The Farm 1780 to host free soil health day

Whether managing a backyard garden or scaling up a suburban homestead, local growers are invited to get their hands dirty alongside leading agricultural researchers and extension agents. On Saturday, Nov. 7, The Farm 1780 will host its fall 2026 Essential Soil Health Field Day, a free afternoon of interactive learning, live demonstrations and community connection focused on garden-scale farming.

Running from 1-5 p.m. at the historic Farm 1780 on Corley Mill Road in Lexington, the event kicks off with a complimentary community lunch and check-in at 1 p.m., followed by four rotating hands-on learning stations led by regional soil scientists and farmers.

The event features expert leadership from Gabe Kenne of Soil Health Labs at the University of South Carolina, Rob Last, Midlands commercial horticulture agent with the Clemson University Extension, and Brett Flashnick, The Farm 1780’s eighth-generation farmer, who will be on-site leading stations and answering direct land-management questions.

Attendees will rotate through four core interactive stations:

• Raised vs. On-Ground Beds (Led by Clemson Extension): Comparing pros and cons between raised beds and on-ground growing spaces, complete with a live demonstration of the "lasagna method" for building rich, organic bed structures step-by-step.

•  Cover Crops & Reduced Disturbance (Led by The Farm 1780): Exploring why cover crops and minimum soil disturbance are stronger together, featuring practical strategies from eighth-generation farmer Brett Flashnick to protect soil structure, reduce weed pressure and integrate pollinator strips.

•  Water Management, Infiltration & Soil Testing (Led by USC Soil Health Labs): Witnessing soil dynamics in real-time via a live rainfall simulator and hands-on infiltration testing with Gabe Kenne. Plus, a deep dive into soil sampling. Covering what, when and how to sample, how to interpret lab results and how to correct deficiencies.

•  Youth & Community Soil Builders (Led by The Farm 1780 summer campers): Highlighting the biological power of soil through visual demonstrations like the famous "Soil Your Undies" test and home composting setups.

"Healthy soil is the foundation of every thriving harvest," Flashnick said in a news release. "Having experts of the caliber of Dr. Kenne and Rob Last on-site gives our local small scale and home growers rare, direct access to academic research and extension expertise in one location, translated into practical steps they can take home and use on their own land the very next day."

Attendees who complete the field day and a brief survey will be entered into a giveaway raffle to win a 4-by-2-by-18-foot raised garden bed and a free compost delivery provided by Re-Soil (total value of about $250).

Advance registration is required, as space is limited. Tickets can be claimed online through the shortened link https://bit.ly/4yKIYcr.

The Farm 1780 is an eighth-generation historic family farm located on Corley Mill Road in Lexington. Dedicated to sustainable agriculture, agritourism and hands-on community education, The Farm 1780 offers unique workshops, heirloom crops, private events and regional soil health research initiatives.