Dr. Elaine Ingham, B.A., M.S., Ph.D.
Founder and President, Soil Foodweb Inc.
Director, Soil Food Web School
Dr. Ingham has pioneered research in the field of Soil Biology over the last 4 decades and is widely recognized as the world's foremost soil biologist.
Behind Dr. Ingham’s user-friendly approach to soil biology lies a wealth of knowledge and research on the different groups of microorganisms that make up the Soil Food Web.
Her goal is to empower people to bring the soils in their communities back to life using the science of the Soil Food Web. Dr. Ingham's revolutionary approach has been used to restore the ecological functions of living-soils all over the world, ensuring healthy, strong plants and super-nutritious food, whilst eliminating soil erosion and the need for chemical inputs.
Behind Dr. Ingham’s user-friendly approach to soil biology lies a wealth of knowledge and research on the different groups of microorganisms that make up the Soil Food Web.
Her goal is to empower people to bring the soils in their communities back to life using the science of the Soil Food Web. Dr. Ingham's revolutionary approach has been used to restore the ecological functions of living-soils all over the world, ensuring healthy, strong plants and super-nutritious food, whilst eliminating soil erosion and the need for chemical inputs.
Chuck Peacock Soil Scientist, NRCS
Chuck Peacock is a Soil Scientist with NRCS based in Grand Junction, Colorado. He is currently the MLRA (Major Land Resource Area) Office Leader and supervises a small crew of 2 Soil Scientists and one Ecological Site Specialist. The office is responsible for soil surveys and ecological sites in the majority of Western Colorado and good chunk of Eastern Utah. His work primarily entails mapping soils for publication in soil surveys (Web Soil Survey) and assisting the public in using those surveys and educating people about the nature and properties of soils – and specifically “biologically active” healthy soil. He has been mapping soils and delivering these services in Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Wyoming for over 25 years. Prior to NRCS he was a "lab rat" performing various soil, water, & tissue analysis at the CSU soil testing lab. Chuck is native of the North Fork Valley in Western Colorado. He has a Master's degree in Soil Genesis & Morphology from Colorado State University (CSU) and a Bachelor's degree in Agronomy/Soil Science also from CSU.
Dave Dearstyne Soil Scientist, Retired
Dave has been a soil scientist for over 35 years, and a Soil Health Technical Provider and passionate advocate for Soil Health for the past 12 years. Dave’s experience includes over 30 years as a soil scientist for NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) and includes several areas in the states of Colorado, Florida, and Maine. Since retiring from NRCS in December of 2014, Dave has continued to work in the soils field as a Soil Health Technical Advisor for the Shavano Conservation District, a National Resource Inventory specialist in the states of Colorado, New Mexico, and Nebraska, a soil scientist on a BAER team (Burn Area Emergency Response) for public land agencies, and as a Soil/Soil Health consultant. Dave has been actively involved with the Western Slope Soil Health conference for the past 10 years (since inception), serving in the capacity as Soil Health team moderator, conference emcee, and presenter. Dave is an avid gardener, teaching a local gardening series and helping other gardening enthusiasts learn about gardening and soil health.
Dave “DK” Kanzer, P.E. Deputy Chie Engineer
Now as Deputy Chief Engineer at the Colorado River District, Kanzer has been working on the complex web of water quality and quantity issues facing the Colorado River Basin for 25 years.
Since 1995, DK has focused on both large, regional long-term Colorado River Basin water supply planning issues, as well as on smaller, local implementation programs down to the field level to address water supply and demand imbalances, exacerbated by growth and climate change.
In addition to developing and implementing water use efficiency projects, Kanzer has been active in drought contingency planning efforts. This cooperative seven basin states initiative includes analyzing the potential to reduce water use through demand management techniques (e.g., deficit irrigation, rotational fallowing, etc.) and increasing water supplies via cloud seeding to guard against the potential for water supply availability shortages for multiple beneficiaries, including agricultural, municipal, environmental and recreational interests.
DK takes his work with him seven days a week and 12 months a year. His passion for water resource management has taken him from the peaks of the Colorado River watershed through the guts of the Grand Canyon and on to the vast savannahs, plateaus and irrigated valleys that make up the bread basket and salad bowl of the southwestern US.
Kanzer is a registered professional engineer in Colorado; he earned his Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Geological Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.
Since 1995, DK has focused on both large, regional long-term Colorado River Basin water supply planning issues, as well as on smaller, local implementation programs down to the field level to address water supply and demand imbalances, exacerbated by growth and climate change.
In addition to developing and implementing water use efficiency projects, Kanzer has been active in drought contingency planning efforts. This cooperative seven basin states initiative includes analyzing the potential to reduce water use through demand management techniques (e.g., deficit irrigation, rotational fallowing, etc.) and increasing water supplies via cloud seeding to guard against the potential for water supply availability shortages for multiple beneficiaries, including agricultural, municipal, environmental and recreational interests.
DK takes his work with him seven days a week and 12 months a year. His passion for water resource management has taken him from the peaks of the Colorado River watershed through the guts of the Grand Canyon and on to the vast savannahs, plateaus and irrigated valleys that make up the bread basket and salad bowl of the southwestern US.
Kanzer is a registered professional engineer in Colorado; he earned his Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Geological Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.
Jerry Allen Irrigation Water Management Specialist, SCD
Jerry is Irrigation Water management Specialist for the Shavano Conservation District and soil health team member. He is a retired agriculture education teacher and current recorder for the Uncompahgre Soil Health Team. Jerry is instrumental to the planning of the Food and Farm Forum and the Western Colorado Soil Health Conference.
Lowell King
Lowell grew up on a dairy farm in Pennsylvania. So as long as he can remember he has been involved in farming. Lowell and his brother moved to Colorado in 2004 and began farming in the Grand Valley. With his brother and brother-in-law, they farm 950 acres with a focus on horse hay production. Along with growing alfalfa and grass hay, Lowell rotates in corn, wheat and cover crops. Livestock, cattle and sheep, are integral to their farming operation.
Lowell has been planting cover crops for the past 6 years and implementing no till practices for 4 years. In addition to farming, he is a seed dealer for Green Cover Seed, and Esch no-till drills. Lowell is very willing to help other land owners by sharing what he has learned over the years no till farming and incorporating cover crops.
Lowell has been planting cover crops for the past 6 years and implementing no till practices for 4 years. In addition to farming, he is a seed dealer for Green Cover Seed, and Esch no-till drills. Lowell is very willing to help other land owners by sharing what he has learned over the years no till farming and incorporating cover crops.
Reed Irwin
Reed has been growing plants commercially and in his hone garden for more than 50 years. His special interest is growing plants in different ways using unconventional methods. This includes applying soil health principles in the backyard vegetable garden. He uses 15 different cover crops and several techniques which are not usable by large-scale commercial producers.