The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/105037
Special section for the press-dispatch Soil and Water Conservation Pike Co. Soil and Water Conservation District Annual Report of Progress Wednesday, January 23, 2013 • Serving Pike and Surrounding Counties • 6 pages Inside: Clean Water Indiana Grant Through a partnership with the Gibson Co. SWCD, funding for a no-till and cover crop cost share program has been secured for three years starting in 2013. Page D-2 66th SWCD annual meeting Jan. 29 This year's 66th Annual Meeting and Dinner is again co-hosted by the Pike County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) and the Pike County Purdue Extension Office. "The partnership to co-host this event is a blessing in disguise. We are able to cater to a similar fan base but at the same time reach individuals from each side that might not know much about the other partnering agency," says Erica Burkemper, Pike Co. SWCD Administrator. The event is set to take place at the Pike County Fairgrounds 4-H Building on Tuesday, Jan. 29 at 6:30 p.m. Delightful Bites of Petersburg will be catering the meal. Those wishing to attend should make reservations with the Extension Office at 812-354-6838 and report any special needs if required. The price of tickets will be $8 per person at the door. Guest Speaker Did you know Indians and buffalo were the majority of inhabitants in Pike County in the early 1800's? Or that our county used to be a prime location to hunt wolves, whose hides were sold for a high market value and shipped down river? Sandy McBeth Lifelong Pike County resident, Sandy McBeth, will be the guest speaker for the Pike County Soil & Water Conservation District's 66th Annual Meeting and Dinner Tuesday, Jan. 29 at 6:30 p.m. EST at the 4-H Building, Hornady Park in Petersburg, and will fill you in on those topics and more during her presentation on the "History of Agriculture in Pike County." McBeth, Pike County's County Histori- an, spends several days a year researching and continuously gathering historic facts that are preserved in the history books of our beloved county. Sandy also sits as president of the Pike County Historic Society. "The purpose of the Pike County Historical Society is to increase public awareness and appreciation of the history of Pike County, Indiana. Our primary activities utilized to achieve this goal include collecting, preserving and interpreting objects and artifacts pertaining to Pike County through exhibition, education and research. The Society believes an understanding of the past illuminates the present and gives vision for the future." says McBeth. When Sandy is not preserving history, she enjoys scrapbooking, spending time with family and continuing her work with the Pike County Girl Scouts. McBeth currently resides in Petersburg, Indiana with her family. Corn and Soybean Day The Southwest Indiana Area Corn and Soybean Day program will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 5 from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. CST at the Vanderburgh County Fairgrounds. Page D-2 IASWCD Conference Staff and Supervisors from the Pike County Soil & Water Conservation District recently attended the 2013 Indiana Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts Annual Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana the first full week of January. Page D-3 Randy Ennis and Mike Plummer, along with crop advisors, discuss strategies to assist Randy with getting the highest maximum yield on his reclaimed soybean field while still keeping soil health at a high priority. Contributed photo. Ennis participates in Conservation Cropping Mentoring Program New CWI Technician Matt Robinette has been selected as the Clean Water Indiana (CWI) Technician for the Gibson and Pike County SWCDs. Page D-3 Meet your Pike County SWCD Supervisors Jason Dickson, Chairman Norman Dillon, Vice Chairman David Flint, Supervisor Mike Whaley, Supervisor Paul Lake, Supervisor Sam Whiteleather, Associate Supervisor Staff S. Erica Burkemper, District Administrator Chuck White, District Technician Matt Robinette, District Technician Travis Gogel, NRCS District Conservationist Chris Shoults, NRCS Soil Conservationist Jamen Frederick, ISDA Resource Specialist Through a partnership of the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) and the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (IASWCD), Pike County producer, Randy Ennis, took part in developing a more soil conservation-minded farming program and participated in the 2012 Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative (CCSI) Mentoring program through funding provided by the Clean Water Indiana (CWI) grant. The purpose of the CCSI mentoring program is for conservation experts to meet with local producers one-onone to discuss the details concerning conservation cropping systems. Topics that will be covered are: Soil Health, Cover Crops, No-till planter adjustments, Nutrient and Pest Management and other conservation practices to address resource concerns identified during the on-site visit. Following the on-site visit, a Conservation Plan will be developed containing all the goals and recommendations agreed upon by the producer and mentor. The Conservation Plan is signed by the producer, who commits to implementing the conservation goals outlined in the plan. Randy Ennis, a Pike County reclaimed mine land producer, recently participated in the CCSI mentoring program. Accompanying Randy for his on-site visit was: Travis Gogel, Pike Co. NRCS District Conservationist, Mike Plummer (Mentor) Soil Health and Cover Crop Expert from Illinois, and Marty Finney, Manager—Daylight Farm Supply. Topics discussed during the on-site visit were: Cover Crop species and their specific applications, Cover Crop seeding recommendations and termination of cover crops, soil health benefits from cover crop use, no-till management issues and nutrient and pest management through conservation cropping systems. "The tips I received from Mike will greatly assist my crop operation by allowing me to sustain healthier soil for a better yield result in the end. I thoroughly enjoyed his visit and look forward to implementing the conservation plan that Mike recommended to me," says Randy. Mr. Plummer's expertise, coupled with Mr. Ennis's history of being an extremely motivated conservationist, made for an excellent day of increasing knowledge and moving Mr. Ennis's existing conservation cropping system into a more productive and sustainable system. If any other Pike County producer would like to get the inside scoop on improving your soil health and maximizing your yield potential while being a part of the Conservation Cropping System Initiative Mentoring Program, then contact the SWCD office at 812354-6120 ext. 3 today! 2012 Rain and Compost Barrel Sale ends with another successful year By now you should be able to drive around the county and see either a red or black barrel attached to gutters on area homes, businesses and outbuildings. That is due in part to the huge success of another rain barrel sale. This year's sale saw both the rain barrel and a single barrel composter being offered at a reduced price. The program sold 71 rain barrels and 25 compost barrels throughout our county making the total number of rain barrels sold: 176. That's a pretty awesome amount for a county with a population average of 12,500! An average home with a roof size of 1,000 square feet will generate about 600 gallons of storm water from a one-inch rainfall. Storm water runoff is unfiltered water that reaches streams, lakes, sounds and oceans by means of flowing across impervious surfaces. These surfaces include roads, parking lots, driveways and roofs. Collecting and using this water with rain barrels, like those that were brought in by the big metal cage pictured on page D-5, helps reduce the demand on public and private water supplies, and reduces pollution, flooding and erosion in local waterways by reducing storm water runoff. During the 2012 sale, the SWCD also purchased two rain barrels and donated them to the Pike County Library. The SWCD would like to thank the Library and those who purchased rain barrels during our sale on your commitment to improving our drinking water. Your conservation efforts will not go unnoticed. The office received inquiries asking if we will be having another sale and the answer is not at this time due to budget cuts and new directions on grant funding by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. Stay tuned to the Pike County Planter and The Press-Dispatch for more information on conservation events and workshops as well as information about what you can do to improve and protect our natural resources! Pictured to the left, Ginger Rogers, Pike County Librarian and Erica Burkemper, SWCD District Administrator posed with the barrels before they were installed as part of the Library's way of going green.