Spring is a good time to evaluate
- col-conservation-corner
- April 9, 2023
- 545
As we roll into spring and hopefully warm weather soon, it is a great time to get outside and evaluate your property.
Generally, spring and summer bring with them an endless number of projects around the farm or property. Planting, seeding, building fence, spreading manure, planting trees, spreading fertilizer and invasive species/weed control are just a few of the many projects farmers and property owners will undertake this spring and summer.
As we commence with these tasks, it is very important to use best-management practices as much as possible. If you are spreading fertilizer, whether in a yard or 100-acre field, pull a soil sample and apply only what is needed. This will help to avoid over fertilizing. Not only will this perhaps save money, but also it will aid in avoiding fertilizer runoff, which could eventually find its way into the waterways.
With the mild winter we have had, there have not been many opportunities to spread manure. Be careful not to over apply in any given area. Also, be sure to honor any setbacks from creeks and streams to avoid any unnecessary contamination into these waterways.
As always, no till seeding and planting is a great option to conserve topsoil. Your county soil and water conservation most likely has a no till drill for rent that could be used if you do not own one.
This time of year also is important for locating and addressing any conservation issues that may have arisen over the winter. If you find issues on your property and are not exactly sure how to handle them, the county soil and water conservation district can be a valuable resource to aid in addressing these issues.
As a county-funded agency, there is no charge to use its services. You can schedule a visit with an experienced technical person to view your problem, and they can provide advice on how to handle a particular issue. These technicians continually complete training courses that deal with a wide variety of issues. Odds are they have seen or learned about how to deal with a problem similar to the issue you may be faced with.
One more thing to keep in mind when undertaking projects around the farm or property is safety. Whether you are driving posts for a new fence, digging a hole for a mailbox post, excavating a pond or anything else that requires you to disturb the ground, make a call to 811 Ohio Utility Protection Service, more commonly known as OUPS.
This is a free service that requires only a phone call to provide information concerning your project location. This service then notifies the various utilities that may have equipment in your location. The utility companies will then locate anything they may have buried in your area.
These include but are not limited to pipelines, power lines, phone lines, water lines, sewer lines and fiber optic cables. If the 811 call has not been completed, striking an underground utility can not only be extremely costly, but also very dangerous. If you are having a contractor perform work for you, require they perform the 811 call.
Everyone stay safe and enjoy great weather coming soon in our great state.
Matt Liggett is the Tuscarawas County Soil and Water Conservation District board chairman.