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Think you know all about soil? Learn about improving your soil (and growing healthier plants) by managing the arthropods that live in it!
Check out Rural Roots Weds. Zoom Speaker next Weds night!
Title: Soil Arthropods & Soil Health: Getting to know our belowground partners in Pacific Northwest Agroecosystems
Summary: There is a rapidly growing interest in the components of soil health and the best practices for improving it. Although much of this interest focuses on soil microbial communities, they are not alone in the soil ecosystem! Soil arthropods are also key components of belowground communities. We continue to learn more about how these complex communities work and how we might manage them to improve soil health and the associated productivity and sustainability of our cropping systems.
Bio: Dane is a PhD candidate in the Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology department at the University of Idaho. His research focuses on understanding how different crop diversification strategies influence the biodiversity, structure, and function of soil arthropod communities. He also aims to increase producer and public awareness about the incredible world of soil arthropods and how these often-overlooked organisms contribute to soil health and agroecosystem sustainability.
Zoom:
You are invited to a Zoom meeting.
When: May 10, 2023 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Meeting ID: 881 1781 9975
Passcode: 348752
When: Mar 8, 2023 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Click here to register in advance for this meeting:
Rural Roots Speaker Series
Date & Time March 8, 2023 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Meeting ID 881 1781 9975
Passcode 348752
Learn about how you can help pollinators and Mason Bees this month!
Washington State University’s Mario Luppino will be presenting on Mason Bees and their care on the Palouse.
This presentation will cover general topics concerning pollinator decline, as well as information about Blue Orchard Bee lifecycles, their care, and how you can manage them to help conserve native species.
If you have trouble registering use the info below:
Are you tired of winter and ready to dig up some soil already? Are you interested in fruit trees?
Check out How WSU Farm Manager Deb Pehrson set up the new orchard at WSU on You Tube!
Overview of Perennial Fruit Crops Site Selection, Layout, Infrastructure Options, Planting and First Year Concerns
Deb Pehrson has been working at the WSU Orchard in Pullman since 1983. She got her BS at WSU in 1981. She was promoted to Farm Manager in 1990. Deb got her MS at WSU in Entomology in 2003. Deb grew up on a dairy farm in Minnesota and has loved living in a rural area and growing food crops ever since.
Weds 18th from 6-7 pm on Zoom
Topic: Rural Roots Speaker Series
Time: Jan 18, 2023 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Handouts:
- C O ripening chart
- Sources of Fruit Tree Information
- Van_Well_Nursery-Harvest_Dates-Apples
- Fruit Trees
- 2022 Most Orchard Plants List (not variety apples)
Learn about lentils, chickpeas and Net Zero on YouTube!
Carbon Credits and a Pathway to Net Zero Agriculture
It is not easy to keep the various sustainability initiatives and metrics straight, and even harder to avoid greenwashing schemes when trying to participate as individuals. The pulse industry (chickpeas, lentils, dry beans and peas) hired Dr. Will Lytle in February as their new Director of Research and Sustainability as the industry tries to reduce their on-farm emissions.
Will Lytle has a PhD in Environmental and Energy Policy and wants to share their insights from measuring sustainable impacts and hope for the future in their roadmap to Net Zero ag emissions in the near-term using carbon insetting.
Will Lytle, PhD, Director of Research and Sustainability, USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council American Pulse Association
Planning for a Climate Smart, Culturally Smart Future. Check it out on YouTube!
Stefanie Krantz, Climate Change Coordinator, HIPT Alliance
Food sovereignty, sustainability, and biodiversity is central to the health, well-being, and stability of humankind. In the last 200 years, dramatic changes have occurred globally in food and energy systems, and this has had dramatic impacts on our climate, environment, and health. We now know that the climate crisis must be addressed very rapidly, and efforts are moving forward globally to curb carbon emissions, and sequester carbon. This crisis is also a chance to change the course of history.
In this talk, planetary health and our well-being, traditional knowledge systems, land management, and ecological well-being will be discussed from a climate smart, culturally smart lens – a framework that was develop by the climate staff at the Nez Perce Tribe to find a way to include cultural survival in climate planning.
November is Indigenous Peoples’ Month
Nez Perce Tribe, HIPT Coalition
The Nez Perce Tribe HIPT Coalition is a collective group of community members striving towards increased food sovereignty, safety, access, and security for the Nimiipuu.
HIPT stands for Helping Indigenous People Thrive. HIPT is the word for food in the Nimipuutímt language, an integral part of Nez Perce culture.
See their YouTube channel here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVmdDPwmM1ZKzx9oNc_QtEg
Harvesting Hope Check it out on YouTube
How the Community Action Center
is working to bring fresh, local produce to those in need through our mobile farm stand, community gardens, and hydroponics system.
