land in the East Kootenay, making questions around soil function, water infiltration, roots and pasture resilience particularly relevant to local producers.

“There is an entire living world beneath our feet, and most of us never get to see it. When farmers can look at their soil, see the biology, understand what the roots and microbes are doing, and connect that to water, nutrients and plant health, soil becomes something we can observe and work with. That’s what I’m excited for farmers to experience at this field day,” said Natalie Forstbauer, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Heart & Soil Magazine.

Gass brings more than 30 years of experience in regenerative, organic and biodynamic farming, with training in soil microscopy and the soil food web.

“The microscope gives farmers another way to read what’s happening in their soil. My goal is for people to leave with a better understanding of their soil and practical questions they can start asking on their own farms,” said Gass.

Participants will explore soil food web basics, nutrient cycling, roots and forage, water infiltration, pasture management and live soil microscopy. Gass will also demonstrate how a live compost extract is made.

The field day is open to ranchers, livestock and crop producers, hay farmers, market gardeners, home growers, agricultural advisors and anyone interested in understanding how living soil functions.

SOIL BIOLOGY FIELD DAY

Tuesday, September 29, | 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
Spring Creek Ranch | 7977 Mauscreek Road, Fort Steele.
$105 CAD including GST for two people | Lunch included.

The event will take place outdoors, rain or shine, with covered space available in the event of rain.
Advance registration is requested by September 26 to help organizers plan for lunch.
Registration: heartandsoilmagazine.com/soil-biology-field-day