Join Local Food Systems and Small Farms Extension Educator, Erin Harper in exploring microbes of the soil. The full impact of microbial life in soil is still largely unknown. Researchers around the globe are finding evidence of soil microbes having an impact on nutrient uptake by plants, the health of the plant, and blocking pathogens from plants. In this Lunch with an Expert, Erin will summarize some of the most recent research on soil microbial systems, discuss regenerative soil management practices, and highlight what this could mean for agriculture moving forward. This program is brought to you by the East Central Illinois Master Naturalists. 

Speaker Biography: 
Erin Harper is the Local Food Systems and Small Farms Extension Educator for Champaign, Ford, Iroquois, and Vermilion Counties. She grew up in Champaign County, gardening at her grandparents’ house in Urbana, visiting the family farm in Ford County, and exploring the woods at Homer Lake, Crystal Lake Park, and Walnut Point. She attended the University of Illinois where she worked with campus to establish prairie plantings around campus and got her degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Science. After graduate school and working for the USDA in Colorado, Erin returned to the University of Illinois to teach Introduction to Horticulture, Vegetable Gardening, and Small Farms in the Department of Crop Sciences. She started working with Extension in December and is here today to talk about Soil Health.

Date and Time: Monday, September 21, 2020 (noon – 1 pm)

Location: Zoom links in the confirmation email, please be sure your email address does not have typos. 

Host: Elizabeth Jeffery, Master Naturalist 
 

This event is free and open to the public. If you need reasonable accommodations, please call Randy at 217-333-7672