Campti, Louisiana – Celebrate Earth Day, Friday, April 22nd , with us at our Conservation and Soil Health Field Day. This lecture, demonstration and farm tour focused on building healthy soil to improve land productivity, will be conducted by USDA research and soil scientists. Hosted by Campti Field of Dreams (DREAMS), the Conservation and Soil Health Field Day is free and open to the public. The lecture will take place from 2:00-4:00 p.m., Friday, April 22, at the Campti Historic Museum, located at 211 Edenborn Street, in Campti, Louisiana. The demonstrations and farm tour will be conducted at the Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Farm, 681 Campti Bayou Road, roughly 2 miles from the museum and begin at 4:30 pm. Join us for an informative event for the entire family. Bring a lawn chair. Refreshments will be served.
Campti Field of Dreams aims to increase awareness among farmers and value-added producers of the financial and technical assistance available from USDA agencies. “There are loans of up to $50,000 for beginning farmers and ranchers and up to $5,000 for youth, 11 to 21 years old, to start or expand an agricultural based business. This could be used to generate extra income in your back yard or start a business while in middle school and earn enough to pay for college.” noted DREAMS executive director, Donna Isaacs. Dr. Adell Brown said that, “The Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center is pleased to partner with Campti Field of Dreams, Inc. to provide small farmers with essential educational and technical assistance for increasing the sustainability of their farming operations.” This event will bring specialists from across the state to Natchitoches Parish to share their expertise.
USDA-ARS Scientists Mike Simone-Finstrom, Lilia de Guzman and Frank Rinkevich are going to share their decades-worth of knowledge concerning the importance of pollinators for agriculture and how hive products can lead to extra income for farmers. This will be followed by hands-on demonstrations, guides to beekeeping and bee-friendly plants and viewing of an observation hive with the help of several lab members, including Mandy Frake and Sharon O’Brien, all to increase awareness of the significance of pollinators to sustainable farming practices. Extension Apiculturist Kristen Healy and postdoctoral researcher Chrissy Mogren will be joining us from Louisiana State University to share their expertise, specifically in regard to pollinator gardens.
Louisiana NRCS State Agronomist, Chris Coreil, will introduce the NRCS High Tunnel program and share its potential for extending the growing season. He will also discuss the importance of soil cover using the Louisiana NRCS Rainfall Simulator to show the impact of rainfall and runoff on conservation and land management practices. Mr. Coreil is responsible for promoting and quantifying conservation measures on cropland. He works closely with the Louisiana Master Farmer Program, state regulatory agencies, and tailors Farm Bill programs to fit the unique cropping systems in Louisiana.
In addition to NRCS and ARS, there will be representatives from other USDA Agencies to share their knowledge with the community. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities by providing businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers with the resources needed to improve the quality of life in the Red River area.
About Campti Field of Dreams, Inc.
Campti Field of Dreams, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in underserved communities through cultural heritage, green rehabilitation, local food production, and sustainable entrepreneurship initiatives. For more information, call (318) 332-7791.