Renewable Farming’s biological principles are now “mainstream ag technology.” That was the theme of the “new” AgriEnergy Solutions LLC seminar which I attended Thursday, Jan. 28.
January 30, 2021 By Jerry Carlson Farmers met new friends and asked questions of experienced presenters at Thursday’s face-to-face seminar here in Cedar Falls, IA this week. I sense that farmers appreciated a chance to meet and visit with other farmers who are interested in building healthy soils and healthier profits. ($5 cash corn and $13 beans — despite a skid mark or two in futures — brightened spirits too.)
The strongest theme evident among the nearly 70 farmers and their families here at the Hilton Garden Inn was “It’s great to be among friends and like-minded growers” after last year’s virtual isolation. However, the surge of “virtual” connections and distance learning encouraged AgriEnergy to video record and package the seminar’s content online. Farmers could chat with speakers and each other, and now they also have web access to professional-quality video presentations assembled by technical consultant Carlton Shank.
To watch professional videos of the Ft. Wayne, IN version of the AgriEnergy seminar, download this PDF page. The links on the page are “live.” Choose any of the nine videos to open the specific online presentation. Since I’ve worked with AgriEnergy more than 30 years, I’m familiar with the 3 Pillars of Regenerative Farming presentation which offers an overview of AgriEnergy’s approach. I found fresh in-depth data in Dr. A. Stuart Grandy’s research report on how crop residue becomes long-lasting soil “organic matter.”
Essentially, says Grandy, it’s almost all about dead bodies. Decomposing bacteria and fungi. Achieving that calls for enhancing the diversity and quantity of beneficial microorganisms in your soil. Do that, and you can raise your long-lasting soil organic matter by about one percentage point in three to five years. Grandy’s research team documents what AgriEnergy founder Dave Larson emphasized in the late 1980s: “Soil fertility primarily depends on the number and diversity of beneficial soil microorganisms in the soil food web.”
I encourage you to watch Grandy’s presentation online, plus the other eight reports. Hundreds of farmers have “attended” the seminar sessions already, following the Ft. Wayne event. Encouraged by the response, AgriEnergy Solutions is planning a third seminar in Missouri. We’ll post details here when available.
I’ll update this report with more detail in the next few days. visit us again. The good news is that the new AgriEnergy Solutions LLC is gaining enthusiastic support from longtime loyal dealers and customers. AgriEnergy is refining and improving its biological product line. Three of the key staff members have years of experience with the AgriEnergy philosophy: Dean Craine, Ken Musselman and Gary Campbell.