The local NRSC office is gearing up for the Farming Evolution 2022 regenerative agriculture annual event held in Holyoke. This year’s event will be Feb. 16 and 17, with early registration closing on Feb. 4.

Whether you look at regenerative agriculture concepts with a wary eye or fully embrace the ideas, this event is for you. This year’s program is packed with farmer/rancher presenters – people with boots on the ground, families to provide for and bank notes to service. Do you have hard and pointed questions, doubts and fears? Are you looking for the next new idea? Or do you just want to spend time with other producers? You are invited to come spend a day or two to learn more.

The Farming Evolution will be at the Phillips County Event Center just north of Holyoke for an information packed two days. Registration is required with options for one or two attendance. Registration is encouraged before Feb. All registrations after Feb. 4 will see a $10 price increase. Those interwted in registeringfor the 2022 event may do so online at http://www.farmingevolution2022.eventbrite.com. To pay by check, simply indicate so at the bottom of the registration form and follow the mailing instructions.

The Program

Everything starts with the soil. Is there really a positive difference in how farmed and non-farmed soils behave? See for yourself. Candy Thomas will open the discussion with several demonstrations including tests you can easily do in your fields.

It's not easy to change how you do things. Farmer speakers will share what made them decide to stop doing what came easily and venture into the unknown. What were the challenges? What failures did they face? What changes did they see early on to inspire them to continue to operate differently?

Brice Custer hails from near Hays, Kan., where he, his wife and two young boys operate Custer Farms, LLC. He first tried out cover crops in 2008 and has transitioned all 3400 acres to a rotation with cover crops and minimal wheat. Come hear Custer's insights into "How to Not Lose Your Keester Farming."

A familiar name in the world of soil testing is Ward Laboratory. Ray Ward is to help production agriculture use its resources as efficiently as possible. He will help answer the questions “What Soil Health Tests Do I Need” and “What Do Those Numbers Tell Me?”

Growing multi-species forage crops under irrigation has provided a much-needed feed source for Caputa, S.D. producer Shawn Freeland. Always asking himself 'how can I improve my soil' has taken him on a journey of decreasing inputs and increasing yields. Freeland will share how he has put farming, livestock and pofitable in the same sentence.

Nick Vos was born in South Africa where he grew up on a vegetable farm. As a proud American Citizen, Nick, his wife and two daughters reside outside Hugoton, Kan. This first-generation American Farmer is growing corn, soybeans, wheat, sorghum and companion crops. In his engaging, unique style, Vox will share his successes and struggles making No-Till and cover crops work in an area that became famous as “The Dust Bowl."

Raising 13 marketable crops, diversification is abundant on the Roy Pfaltzgraff farm. Located south of Haxtun, the 2,000-acre dryland farm doesn’t look much like the simple No-Till system of the 1980's. Pfaltzgraff feels one of the greatest benefits is the farm produces average yields in drought years with no loss in quality. It can also handle the frequent extreme weather events. Pfaltzgraff will share how he and his wife, Barb, “Market Non-Traditional Crops.”

Jay Young and his family raise corn, wheat, milo, a mixture of covers, oats and beardless triticale near Tribune, Kan. Thanks to adding cover and companion crops in 2016, he has started living his dream of raising cattle in an area with limited grassland. A bonus benefit: the water intake rate on his irrigated fields has improved dramatically. Young will share his journey with cover crops, grazing and compost.

As always at Farming Evolution, there will be a speaker panel session for more in depth questions and discussion. Exhibitors/vendors will also be in the same room as the presentation. They will have 60 seconds at the beginning of the program to speak to the audience.

New this year: bring your smartphones if you have one. You can submit a question during the presentations and participate in fun and informative activities. Don’t worry if you aren’t smartphone savvy, someone will help you and have paper options available.