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GOT TIME? GET INVOLVED!If you are interested in the conservation of our natural resources and have an extra 10-20 hours a month to spare, you may be interested in becoming a volunteer supervisor for the Spokane County Conservation District (SCCD). All registered voters who own or occupy land within the District’s boundaries, which include all land within Spokane County except for the City of Deer Park, are eligible to vote and/or run for o!ce."e SCCD will hold an election for one supervisor position (3-year-term) on Tuesday, March 8, 2011, at the District o!ce from 7:30am-5:00pm. "ere is also one position available by
appointment from the Washington State Conservation Commission; more information on the appointed position can be obtained at www.scc.wa.gov.
Spokane County Conservation District210 North Havana Street . Spokane WA 99202509.535.7274 || http://sccd.org
Printed on post-consumer recycled papers.
This paper is grown and manufactured in the USA
Believe it or not, but as you shovel your sidewalk (again) or burrow under your comforter looking for that last pocket of warmth, now is the time to start thinking about your spring plantings! Whether it be your backyard garden or a row of trees to shield you from your neighbors, we can help! "at’s right; it’s time again for the Spokane County Conservation District’s Annual Tree & Shrub Seedling Sale. We are accepting orders now through Friday, March 18, 2011. Our seedlings are priced as low as 5 for $6! We have 30 species of plants available this year that are suitable for a variety of uses, including:
Being grown for use as Christmas treesBeautifying your urban landscapeEstablishing a lush riparian bu#er or stabilizing stream banksReforesting large rural acreage
Creating screens and windbreaks
To receive an order form and brochure either go online and download one at www.sccd.org/treesale or call Rachel at the District o!ce and she can put one in the mail for you. You can then order your plants one of two ways:
Mail your order form and deposit
Stop by the District o!ce and order in person
Remember, the deadline is March 18, 2011 and species do sell out so it is best to order early! Your plants will be ready for pick up during the spring distribution days of April 8 and 9.
Have a question about the sale or about the speci$c shrubs and trees? Call Rachel or Garth at 509-535-7274 today!
In Touch with
THINK GREEN, THINK SPRING
Inside Story
Free Soil Tests Available
Groundwater Monitoring
Project Underway
New Small Acreage Program
Spokane County Conservation District≈ Winter 2010 ≈
Help the District save a tree - elect to receive your
newsletter electronically. Call the District office at
509-535-7274 to have your email address added
to our list. Newsletters can also be viewed and
downloaded on our Web site at www.sccd.org
PRST STD
US POSTAGE
PAIDSPOKANE, WA
PERMIT 272
ONE STOP SHOP FOR DIRECT SEED LOANSYes, it’s true… we have made applying for a Direct Seed Loan even easier with the launch of our new web site, www.directseedloans.org. For those producers looking to purchase direct seed and or no-till agricultural equipment, you can go online and learn about the loan program, including program requirements and eligible equipment; and now, you can apply online with your application being sent directly to the District o!ce. While you are on the site, check out the testimonials from current loan program participants and learn about the many bene"ts of direct seeding, both "nancial and ecological. If you visit an equipment dealership who participates in our loan program, they can help you complete the online loan application, as well as compute your estimated annual payments with our online loan calculator.
For more information, or if you have any questions, contact Ty Meyer, production ag manager, at 509-535-7274 or by e-mail at [email protected].
LEADERSHIP IN CONSERVATION AWARDLonnie and Marci Green of Green View Farms were honored at the 2010 Annual Meeting with the Leadership in Conservation Award for their many contributions to protecting the sustainability of our natural resources. #ough they were unable to attend the meeting as they were busy attending to their farm, Board Chairman Jerry Scheele told the audience about how the Green’s not only practice direct seeding on their own farm, but how they were instrumental in the success of the mentoring program as they mentored two producers in the spring and one producer in the fall of 2009.
#e Spokane County Conservation District would like to thank Green View Farms for their hard work and dedication to conservation.
In 2010 the Spokane County Conservation District began a groundwater study in the Hangman Creek watershed. #is study will develop a hydrogeologic model using existing well data from the Department of Ecology’s well-log database and the data collected during well drilling and testing.Monitoring wells were drilled in seven key areas within the watershed. #e wells are set up to allow for long-term water level monitoring.
#is monitoring will provide information about groundwater resources in the Hangman basin. #e monitoring information will allow planners and local community members to make informed decisions regarding existing groundwater supplies and future groundwater development. For more information on the groundwater project please contact Rick Noll at 509-535-7274 or [email protected].
NEW GROUNDWATER MONITORING PROJECT
UNDERWAY
#e Department of Revenue recently launched a Web page for farmers and businesses that make sales of goods or services to farmers at http://dor.wa.gov/farmers and some featured topics are the "eld burning exemptions that expire on December 31, 2010, and the new farm tax rule that is coming soon. Information courtesy of the Washington State Department of Revenue.
