lots and lots of soil samples!  Post-harvest duties for a soil scientist is to make sure to get accurate baseline soil samples for research programs. The CCRCD, NRCS and Anthony Chesini, farm manager for Richter Ag, assisted Ag Advisor Sarah Light in conducting baseline soil samples. The samples set out to measure bulk density and nutrient and organic composition of the soil pre-cover crop trial.

UC Ag Advisor, Sarah Light, in researching soil moisture dynamics, fertility and structure with cover crop trials in a conventional row crop system.  This project is funded through CDFA’s Healthy Soils Demonstration Site grants and will take place at Davis Ranches, along the Sacramento River on prime row-crop land.

This will be a three year long study with a number of field days planned to provide producers in our county access to data, observations and resources throughout the trial period.