Fisher to give 'State of the Soil' address at museum Wednesday

The Putnam County Museum will host soil health specialist Barry Fisher speaking on "The State of Our Soil Health" after two decades of conservation cropping systems.

Barry Fisher

Fisher will speak at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 7. The program is free and open to the public.

The adaption and innovation of Putnam County farmers has been vital for the county's soil, water and wildlife resources. The rolling landscape of Putnam County provides beautiful scenery, but places the sustainability of our soil at risk from erosion and loss of valuable organic matter.

Fisher will recap advancements in farming conservation cropping systems that incorporate no-till, cover crops, adaptive nutrient strategies and practices including crop rotation and conservation buffers. The incorporation of these strategies has resulted in a strong and viable agricultural economy for the rolling farms of Putnam County.

Fisher recently received the Conservation Legacy Award from the Natural Resources Conservation Service for his contribution to the "Unlock the Secrets of the Soil" campaign to improve soil health.

He is the Central Region leader for the Soil Health Division of the NRCS and provides technical assistance to farmers and partners throughout the Corn Belt and Northern Plains.

Fisher has been employed with the United Sates Department of Agriculture for 35 years. He and his wife Michael operate a cash grain and livestock farm near Fillmore.

Fisher has a Bachelor of Science degree in agronomy from Western Kentucky University and is a native of French Lick.

For more information contact the museum at 653-8419 or info@putnamcountymuseum.org.