The Montezuma Land Conservancy has been approved for a $24,000 grant from the Southwest Basin Round Table to conduct water-saving research on Fozzie’s Farm, a hands-on youth education site.
As part of the two-year project, experiments will use sensors to test for soil for irrigation efficiency, and to highlight the technology’s usefulness and effect on crop yields.
The grant funding covers scientific equipment, soil and forage testing, and support for MLC’s summer youth Agriculture Immersion program at Fozzie’s Farm in Lewis.
“The idea is to demonstrate how existing technology can be put to use to use water more efficiently while maintaining or improving current production levels,” said Jay Loschert, outreach and education coordinator for MLC.
With support from the Colorado State University’s Southwestern Colorado Research Center, MLC staff and local high school students will collect and analyze data and then share the results with their peers, other farmers and the community.
“Funding projects with connectivity among organizations helps to strengthen the overall impact of outcomes, rather than continuing to work in silos,” said Katie Russel, manager and research scientist for the Southwestern Colorado Research Center.
Continued farming and ranching in a dry climate, coupled with increasing population demand on limited water supplies, calls for the next generation to be “sophisticated water users,” according to the Colorado Water Plan.
Involving local youths in the research and outreach is a key element, Loschert said.
“Young people will have to live with a different climate and water reality. It only makes sense to involve them in the planning for the future.”
Students and interns on the 83-acre Fozzie’s Farm learn by doing the work and getting their hands dirty.
Marissa Moore, a recent high school graduate of Southwest Open School in Cortez, said an internship with MLC’s Fozzie’s Farm was life changing.
“I started off not caring much about farming. Now I see agriculture and conservation as a career path. The internship has been amazing and opened up doors and opportunities,” she said.
Fine-tuning irrigation techniques and using available technology to take some of the guesswork out of water use is part of the project’s plan.
“This is a great opportunity to work alongside agricultural producers and address needs that impact us all while adding to the body of information that can help inform statewide efforts,” said Travis Custer, MLC executive director.
For more information visit the Montezuma Land Conservancy website at montezumaland.org
