Soil and Water Conservation Virtual Field Trip Series Recordings & Lesson Guides
Are you interested in learning about conservation efforts across the state of Arkansas?
Check out our Virtual Field Trip (VFT) recordings! These are perfect learning opportunities for students interested in agriculture. 7C and GRC-3D lesson guides for high school teachers are available to download below.
- Irrigation Technology and Scheduling Practices
- Introduction to the Arkansas Discovery Farm Program
- Discovery Farms Making a Difference
- Farm Surface Water Irrigation Aquifer Issues
- Exploring Winter Cover Crops for No-till Watermelon Production
- Protecting Water Resources Through Conservation on a Poultry-Beef Grazing Farm
- Improving Soils and Profitability Through Collaboration
- Improve Water Quality & Reduce Water Use with Surge Irrigation
- Soil Health
- An Introduction to Agricultural Sustainability
- Cotton Agricultural Sustainability
- Soybean Agricultural Sustainability
- Rice Agricultural Sustainability
- Poultry Agricultural Sustainability
Irrigation Technology and Scheduling Practices - July 3, 2019
This field trip discusses various technological advancements that are being used today in agricultural fields across the state to increase irrigation efficiency and maintain sustainability.
Introduction to the Arkansas Discovery Farm Program - Aug. 21, 2019
Two live interactive virtual field trips were held, each one hour in length.
The first field trip defines and explains the benefits of the AR Discovery Farm Program.
Discovery Farms Making a Difference
The second virtual field trip covers the water quality and soil health practices used on these farms to enhance profitability and sustainability.
August 21, 2019 - Lesson Guide
Farm Surface Water Irrigation Aquifer Issues - March 19, 2020
This field trip focuses on Critical Groundwater Areas, and features the Dabbs Discovery Farm near Stuttgart and the Marion Berry Pump Station (Bayou Meto).
- The Dabbs - Lori, Terry and Trent, Arkansas Discovery Farm members, will speak about water conservation practices on their farm in the Grand Prairie critical groundwater region.
- Ed Swaim, Executive Director at Bayou Meto Water Management District, will talk about the Bayou Meto Project and using our rivers to reduce groundwater overdraft.
Exploring Winter Cover Crops for No-till Watermelon Production - May 15, 2020
This field trip, at the University of Arkansas Vegetable Research station in Kibler, explores research being conducted on no-till watermelon production in Arkansas. Learn the best practices for incorporating cover crops into no-till watermelon production, what cover crop mixes work best and how to plan for weed, disease and insect pest management.
Protecting Water Resources Through Conservation on a Poultry-Beef Grazing Farm - June 23, 2020
See how the Arkansas Discovery Farm Program is helping farmers document how their conservation measures protect local water resources, while maintain profitability. Come join us at the Jeff and Marsha Marley poultry and beef farm and the Beaver Water District in northwest Arkansas.
- You will learn why the Marley’s decided to be a part of this exciting program, how it has benefited them, and how they installed grassed waterways, aerated pastures, and used farm ponds that all reduce nutrient runoff, as well as seeing first-hand how the Discovery Farm Program used state-of-the science equipment to collect water samples for analysis.
- James McCarty, Environmental Quality Manager with the Beaver Water District, will describe how Jeff and Marsha Marley’s farm conservation efforts are helping the Beaver Water District maintain safe, affordable drinking water for the region.
Improving Soils and Profitability Through Collaboration - Aug. 19, 2020
This VFT highlights how the collaboration of these three organizations who share a common goal of helping our farmers:
- the Natural Resource Conservation Service,
- the Arkansas Conservation Districts, and
- the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
They work together to create soil health on-farm demonstrations that teach farmers research-based conservation methods that can help farmers to be more profitable while taking care of the natural resources we all share.
August 19, 2020 - Lesson Guide
Improve Water Quality & Reduce Water Use with Surge Irrigation - Sept. 10, 2020
This VFT highlights the Wood's soybean and rice farm in Cherry Valley, Arkansas, you will learn how the Arkansas Discovery Farms Program is helping improve water quality and help reduce water use by using computerized irrigation management, soil moisture sensors, and surge valve irrigation.
September 10, 2020 - Lesson Guide
Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation: Soil Health - Nov. 5, 2020
This VFT explores how the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil affect that ecosystem. Learn about research-based soil health practices taught by our University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Soils Instructor and hear from the Arkansas Soil Health Alliance and a local farmer about their real-life experiences with improving soil health.
November 5, 2020 - Lesson Guide
An Introduction to Agricultural Sustainability - Nov. 17, 2020
This VFT was the first installment of our five-part series on agriculture sustainability! It covered integrated Biology, integrated Chemistry, environmental science and agricultural science.
In part one we provided an introduction to sustainability. We explained what sustainability looks like in the world of agriculture and that continuous improvements are being addressed along the supply chain to incorporate what retailers now want from their agriculture partners.
November 17, 2020 - Lesson Guide
Cotton Agricultural Sustainability - April 2, 2021
In the second installment of our agricultural sustainability series, we discussed why sustainability is important to the U.S. Cotton Industry. You will learn more about the Trust Protocol and BCI as well as hear from a producer panel of Arkansas producers and their experiences with these programs and why they think this is important.
Soybean Agricultural Sustainability - June 22, 2021
In this third installment of our agricultural sustainability series, we discussed why sustainability is important to the Arkansas and U.S. Soybean Industry. You will hear from industry leaders representing the U.S. Soybean Export Council, the Arkansas Soybean Association, and a local soybean producer.
Rice Agricultural Sustainability - June 29, 2021
In the fourth installment of our agricultural sustainability series, we discussed why sustainability is important to the Arkansas and U.S. Rice Industry. You will hear from a local rice producer; industry leaders representing the Riceland Foods, Inc., Anheuser-Busch; and from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture's Rice Research Extension Centers in Stuttgart and Hindsville, AR .
Poultry Agricultural Sustainability - July 15, 2021
Our fifth and final installment for the agricultural sustainability series covered why sustainability is important to the Arkansas commercial poultry industry. Tyson Foods shared their sustainability journey and faculty at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture talked about the history of commercial poultry industry in Arkansas and why sustainability is important.
More Ways to Listen
Check out the Virtual Field Trips YouTube playlist!