Join us as we talk with Michael Lobato, Lobato Farms, and Holly Stanley, Mesa Conservation District on Colorado’s Western slope about their innovations with applying biochar in a no-till system.

Michael has worked to transform what was once part of a large sheep ranch into a thriving 5-acre farm. The 5 acres were split off from the sheep ranch with no infrastructure or irrigation and soil high in salts from manure.

“It was a lot of dirt and kochia…. but it looks much different today,” says Michael.

Michael started working with biochar after his father told him about a local group looking for a small plot to research biochar and compost. The trial was done at Lobato Farms, and Michael was struck with water capacity improvements. He then put it in his market garden and says, “it was night and day.”

Holly began working with Michael as an intern after learning about biochar from people interested in water conservation.

She says, “I was super excited and immediately inclined to be Michael’s assistant.” Now with the Mesa Conservation District she’s working with Michael on new ways to apply biochar.

The question before them was how to apply it in a native grass stand to make it more drought resilient. They tried one machine and have a patent on one that will work better for farmers.

Holly and Michael have learned a lot and seen great improvements in water usage, soil health, forage quality, and more, and are working hard to overcome technological challenges.

Holly and Michael would like to extend a special thank you to: Citizens for Clean Air, Colorado Ag Water Alliance, and the LOR Foundation for funding the trial. Also Professor Emeritus Gerald Nelson (University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne) and Dr. Perry Cabot (CSU Grand Valley Research Center) for providing their guidance and expertise.

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Sarah Stallard is a 7th generation farmer who came to work with her uncles on a new farm near Las Vegas Nevada raising hogs. The farm is in partnership with the local waste and recycling company Republic Services. They lease the land from Republic Services and use food waste to feed the hogs.

She says the partnership was formed “to help find a solution to organic waste." The family had always fed food scraps as pigs “are not picky about what food scraps” they eat.

Sarah describes the process of collecting, sorting, and feeding tons of mixed rations from casino kitchens and buffets, facilities such as an ice cream factory, and grocery stores.

What the farm produces is marketed locally, and they do face challenges due to the lack of an USDA processing plant for meat in Nevada. The family’s dream is to “complete the circle” through having their locally produced food offered in the casinos.

She also describes how the hogs are housed and raised sustainably and humanely.

There is a lot of attention paid to what they are doing to reduce food waste, and they are “willing to help and network with other farmers,” including hosting many tours.

About this work, Sarah says, “I can feel really good about what I’m doing; it’s good to know that I’m making a difference daily.”

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Join us in this dynamic and wide-ranging conversation with Chris Eckhart about diversifying his farming operation, increasing organic matter, monitoring soil biology, and creating a work-family-life balance, all while remaining profitable. Eckhart Farms is a multi-generational family farm in the heart of Wild Rose Prairie in Washington that focuses on soil health and diversity. He is passionate about family farming and has experimented tirelessly with diversifying crops on what was primarily a wheat operation.

Chris and his family plant barley and alfalfa, among other crops; make use of cover crops; started researching biochar; and added livestock grazing. They have marketed locally and regularly monitor both soil biology and the time impacts of too much diversification. They have seen significant increases in organic matter in a relatively short period of time.

“We’re seeing results carry over year to year, from having that cover crop in.”

And it’s paying – “In our area, at least with what we have going on, it’s proving to be profitable by taking things out of rotation and seeing a 10-15% bump in yield year after year.”

Chris speaks passionately not only about farming, but science. He first got excited about soil health when looking at bacteria and life under his microscope. He relies on science and experimentation to be as successful as he is.

He recognizes he has limited capacity and getting higher yields from fewer acres due to increased soil health allows him more time to focus on family and “going fishing.”

Chris’ advice to those starting out, “Find somebody willing to mentor you that has fruit on the tree, not just in farming, but also in their life outside of farming.”

Photo by Vo von Sehlen/Vo-tography

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Thanks for listening to Fresh Growth! To learn more about Western SARE and sustainable agriculture, visit our website or find us:

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Contact us at wsare@montana.edu