Join us for a rare opportunity to spend the day with renowned plant breeder and farmer-led researcher Duane Falk to explore how a thoughtful rotation and on-farm research can build soil fertility, resilience, and seed self-reliance.

Duane will guide participants through his innovative 5-year organic rotation, which includes breeding and saving seed from key cover crops like red clover, rye, winter peas, and multispecies mixes. Tour five diverse field stops—including potatoes, winter cereals, and oats, and dig into practical strategies for soil health, low-input fertility, and rotational planning that works well through time and space.

Duane brings over 40 years of plant breeding and agronomy experience and a deep passion for improving methodology to reduce effort and increase impact. Now farming off-grid with his partner Vita near Hillsburgh in Wellington County, he continues to implement farmer-led research with EFAO and Experimental Acres on topics like overwintering cover crops and nitrogen availability. Duane has also been an active participant of Erin Common Ground, working together with other farmers and citizen scientists in his home community to build community and healthier soils.

The day wraps with a bring-your-own-lunch and community discussion on the machinery, tools, systems, and mindset needed to farm ecologically and self-reliantly in a changing climate.

Bring your lunch, your curiosity, and your questions!

Hosted in partnership with Erin Common Ground, and Wellington County’s Experimental Acres program. 

This event is also offered in partnership with the Farmers for Climate Solutions’ Farm Resilience Mentorship Program (FaRM) and with support from the On-Farm Climate Action Fund. Additional resources can be found in the FaRM Learning Hub.