TAX INFORMATION FOR FARMERS
Over 30 guests, in addition to the sta# and Board of the Spokane County Conservation District enjoyed a little touch of country in May, by attending our 2010 Annual Meeting and learning about the Direct Seed Loan Program and several issues pertinent to today’s producer. Held in Rockford, Washington, at the quaint venue, A Touch of Country, the meeting’s attendees represented a diverse audience with sta# from other conservation districts and various agencies, and farmers, all rubbing elbows and enjoying the good company and informative discussions. Also in attendance were representatives from the o!ces of Congresswoman Cathy McMorris-Rodgers and Representative Matt Shea. Following sta# introductions and a dynamic slideshow of the District’s recent projects, Production Agriculture Manager, Ty Meyer, began the series of discussions with an overview of his department which runs a special $nancing loan program for purchasing direct seed and no-tillage agriculture equipment, as well as the Direct Seed Mentoring Program, which concluded its $rst season in 2009. "e mentoring program teams veteran direct seeders with novice producers looking to make the switch from conventional operations. "e $rst guest speaker was Dr. Kate Painter from the University of Idaho who presented the $nancial analysis that was done on the $rst season of the mentoring program. Her analysis found that for a spring grain crop, direct seeding had an overall savings of $13.50 per acre or 26%, versus conventional tillage. After a home-style barbecue lunch, the guests listened to a presentation by Aaron Esser from
Washington State University who talked about issues relating to wire worms in dry land wheat productions, including identi$cation, detection and control. Also from Washington State University, Kurt Schroeder gave a presentation on the symptoms of nematode damage and possible control and management techniques, as well as symptoms of and solutions for aluminum toxicity in soils. Because of the informative nature of the presentations 15 guests were able to receive pesticide recerti$cation credits through the Washington State Department of Agriculture. Overall, the 2010 Annual Meeting was both well attended and well received as it gave the public a chance to see not only the many projects we have done over the past year, but also to learn about the many opportunities the District o#ers for support and assistance. "e annual meetings are open to the public; contact the District o!ce if you would like to receive information or an invitation to the 2011 Annual Meeting.
Guests enjoyed the informative presentations and lively discussions at the 2010 Annual Meeting.
NEW CHALLENGES, NEW DIRECTIONS, NEW FOCUS
W E L C O M E , PAT !
GET TO KNOW YOUR DISTRICT - ATTEND AN ANNUAL MEETING"e theme of our long-range plan for 2011-2015 rings true with the creation of our new Small Acreage Program. A top priority of the District over the past year has been to establish a new program to address the needs of the small acreage landowner. With more than 55,000 parcels in the county ranging from $ve to 80 acres, there is a pressing need for technical assistance and information on resource planning and use on those acres.
"e District has begun the process of implementing a Small Acreage Program by taking the vital $rst step of hiring Pat Munts to coordinate those e#orts.
Pat is currently working half-time for the District while she continues to provide
education and outreach activities for the WSU Spokane County Extension O!ce. She will be working closely with our certi$ed planners and technical sta# to design and implement speci$c programs to address the needs of the small acreage farms in the county.
For questions about our new program or to $nd out how we can help you, please contact:
Pat Munts, Small Acreage Program Coordinator 509-535-7274, extension 31 or send her an e-mail at [email protected]
Copies of our long-range plan are available for download at www.sccd.org and hard copies can be requested by calling the District o!ce at 509-535-7274.
Pat started her new position at the District in the middle of October and brings with her a wealth of knowledge and years of experience. She has been working with small landowners and farmers as the WSU Spokane County Extension Small Farms Coordinator since 2006. As such she has developed and implemented numerous educational workshops and has developed a strong working rapport with many of the region’s small agricultural producers and agriculture infrastructure organizations. She is also responsible for the ongoing development and management of Spokane’s community garden program.
Prior to joining the WSU Spokane County Extension O!ce she worked for People to People Ambassador Programs, where she developed and implemented agricultural exchange programs between international agricultural professionals and their counterparts in over 40 countries.
"e Spokane County Conservation District is working on installing an in-house soil testing laboratory for basic soil tests; it is our hope that this lab will be operational by the spring of 2011. In the meantime, we are o#ering free soil testing
kits to the public. "ese kits contain everything you need to properly take a soil sample, including instructions and a soil sample bag; the sample can then be sent to an independent laboratory for analysis (lab fees vary by test). Once you receive your lab report, feel free to contact the District’s soil scientist, Eric Choker, who can explain the report and help you with your soil-related questions. Soil testing kits are available for both lawn & garden use and for small acreage landowners. You can pick up a kit at the front desk during our normal business hours and you can reach Eric at 509-535-7274, extension 19, or by e-mail at [email protected].
NEED HELP WITH YOUR SOILS? WE CAN DIG IT!
Pat holds a certi!cate in public relations and an MBA in international marketing from Eastern Washington University.
