Monticello field day highlights shift to regenerative practices

MONTICELLO - What's better than sustainable farming? Regenerative farming--building healthier soils, waterways, and ecosystems.

Jacob Marty and his father, Jim, started Green Fire Farm in 2015 on a 50 acre corn field. During the first year, they added grass fed cattle, pigs, and chickens, as well as chestnuts, persimmons, pecans, and redbuds to create a diverse ecosystem. They have added more than 3,000 diverse fruit and nut trees and shrubs as well as livestock and pollinator habitat.

Such diversity is extremely rare in modern agriculture, and is an important to heal damaged soils, sequester carbon, and restore healthy soil microbes.
 
Visit Green Fire Farm at N5305 Ringhand Rd, Monticello, for a field day from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Oct. 4.

The event will include a full day of knowledge and entertainment that will give you first-hand insights into the details of incorporating and balancing a multi-species grazing practices.

Also featured will be a newly established field of fruit and nut trees that are actively being grazed by livestock-an uncommon practice called Silvopasture.

Demonstrations of a soil pit, rainfall simulator, and grazing stick will be performed by UW Extension, USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Southwest Badger RC&D. Green Fire Farm grass finished beef and local produce will be served for lunch, thanks to support from Prairie Creek Seed.

The event is $5/person and open to the public. A registration fee is required and can be paid online at http://tinyurl.com/y7mky6tq.