Corbyville learns about the secrets in the soil

By Alana Pickrell 

CORBYVILLE – The effort to keep phosphates out of the Bay of Quinte continued at a Lunch and Learn event in Corbyville on Tuesday.

Sarah Midlane-Jones from Bay of Quinte Remedial Action Plan (BQRAP) says, if farmers understand what their soil needs each year, it will help reduce the amount of phosphate that runs off into the Bay of Quinte

The lunch is part of the organization’s “Healthy Soils” program which was started in 2015.

It “help(s) farmers understand nutrient levels,” said Midlane-Jones.

Approximately 40 local farmers and gardeners gathered together to learn about healthy soil and the future of their crops.

The program includes information sessions as well as free soil testing to help local farmers understand how much nutrients to put on their fields every year.

The BQRAP healthy soils program targets all the rural areas around the bay.

Tuesday’s event focused on plant and crop growth, including how to get the most out of your fields each year.

Matt Porter is a soil ecology expert. He told the crowd that, “if soil doesn’t have all the key pieces, it’s not going to grow much crop.”

It was made clear during the presentation that the only way to determine the nutrient your soil has is through proper soil testing.

According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, “soil health is the soil’s ability to support crop growth without resulting in soil degradation or otherwise harming the environment.”

The Bay of Quinte Remedial Action Plan is actively working to enlighten local farmers and also provide them with a free soil testing to help get them on the right track.

By Alana Pickrell