Using Low-Cost Materials to Improve Urban Soils, pt. 1

On Tuesday, November 9, Cultivate KC hosted the first of two educational programs, “Using Low-cost Materials to Quickly Improve Urban Soils.” For this program, we discussed our first year of findings in building urban soils using vegetative waste to unworked land. The waste is left in place for several months and when the time is right, sweet potato slips are planted into the piles. As the potatoes grow, they work the soil and help develop the soil microbiome.

Cultivate KC Executive Director led the discussion which included: Zac Hoppenstedt, Horticultural Extension Agent at K-State Research and Extension – Johnson County; Dan Krull, Ag Systems Design Consultant & Board Member at Manheim Community Garden; Jameson Hubbard of Dirt Beast Farm; Jackie Palmer of Jackie and the Beanstalk Farm; and Amelia McDaniel, Homesteader Extraordinaire & Executive Director of The Pilgrim Center.

Watch the recorded session here:

Learn why healthy soil should matter to everyone:

• Growing Organic: Healthy Soil 
• Healthy soils are the basis for healthy food production 
• Good nutrition begins in the soil