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Know and Improve Your Garden Soil
Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery
4410 N. Lincoln Ave.
Champaign, Illinois 61822
(217) 643-2314
Category
Hours
View Website
Transform your understanding of what's happening beneath
your garden's surface and learn how to build truly healthy soil.
This hands-on workshop provides a practical foundation in soil science,
teaching you how to analyze and improve your own garden soil.
Led by Professor Emeritus Wes Jarrell, co-founder of Prairie Fruits Farm,
you'll gain the knowledge and skills to assess soil health and
make informed decisions about amendments.
Bring soil from your own garden and learn to evaluate it through simple tests
you can repeat at home. This isn't abstract theory—it's practical knowledge
you'll use every growing season.
Topics covered:
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Soil texture (sand, silt, clay) and how to assess it by feel
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Soil structure and what it means for plant health
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Color analysis for estimating organic matter
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pH testing and how to amend for optimal growing conditions
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Reading conductivity and managing soil salts
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Evaluating composts (from poor to nearly perfect)
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Aggregate stability and water infiltration
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Biological activity—testing for active soil microbes
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How to amend your specific soil for better productivity
Tickets are $25 and include:
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Hands-on soil analysis of your own garden sample
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All testing materials and equipment
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Expert instruction from UIUC Professor Emeritus
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Reference materials for future use
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Practical amendment recommendations