THE DIRT ON CONSERVATION

Transcription

1 THE DIRT ON CONSERVATION Summer/Fall Newsletter August 2016 In This Issue 2016 Annual Meeting Conservation Commission Upcoming Pasture Walk Meet the Candidates Affiliate Memberships Lake and Land Festival Backyard Food Production Milkweed Pod Collection Election Requirements Annual Meeting RSVP 2016 Photo Contest Faces of Agriculture Category-Winning Photo By Katelyn Valdinger Harrison SWCD Annual Meeting Our 2016 annual meeting will be held on September 8th at the Harrison County Fairgrounds in the Commercial Building. The meeting will include a great barbecue chicken dinner, silent auction to benefit our educational programing, awards presentations, and the election of supervisors. 5:30 6:00 7:00 7:30 8:00 Election & Silent Auction (both close at 7pm) BBQ Chicken Dinner Annual Awards Harrison SWCD Year in Review Election Results Menu: BBQ chicken halves, baked beans, pasta salad, rolls, ice cream, cake, and beverage $10.00 per person (children 5 and under are free) RSVP by September 1st (see page 7) Affiliate member will also receive one free ticket to the annual meeting. If you are interested in becoming an affiliate member, see page 4 for details. 1

2 Soil & Water Conservation Commission Visits Harrison County On July 20th and 21st the Harrison SWCD hosted the Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Commission (OSWCC) tour and meeting. State leaders in conservation were present to see the county and discuss Ohio s conservation efforts. The OSWCC consists of seven voting members and five exofficio members who serve to ensure that all Ohio counties are served by a strong SWCD. During the tour, OSWCC members and guests toured the Utica East Ohio s Harrison Hub, visited Alan Walter s Tree Farm, stopped at Tappan Lake, and visited the Mizer Farm. SWCD staff and board members were present to talk with the commission members, Ohio Department of Agriculture staff, and other state conservation leaders during the two day event. Harrison County to Host August Pasture Walk The August meeting of the Eastern Ohio Grazing Council will be held in Harrison County on August 25th, beginning at 6pm. The pasture walk will be held at Brian Porterfield s Farm on Duncanwood Road, New Athens. Topics for the evening will include utilizing the Pasture Condition Score Sheet, developing a water system in the middle of nowhere, reducing winter hay needs, and managing multiple herds in several locations. A meal will also be provided following the meeting. Please RSVP by calling the Carroll SWCD at by August 22nd. 2

3 3

4 Meet the Candidates Ryan Marker Ryan farms around 600 acres with his wife, Lisa, and daughter, Raelyn. They have a 100 head beef cow operation that they run in two herds. Their beef herd is around 75% fall calves and 25% spring calves. Most of the land acreage is dedicated to hay production. Additionally, they operate three poultry houses for Case Farms. Ryan also serves on the Harrison County Fair Board. Lynn Mendenhall Lynn has lived in Harrison County most of his life and has served as a Supervisor for the Harrison SWCD since January of He grew up on the family farm and he and his wife, Amy, have raised their three children there. He raises beef cattle, hay, corn, and soybeans. Along with farming full-time, Lynn also owns and operates a tractor and farm equipment sales business in the county. Bryant Valdinger Bryant Valdinger grew up in Harrison County and is a resident of German Township. He has a small herd of cow/calf pairs and raises hay and crops in Harrison and Carroll counties. Bryant studied Agricultural Commerce at Ohio State ATI where he met his wife, Katelyn. They married in Bryant is also a member of the Harrison Central FFA Alumni, Harrison County Junior Livestock Sale Committee, and the Harrison County Farm Bureau. Get Your Affiliate Memberships Now! Harrison SWCD Affiliate Members are a way for the community to stand behind the work being done by the local SWCD. Individual, families, companies, or farms can be an affiliate member. Each affiliate member will receive one free ticket to the SWCD annual meeting as well as being recognized for their support during the annual meeting. Affiliate memberships are $30 per year. Get your membership now in time for our annual meeting! Checks can be made payable to Harrison SWCD and mailed or dropped off at our office. 4

