Montana Soil Health Week
April 1 - 7, 2026
Join in the celebration of Montana’s 3rd Annual Soil Health Week!
In 2023, the Montana Legislature passed a bipartisan resolution designating the first week of April as Montana Soil Health Week and the first Wednesday in April as Montana Soil Health Day.
The weeklong celebration is designed to raise awareness about how healthy soils can increase crop yields, strengthen food security, create greater climate resiliency, and improve nutrition. Soil Health Day and Week highlights the work of everyone stewarding soil health across Montana.
Essentially, all life depends upon the soil … There can be no life without soil and no soil without life; they have evolved together. — Charles E. Kellogg, USDA Yearbook of Agriculture, 1938
2026 Scheduled Events
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
All Nations Garden Club
Join the All Nations Garden Club, Carbon County Resource Council, and the Red Lodge Carnegie Library in celebrating Montana Soil Health Week! Attend the free gardening class and learn about the importance of soil health in Montana’s agriculture and environment. There will be soil demonstrations, a quiz with door prizes, and a presentation from Tom Tschida of Nash Farms, a local producer and soil steward. Leave with ideas about how you can become a soil steward and help preserve one of Montana’s premiere natural resources! Open to the Public, 5:30 pm -6:30 pm.
Please register so we have enough seats and handouts for everyone. To register, call the library at 406-446-1905 or register online: https://engagedpatrons.org/EventsExtended.cfm?SiteID=4329&EventID=584513&PK=
Thursday, April 2, 2026
Building Living Soil: A Hands-On Composting Workshop
1116 Highway 191 North Big Timber, MT, 59011
Join the Montana Farmer’s Union in partnership with Living Soil Farms to explore the science behind composting and the skills needed to make your own! Gain a better understanding of microbial activity and C:N ratios, and their applications beyond compost. Participate in monitoring and building a new compost pile! Open to the Public, 9:30 am -12:30 am.
RSVP required. Register and learn more HERE.
Saturday, April 4, 2026
Soil Health Week at Alfalfa Road Farm
The soil is alive in Helena! Celebrate Soil Health Week with a tour of Alfalfa Road Farm’s soil building practices. Alfalfa Road Farm is entering its third season providing fresh produce to the Grocery Share Market at Helena Food Share. Just as important as nurturing our community, we believe that nutritious food starts in the soil. From cover cropping to low and minimal till systems, the farm is dedicated to soil health. Come celebrate Soil Health Week with a tour of the garden with John Brown. Dress for the weather as this event is outdoors. Bring a chair for guided discussion after the garden tour.
PARKING IS LIMITED. Carpooling requested.
Register and learn more HERE.
April 7 – 8, 2026
Sustainable Ranching Workshop: From Soil to Human Health
Ranchers, range managers, scientists and others interested in healthy ecosystems and food across Montana are invited to a two-day sustainable ranching workshop April 7 and 8 in Dillon, MT. During the workshop, local and regional speakers will present on topics such as grazing and soil health, winter grazing, marketing nutrient-dense food and more.
The event is presented by the Southwest Montana Sagebrush Partnership (SMSP), of which The Nature Conservancy is a part. Since 2023, SMSP has hosted spring and fall workshops in Montana’s High Divide Headwaters. The workshops share promising innovations and solutions to our most pressing challenges and rangeland and grazing management.
RSVP HERE or contact Pat Fosse at 406-660-2386.
How to Participate
As an Individual
Discover the wondrous world of Soil Health! Participate in this year’s Soil Health Week by posting on social media, attending soil health related events in the community, or activities in your own backyard!
With Your Organization
Examples of how conservation districts, partners, and other organizations can spread the word about Soil Health.
As a Producer
Dive in to these great resources and learn how you can improve your soil and bottom line. Consider contacting your local conservation district and attending events like the Montana Soil Health Symposium.
Resources
What can YOU do for soil health?
Get Your Soil Tested!
Learn about soil sampling and regional soil testing labs
Check out the Home Garden Soil Testing & Fertilizer Guidelines! This guide provides home gardeners tools to better understand and interpret soil test reports.
Rent Equipment!
Interested in renting equipment? The Missoula Conservation District has a Truax FlexII-88 No-Till Drill available for rent to use in Missoula and neighboring counties.
Check out your local conservation district to see what equipment and resources are available to rent in your area!
For Educators
Introduction Newsletter to Teachers and Schools
A newsletter written for educators with more information and resources.
Soils Activity and Coloring Books
Below are activity and coloring books and you can download and print!
The Soil Story Curriculum: Middle School Lesson Plan
The Soil Story Curricular Guide was created through a collaborative partnership between Kiss the Ground and Life Lab. It serves as a supplemental material for teaching middle schoolers Next Generation Science Standards.
Soils 4 Teachers
Soils for teachers website from the Soils Science Society of America. Their lessons and activities search can be filtered by age group/grade, specific topic, or resource/activity type.
Flyer and Social Media Resources
Videos
Soil Week Playlist
Soil Week Playlist from the Institute for Food and Agriculture. Some videos are storytime, some videos are soil demonstrations and activities for young children.
NRCS Soil Health Demonstrations
Soil health demonstrations playlist from NRCS Montana. Including: slake test, rainfall simulator, and infiltration test.
MT NRCS Soil Health Playlist
RCS Soil Health Playlist with many of these videos are interviews/focused on specific MT producers.
Montana Ag Live: Soil Health & Conservation
Discussion about soil health and conservation on PBS’ Montana Ag Live.
Past, Present and Future of Conservation Districts
This 10-minute mini-documentary details the inception of America’s conservation districts following the Dust Bowl of the 1930s and follows them throughout the ages as they’ve grown and strengthened from coast to coast.
General Resources
Montana Rural Employment Opportunities (REO)
Rural Employment Opportunities (REO) provides outreach and services in all of Montana’s 56 counties to more than 400 adults and 900 children each year as they struggle to support themselves and their families.
UN World Soil Day
Resources Include:
- Full Campaign Materials List
- Contaminants transfer
Poster about how soil contaminants impact human health via the food chain - Biodiversity Poster
Thank you to the Montana Soil Health Week committee and partners!
Soil Health Week Flyer
Download and print Soil Health Week flyer HERE!
Five Slides
Set of five slides that districts can easily customize for their social media!
Clicking the template link automatically makes a copy of the project in Canva, so you’ll have your own version that you can customize without overwriting the original template. Customize away!
CANVA TEMPLATE
Simple Single Image
Ready to use social media image.
There is also a Canva template version that districts can copy and customize.
Clicking the template link automatically makes a copy of the project in Canva, so you’ll have your own version that you can customize without overwriting the original template. Customize away!
READY TO USE
Soil Health Principles
Ready to use social media image.
There is also a Canva template version that districts can copy and customize.
Clicking the template link automatically makes a copy of the project in Canva, so you’ll have your own version that you can customize without overwriting the original template. Customize away!
CANVA TEMPLATE