EVENTS

2009 Cover Crop Field Day

            The Decatur County Soil & Water District held its second Cover Crop Field Day on March 24, 2009.  Wenning Farms hosted the field day with approximately 60 people enjoying good food, a great program and a beautiful day.  The morning began with a recap of last year’s yield results followed by Eileen Kladivko, Purdue University Professor.  She discussed the importance of cover crops for improving soil and water quality and organic matter.  Mike Hughes, NRCS District Conservationist and Christine Goldstein, Clifty Creek Watershed Project Resource Specialist, each spoke on the cost-share opportunities and programs that are available through each of their offices.  The Indiana Corn Marketing Council member Mark Bacon presented the District with a check to help with cost of the field day.  Dave Robison, Cisco Seeds Agronomist/Seed Marketing Manager spoke on the different types of cover crops available and where to buy seed.  Ron Althoff, Bio-Till Agronomist, educated the crowd on rye grass as a cover crop and how do kill it before planting in the spring.

                After a delicious pork chop lunch provided by local agri-businesses Ray McCormick, Vice-President of the Indiana Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts addressed attendees.  Ray is a long time no-tiller who farms around 4,000 acres in Knox County.  Ray spoke about cover crops on their family farm along with wildlife management, energy bundling and the future of conservation.  Attendees then looked at different no-till planter set ups before heading out to the fields to examine various types of cover crops and dig soil pits.  Eileen Kladivko, Dave Robison and Ron Althoff evaluated the effect the cover crops had provided on the soil.  All three gave high praise to the soil quality, root structure, organic matter and earthworm activity provided by no-tilling and cover crops.

Thank You:

 Roger Wenning and family for all their hard work and assistance. 

Local agribusinesses who cosponsored the field day: Becks Hybrids, Grazing Systems Supply, Indiana Corn Marketing Council, Kova Fertilizer, Inc., Miller Equipment, Premier Ag Co-op, Inc., Smith Implements, Inc., Stewart Seeds, Inc, Wenning Excavating & Drainage

Attendees and speakers for making this event a successful and educational day for everyone.

Trees Leave Fast For Greener Pastures
Joe Hornaday, Greensburg Daily News

(May 4, 2009) National Stewardship Week, a device of the National Association of Conservation Districts, ended in Greensburg this week as the team from the Decatur County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) handed out free trees.

The parking lot at the Decatur County Family YMCA was filled with families hoping to score at least one of the trees for their own lawns. With more than 1,000 trees to give away and a bucket of water to keep their hands clean, the crew stayed busy, dishing out the tiny trees in one of five varieties: red oak, white oak, walnut, tulip and bald cypress. Early in the day, there were even some dogwood trees available that were left over from a Toyota tree giveaway in Columbus. When the SWCD opened shop at 10 a.m., cars were lined up from the parking lot to the road, SWCD chairman Roger Wenning said.

Once the customer’s selection was made, the trees were bagged up and handed over. SWCD coordinator Jenna Peck helped the patrons with instructions on how to plant the trees and how to maintain them. She also worked with kids, assisting them in learning how to plant their own little flowers. Coloring books and other activities sheets were passed out as well.

Wenning explained that planting a tree would be something good for a family to do together, creating a memory that they could later share.