The Carbon Sponge Hub at White Feather Farm has been awarded a 2024 Northeast SARE Farmer Grant to lead a network of five small farms in New York’s Hudson Valley region to continue to trial and evaluate white-grain, annual sorghum for yield and changes in soil health while also evaluating a suite of off- the-shelf field monitoring tools, including the microBIOMETER®.
The five farms are: Coming Home Farm, Foxtrot Farm & Flowers, Nimble Roots Farm, Sweet Freedom Farm and White Feather Farm. Sorghum, originally from East Africa, has great potential as both a human food and climate-smart crop capable of helping sequester carbon in soil. Farmers in regions where sorghum has not been widely grown, like the Hudson Valley, can take advantage of the plant’s ability to adapt to a wide range of conditions and provide ecosystem services on farms — especially increasing soil organic carbon — while also generating revenue.
Alongside field testing, Carbon Sponge will send samples to two professional labs and work with soil scientists to analyze results. The goal is to endorse specific tests and carbon targets for farmers. Carbon Sponge is interested in changing the profile of sorghum in the U.S., including where it is grown, how it is grown and what it is used for. A final report featuring the five farm case studies and recommendations for how to incorporate annual sorghum as a cash crop on a small farm and priorities for future research and investments will be published in 2025.
During the 2024 season, Carbon Sponge will host public workshops and community volunteer days to share research, like during Soil Fest at White Feather Farm on July 27.
Our customer Living Water has been utilizing microBIOMETER® to enhance their approach to sustainable farming and to refine their microbial treatments, ensuring they meet the specific needs of each farm.
Their innovative system integrates with the existing irrigation setup to distribute beneficial microbes effectively. With the help of microBIOMETER®’s soil testing, they are able to analyze microbial biomass and adjust the microbial mixes they provide each month, ensuring optimal soil health.
Sales rep Brent taking a soil sample at one of the farms in West Texas
Leveraging microBIOMETER® for Increased Soil Health
Our customer Living Water has been utilizing microBIOMETER® to enhance their approach to sustainable farming and to refine their microbial treatments, ensuring they meet the specific needs of each farm.
Their innovative system integrates with the existing irrigation setup to distribute beneficial microbes effectively. With the help of microBIOMETER®’s soil testing, they are able to analyze microbial biomass and adjust the microbial mixes they provide each month, ensuring optimal soil health.
Key Benefits:
Living Water and microBIOMETER®’s collaboration is the result of their shared passion for soil health and their quest to transform farming with data-driven microbial management.
About Living Water: Living Water is a visionary agricultural technology company with a mission to redefine the way farmers approach soil health. Their flagship product is a subscription-based automated microbe bioreactor that seamlessly infuses essential nutrients into every irrigation cycle. Designed to deliver maximum efficiency with minimal labor, this innovative system eliminates the need for labor-intensive hauling, mixing, or application processes. Learn more at WeSaveSoil.
