Becoming better stewards of the soil they farm was the goal of a special field day hosted by Peninsula Pride Farms and Door-Kewaunee Watershed Demonstration Farm Network at Deer Run Dairy in Kewaunee on Wednesday.

Retired United States Department of Agriculture Physiologist Jerry Hatfield and GPS LandCares Consultant Bill Powel-Smith spoke to the group of approximately two dozen farmers and agriculture personnel during the day-long session. Farmers in Door and Kewaunee counties have instituted different strategies such as cover crops and no-till planting in hopes of improving soil health and protecting ground and surface water while still getting good yields on their crops.

Hatfield says the journey for improved soil health is just beginning for farmers in the area, which are trying a different combination of strategies while trying to handle what the weather and other variables throw at them. He wants farmers to continue to try and work as a community to reach their desired goals.

The field day comes as farmers are coming off a productive week across the state as they were able to get just enough rain to alleviate some effects of drought and harvest hay and small grain crops.