5 5

6 Backyard Food Production Workshops Draw Interest During the spring and summer months, the Harrison SWCD continued the backyard food production workshop series started last year. A wide range of topics were covered in monthly meetings that included interactive demonstrations and presentations Topics Included: How to Build a Low Tunnel Starting Plants From Seed Garden Types and Layouts Building Rain Barrels Testing Garden Soils Constructing a Rain Garden Beginner Beekeeping Controlling Insect Pests Attracting Pollinators The Importance of Bats Storing Your Harvest Watering and Irrigating Methods Identifying Nutrient Deficiencies Home Composting This workshop series will be starting again next spring, but now is the time to get on the mailing list. Whether you are growing a small vegetable garden for yourself, canning to last all winter, or selling at a local farmers market, the Backyard Food Production Workshops can give you new ideas to try in your own gardens. If you would like to be added to our Backyard Food Production mailing list, contact Keila Telfer at ktelfer@harrisoncountyohio.org or by calling our office ( ). Ohio Pollinator Habitat Initiative Milkweed Pod Collection By CJ Glenn, SWCD Summer Intern Milkweed is the sole host plant for Monarch butterflies. This particular plant is lacking on the landscape and has had a direct effect on Monarch populations. Monarch butterflies use milkweed to hatch then travel to Mexico for the winter. Harrison SWCD will be collecting milkweed pods to help with pollinator habitat across the state. During September and October everyone is encouraged to collect pods. To collect the seed pods from a milkweed plant it is best to pick them when the seed inside is brown. Do not collect pods when seeds are white or cream colored. If the center seam of the pod pops with gentle pressure, they can be picked. Pods should be placed into paper bags or paper grocery sacks and stored in a cool and dry area until you can deliver to the Harrison Soil & Water Conservation District office. Harvesting pods from milkweed plants does not have any effect on the population of milkweed in established areas. The pods will be used to establish new plantings and create additional habitat for the Monarch Butterflies throughout Ohio. 6

7 Annual Election of Supervisors Harrison SWCD will be electing two Supervisors this year at our 71st Annual Meeting on September 8th. Residents over 18 years of age may vote through absentee voting or at the Harrison SWCD Annual Meeting. Non-resident landowners, non-resident land occupiers, Corporations, Firms, LLC s, and Trusts located within the county may also vote through the absentee voting process or at the time of election, but must file a notarized affidavit prior to registering to vote. For complete voter eligibility and requirements, contact the Harrison SWCD office. Absentee Voting People who are unable to attend the Annual Meeting may request an absentee ballot and registration form from the district office. You may request a ballot in writing between August 18th and September 2nd or in person by 4:00 p.m., September 2nd. We will accept one request per envelope unless they are from the same household; each person must sign the request form. Ballots enclosed must be received at the district office by 4:00 p.m. on September 2nd, No absentee ballots will be accepted at the meeting. If you would like to vote by absentee ballot, please call or stop by the district office. Harrison Soil & Water Conservation District Annual Meeting Reservation Form Name: Phone #: Reservations: Number of guests ($10/person) $ Number of children under 5 (free) Please return RSVP Form and payment (exact change or check payable to Harrison SWCD) by September 1st by mail or in person to: 538 N. Main Street Cadiz, Ohio

8 A Special Thank You The Harrison Soil & Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors & Staff would like to thank the Harrison County Commissioners for their financial support and dedication to Soil & Water Conservation. The financial assistance from the county will be matched by state funds which enables the district to better aid and provide assistance to the landowners and residents of Harrison County. Supervisors Craig Brokaw Chairman Lynn Mendenhall Vice-Chairman Tillie Heavilin Treasurer John Herbold Secretary Kathy Depew Fiscal Agent Staff Keila Telfer District Program Administrator Josh Britton Watershed Specialist NRCS Beth Kruprzak District Conservationist Clint Finney Soil Conservation Technician Harrison SWCD & NRCS are Equal Opportunity Provider and Employers Hans Baltzley Civil Engineering Technician Harrison Soil & Water Conservation District 538 North Main Street Cadiz, Ohio Phone: Fax: Website: NON-PROFIT PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PD PERMIT #23 CADIZ, OH «AddressBlock»