Claire MacPherson, Community Food, Bank Gardener and Mobile Farm Stand Specialist
Click to Join Rural Roots here!
Become a Rural Roots member! We know the pandemic has hit a lot of growers and ranchers hard so we have halved our membership prices.
Small Farmers, ranchers and businesses can join for only $45 a year ($60 for larger farms, ranches and businesses; $120 for large businesses or corporations).
Students and those on a budget that want to support small growers, can sign up for our Living Lightly or Student membership at only $18 a year.
Just want to help? Sign up for our Friends of Farmers membership at $30 a year.
The monthly Speaker Series is a collaboration between Rural Roots and University of Idaho Extension
Thank you to everyone who participated or visited the Latah County Fair!
Rural Roots sponsored the Fruit, Vegetable and Ag Products.
Here at Rural Root we come from a long line of people who worked the soil. Whether you use a team of horses, a tractor, a drone, or a simple shovel we want to inspire you to think about how to best use the land to grow while making it better for your children.
Susan's grandpa Lee worked the land with a team of horses and his capable hands.
At Rural Roots we believe ALL farmers should be treated with dignity and respect. Farmers often toil alone and receive little support. Please check out some of these organizations that help farmers. You are not alone.
Rural Roots is a partner with the Pollinator Summit!
Pollinator Summit: designed and produced by
The Pollinator Working Group including Rural Roots, Latah County Extension, and many other community members and organizations.
2022 Pollinator Summit
Theme: Pollinators and Biodiversity.
Won the Moscow Mayor’s 2022 Earth Day Award
YouTube videos of presentations available at ruralroots.org
2023 Pollinator Summit
February 2023 in Moscow
Theme: Pollinators and Climate Change
Contact: Latah County Extension
imayes@uidaho.edu
Pollinator Photo Contest:
photographs to be exhibited at the 2023 Pollinator Summit
Rural Roots Speaker Series
Did you miss the 2022 pollinator summit?
Here is a link to the UI Extension/CALS YouTube Channel with the videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0E60BSiNJBFmzB7gcB47AgOBeDK0SCZr
Rural Roots Sustainable Ag Lecture Series
To see previous lectures: For Rural Roots YouTube channel click here.
Rural Roots: Over 20 years of working with and supporting small farmers who use sustainable practices.
Welcome to one of the oldest occupations. Humans have been shaping the earth's landscape for over 12,000 years!
As a farmer you help control and shape your landscape everyday in many different ways. We want to help you learn to do so in a way that will make the land better for you, your children, and the generations to come.
New research by Ellis et al. (2021) shows that humans have been shaping over 3/4th of the earth's landscape for the past 12,000 years. It is not our use of the earth that is causing our current ecological problems, but our current unsustainable practices.
Hand weeding garlic avoids use of harmful chemicals.
Our ancestors transformed ecosystems in sustainable ways. By listening to and adapting agricultural practices used by Indigenous, traditional, and local people; we can often halt and reverse the damage done to our environment. If we look to the past, while considering the latest agricultural and environmental science, we can create a lasting legacy within our lifetime.
"Our global maps show that even 12,000 years ago, nearly three-quarters of terrestrial nature was inhabited, used, and shaped by people," says Ellis. "Areas untouched by people were almost as rare 12,000 years ago as they are today."
The study maps showing land use are available to view interactively online:
https:/
It is our responsibility to treat the land with respect. Acting as a good steward of the land results in larger healthier harvests as well as a better relationship with nature.
Be a good steward of the earth and leave your children a brighter future!
Reference:
Ellis EC, N Gauthier, KK Goldewijk, RB Bird, N Boivin, S Díaz, DQ Fuller, JL Gill, JO Kaplan, N Kingston, H Locke, CNH McMichael, D Ranco, TC Rick, MR Shaw, L Stephens, JC Svenning, JEM Watson. People have shaped most of terrestrial nature for at least 12,000 years. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2021; 118 (17): e2023483118 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2023483118
Events & ClassesSee what we're up to.
Check out some of the fun virtual seminars below!
Attracting Pollinators
Click here to see Susan's new booklet on her pollinator research: Increase crop yields by managing pollinator and beneficial insect habitat in the Pacific Northwest: Pollinator handout 2021
This booklet shows some great plant choices for our area! Learn which plants attract the most pollinators. See which plants will bring the most bumblebees or other native bees to your farm.
For now you may want to check out theses pages.
Learn more about attracting pollinators in our How to Attract Pollinator page!
Check out this UDSA website on How Farmers Can Help Pollinators.
Another great resource: Bee Friendly Farming (BFF) is a certification program from Pollinator Partnership!