Agriculture Team Service Update for April 2020 due to COVID-19

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With the continued restrictions in place for stay at home, stay healthy, our Agriculture Team members are all teleworking and unable to do site visits at this time. However, we are here to help! Here are some modifications to our services until we are able to join you out in the field again.

Soil Testing

This time of year is a good time to test your soil for various nutrients to determine what modifications may be needed for the future growing season. Also, after further consideration, soil testing is a prerequisite for using our manure spreader. You may have multiple areas across your property that you manage differently - one for livestock, one for a crop, one for sacrifice, etc. You may just need a few samples across your property. For each of those areas, you should collect soil from multiple locations. If you’re not sure where to test, please reach out to us.

Some Ways to Determine Appropriate Testing Areas

  • Wet soil vs dry soil

  • Upland areas vs. bottom ground areas

  • If a pasture is managed the same way, one test will do.

How to Test

  • Take multiple samples from the areas determined above

  • Zig zag across your property areas and collect 10-20 samples

  • Best practice is to sample a foot down for an adequate sample, but do the best you can. Conditions can vary - i.e. shallow, hard, impenetrable hardpan.

  • Mix the 10-20 samples in a bucket

  • Place in a plastic, self-closing bag and label with field/paddock name and date

  • Each sample should be about 2 cups.

  • Repeat for other areas identified above

Here are some photos of how we have done it in the past, and we hope you’ll be able to give it a try.

And, here’s a true show and tell video about Soil Testing.


Due to current conditions, for now we are asking that you get your own testing done and send us your test results for analysis and recommendations. As for sending the test into a lab, you may contact Soiltest Farm Consultants

Current Price List (you will want the S-9 Test):

http://soiltestlab.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/AgSoil.pdf

Current Soil Test Request Form:

http://soiltestlab.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/soil-multiple-sample-form.pdf

Sampling Guide and Techniques:

http://soiltestlab.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Sampling-guide-and-tech.pdf

Virtual Site Visits

Since we cannot come out to your property to walk around with you, we encourage you to video your property or schedule an appointment where we can either Zoom or FaceTime or choose your favorite video conferencing app and we’ll “walk it” with you. We can provide some basic guidance, and then follow up with you later for a true site visit. We encourage you to work with your farm planner to arrange a virtual site visit, a phone call, or other methods of assistance for now. 

Manure Spreader

Many of you have been calling to reserve the manure spreader as you normally do every year, but this year we've had to change things.

With the current "Stay at Home" order by the State now extending through May 4 we will not be delivering the manure spreader any time before that. Also, before you can reserve the manure spreader this year you must have a current - within one year - soil test performed on your soil where you would like to spread your composted manure. See above for instructions. If, however, you don't feel comfortable taking the samples yourself we can still come out and do it for you - sometime after May 4.

Agriculture Resilience Plan

Now that you may have just a little more time at home, we’d love for you to read and engage with our Agriculture Resilience Plan. The plan was launched in December 2019 and it really is about you, our local farmers.

Learn more about the plan, read the summaries, or the whole plan, and check out the video from the launch event featuring Dan Bartelheimer, Spencer Fuentes and Libby Reed. Please reach out to us with any questions and with project ideas.

Contact Us

Our office in Lake Stevens is closed to walk-up guests so the best way to reach us is via email. Feel free to email your regular farm planner or

Bobbi Lindemulder - Program Director, Agriculture - bobbi@snohomishcd.org

Eric Schuh - Senior Resource Planner - Dairy, RCPP - eschuh@snohomishcd.org

Michael Hipp - Resource Planner - Equine Specialist, Sound Horsekeeping - mhipp@snohomishcd.org

Carrie Brausieck - Resource Planner - Agroforestry, Small Livestock, Permaculture - cbrausieck@snohomishcd.org


Remember, if you have any questions or need anything, we’re here for you.