Water Workshop Helps Prepare Farmers for Another Dry Summer
With this year’s growing season predicted to be as dry as last year’s, many farmers have water on their minds. Dakota Rural Action’s Farmer Network is hosting a Water Conservation and Utilization Workshop on Monday, March 18th at the Sioux Falls Public Library, Ronning Branch from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, to help farmers in the region share ideas about water conservation.
When precipitations vary from the norm, farmers often have to experiment with new methods to achieve desired results on the farm. Dakota Rural Action’s Farmer Network wants to help take out some of the guesswork out of a trial and error approach by fostering a discussion and exchange of ideas on water conservation, with the hope that people come with questions and leave with answers.
“We have to learn to retain the small amount of water that we do get,” says Eian Schragg, a member of Dakota Rural Action and chair of the Farmer Network, speaking on behalf of the concerns of many farmers.
The workshop with feature two local speakers Jeff Kirstein and Jeppe Kjarsgaard. Jeff Kirstein is with The Good Earth Farm, a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm. Jeff will speak firsthand about the use of pumps, ponds, drip tape, and shallow wells. Jeppe Kjarsgaard is an Assistant Professor at South Dakota State University. Jeppe specializes in large crop systems and environmental water quality management and will present on water retention and water quality. The workshop is open to the public.
The Farmer Network is a networking group of Dakota Rural Action members that connects beginning and established farmers to farm-related opportunities through resource sharing and education.