Soil Tour proves to be a big success! - Western Colorado Alliance for Community Action

On April 30, 34 Western Colorado residents congregated at the Hit the Hay Farm in Loma for Western Colorado Alliance’s recent Soil Tour.

For the next two hours, they learned a ton about the role good soil health plays in healing our environment, making our food fresher and better, and bolstering local growers’ bottom lines significantly.

Farmer and rancher Lowell King spoke to those who attended the free event, focusing on his transition from a more “traditional planting structure” to a soil health-focused approach over the last five years. He explained how this has caused him to increase the use of cover cropping, a farming approach in which some crops are planted strictly for fertilizing and to foster soil health, and so-called “no-till” farming, which reduces soil erosion and helps ensure a healthy soil biosphere. King explained how he has also gotten results from animal integration, and by lessening inputs. Overall, King says, he’s seen great success in regards to yields and reduced fertilizing costs.

This was the second Soil Tour our Alliance conducted this season, and an example of the kind of public events we continue to offer to increase awareness of good soil health and local agriculture.

About the author

Nick Allan

Before moving to Grand Junction, Nick was a teacher on the front range. His wife and he moved to Grand Junction in 2018 and have loved living here ever since. Nick has been involved in several local campaigns. Nick worked with Western Colorado Alliance in the Grand Junction community center campaign and helped during the 2020 Lobby Trip to Denver before officially becoming an organizer specializing in the areas of public lands and local foods.