Conversation and Coffee can benefit your farm
- Joe Christner: SWCD
- January 23, 2025
- 601
One of the things I get to do each year as part of my job here at Holmes Soil and Water Conservation District is visiting farms in the Sugarcreek Watershed that have been a part of the Alpine Nutrient Trading Program.
I schedule these visits at the end of each year, and doing farm visits has been one of the reasons I like my job at SWCD. We review the status of conservation practices installed on their farms and pick up their nutrient management records for the year. I usually ask for feedback on how Holmes SWCD can be a valuable resource for their operation.
About three years ago, one farmer suggested a neighborhood meeting to get an update on water quality and stream sampling results in his watershed. Good idea, because one of the goals of Holmes SWCD is to provide information about watersheds and water quality for the landowners and farmers in Holmes County.
I brought that idea back to the staff and board. It was decided to plan two meetings and call them Conservation and Coffee. The idea was to promote conversation about conservation at meetings in different neighborhoods and watersheds.
In February 2023, Conservation and Coffee meetings were held at Ackermans Equipment and Rental in Mt. Hope and at Valley Acres Farm on County Road 19 in the Doughty Valley. The topics for discussion included soil test results, planning for cover crops and a farmer round table on management. It was decided to continue these meetings as an annual event.
In February 2024, Holmes SWCD partnered with three farmers to host three more meetings. That year the meetings were held at the Willis Miller farm near Mt. Hope, the Mose Mast farm near Farmerstown and back at Valley Acres Farm in the Doughty Valley. The topics at these meetings focused on local watersheds, water quality and a discussion about the opportunities on the farm to improve the watershed you live in by implementing a conservation practice.
So again, this year while I was out on farm visits, I asked about ideas for this year’s Conservation and Coffee meetings. Two of the subjects that were mentioned are balancing soil fertility to improve soil health and managing wildlife areas and buffers.
This year three separate events are scheduled at the location and times listed below:
—Tuesday Feb. 4 at the Winesburg Fire Station, 2089 Main St., Winesburg.
—Wednesday, Feb. 12 at the Farmerstown Village Produce Auction, 2858 state Route 557, Baltic.
—Tuesday, Feb. 18 at the Junior D Miller Farm, 5880 County Road 19, Millersburg.
Coffee and doughnuts will be provided by Holmes SWCD.
The agenda for all three meetings will be similar. We will start with Holmes SWCD updates, services and programs. Holmes County Extension ag educator Janessa Hill will provide information on OSU Extension programs and resources.
At the Winesburg location, there will be a presentation on soil balance and soil health by Aaron Weaver of Greenfield Farms. At the other locations, Joel Kurtz of Maysville Elevator will talk about improving soil health by balancing soil fertility.
After that, Karen Gotter of Holmes SWCD and Henry Wengerd Jr. will present and lead a discussion on wildlife areas, buffers and stream exclusion at all three locations. Following their presentation, we will have a farmer round table discussion on farm management called Things That Worked, Things That Didn’t.
At the Farmerstown location, two farmers will talk about the before and after of the Alpine Best Management Practices on their farms.
For a lot of us, January is a time when we think about making changes that will improve some areas of our life such as exercise, what we eat, finances or making better use of our time.
Why not plan to attend one of these meetings and get some ideas on how to improve one area of your farm operation? You may come away with things you can do to balance your soil and improve soil health, resulting in reduced costs or increased yields or both. You may get some ideas on improving wildlife habitat, field buffers or stream exclusion, resulting in increased wildlife, birds and pollinators. You also can participate in a discussion and ask questions with other farmers and landowners. And there is free coffee and doughnuts.
If you have questions, do not hesitate to give us a call at 330-674-2811 ext. 3.
Holmes SWCD also will be at the Ag-Pro Expo at Harvest Ridge Expo Center, 8808 state Route 39, Millersburg, on Thursday, Jan. 30. Stop in for breakfast from 7:30-9 a.m. and a vendor show and presentations from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come by and see us.