PRINEVILLE, OR -- A Central Oregon farm is partnering with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service for a celebration of dirt, this weekend.

Crook County rancher Jeff Fox grows grass, lavender and bees at SunLife Farm, but he also wants it to be a destination for learning. "Soil is such an important part to framing that I just had a hair-brained idea to do something called Dirt Day." It's a "soilebration," if you will.

Dirt Day provides an exploration of dirt, with the help of some expert guests talking about important topics, "From native grasses and native soils, and the breakdown of what has happened on the native front here in Central Oregon, and just overall, the changes. And hopefully what we can do better, as the public, moving forward, to put some emphasis back into sustainability. And, I guess, give them more of an appreciation of where everything comes from and just how interconnected we all are." He tells KBND News he offers "Just an overall understanding of what has happened with soil, what is happening to soil at varying levels - be it from climate change, be it from our drought situation. But there’s an ever-changing nature to the ag industry, here in Central Oregon."

Saturday’s event includes food, the NRCS soil health trailer, and, of course, a big pit to explore, "Give a true, live look at what happens beneath the surface; what’s below there. And, how that all works relative to water and watering, if you would, relative to nutrients in the soil - what it takes to actually grow crops, here."

Dirt Day is Saturday from 10 to 3:30, you’ll find more information at SunLifeFarm.com.