Jackson County Conservation District

Congratulations to our Jackson County Speech Contest winner Jacob Huyett. He will now move on to the Area IV Speech Contest in Seneca on Wednesday, October 25th.

Thanks to our Speech Contest judges, we appreciate them giving their time to help judge and give valuable feedback to each of the contestants. Left to right in the picture are: Katie Patterson, Kelsey Pagel and Jessica Bowser.

The Jackson County Conservation District held the annual Speech Contest. There were 8 students from Holton HS, Jackson Heights HS, and Royal Valley HS. Congratulations on all of their hard work in preparing and thanks to their FFA Advisors/Teachers for encouraging and helping their students.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd11VU7AmhI

FACE PLANT | Nick Offerman gets down and dirty for regenerative agriculture NRDC & Incredible Beast Omnimedia teamed up with Nick Offerman to make sad soil smile again through climate-friendly regenerative farming. Tell your reps to ...

https://www.kacd.net/climate-smart-testimonial-video-2.cfm?fbclid=IwAR3_U-cx_WMrSf6Y3S9pl7k2cuSBZrig4MsamZTlyd-ZsTUl3oWbQMQ0PEk

Climate Smart Testimonial Video Learn how simple it is to get paid for something you are already doing...planting cover crops. Spring and Fall planted cover crops have helped John's operation in Pawnee County reduce pigweed, improve organic matter, reduce soil surface temperature and retain more soil moisture in his profile.   ....

Enroll your acres today! We provide financial incentives directly to farmers who transition to on-farm conservation practices that yield positive outcomes like carbon sequestration and water quality improvement. We provide new market opportunities and revenue streams for farmers by selling these environmental outcomes to th

https://www.usajobs.gov/job/744583900

Holton FSA is needing a temporary County Program Technician, that could lead into a permanent position.

Temporary County Program Technician These are Temporary County Program Technician positions. The exact locations are listed to the right. These are temporary positions with conversion rights. Major responsibilities for this position can be found below.

Do you grow wheat, soybeans, or corn?

Have you implemented cover crops into your rotation?

Reach out to your local conservation district to learn about programs that will pay you for using cover crops in your rotation!

Contact your local district or visit https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/cu/s3AcWVR/climatesmart to find out if you meet the criteria for this initiative.

This is a great opportunity you won't want to miss!

Farmer to Farmer discussion group Friday evening August 11th, at 6 pm. Late summer/fall cover crop season is upon us so spend some time talking to other farmers that are planting cover crops. Casual discussions, share ideas, and talk about your experiences, while enjoying some pizza and laughs. Will have information on available cover crop programs.

Kansas Climate Smart Cover Crop Program details. Sign-up available now.

Congratulations to the students and advisors of the Jackson County Envirothon teams for all the hard work in preparing for the State Envirothon competition at Camp Wood, Elmdale, Ks.

Holton placed 3rd
Jackson Heights placed 5th
Royal Valley placed 6th

These students and advisors have very busy schedules, so their hard work and dedication is valued and appreciated. We are proud to have all of you representing Jackson County.

Invitation to any producer interested in cover crops and soil health. Just a discussion between farmers about cover crops and soil health. The 1st Farmer to Farmer discussion group will meet at the Danny Goodman farm, see details on the attached flyer.

Congratulations to all the Regional Envirothon Teams at the Red Rock Ranch for participating. Holton Team A finished in 1st place; Royal Valley Team D finished in 2nd place; Jackson Heights Team B finished in 3rd place. 19 Teams from Northeast Kansas participated in the event.

Jackson Heights, Holton and Royal Valley will all compete at the State Envirothon on Wednesday, April 26th at Camp Wood in Elmdale, Ks.

Northern Bobwhite Quail Initiative Workshop - free workshop Wednesday, March 15th from 1 pm to 2 pm in Holton to learn about this new initiative.

Sign-up Announcement

Jackson County Conservation District is conducting a sign-up March 1st thru 31st, 2023 to accept requests for state financial assistance to install enduring conservation practices. The Conservation District administers state cost-share programs locally to improve water quality and reduce soil erosion. Funding is provided by the Division of Conservation, Kansas Department of Agriculture (DOC) through appropriation from the Kansas Water Plan Fund.

Susan Schirmer is the 2022 Wildlife Habitat recipient, recognizing her work in implementing practices to enhance habitat for all varieties of wildlife.

Schirmer Wildlife Award Susan Schirmer is the 2022 Wildlife Habitat recipient, recognizing her work in implementing practices to enhance habitat for all varieties of wildlife.

Danny Goodman is the recipient of the 2022 Soil Health Award. This award is based on the implementation of soil health practices on his farm which includes no-till, crop rotations, cover crops and regenerative farming practices.

Goodman Soil Health Award Danny Goodman is the recipient of the 2022 Soil Health Award. This award is based on the implementation of soil health practices on his farm which includes ...

Tony and Michelle Raaf, are the 2022 Grassland Award recipients. This award is based upon proper grazing management, brush/weed control, fencing and water resource management on their grassland.

Raaf Grassland Award Tony and Michelle Raaf, are the 2022 Grassland Award recipients. This award is based upon proper grazing management, brush/weed control, fencing and water r...

Robbins Farms is the recipient of the 2022 Outstanding Conservationist Award for their continued efforts with conservation practices. The Robbins received the Bankers Award in 2010 and Soil Health award in 2019. The family farm is west of Soldier. Gary is the 3rd generation on the family farm, now son Tanner represents the 4th generation.

Robbins Outstanding Conservationist Award Robbins Farms is the recipient of the 2022 Outstanding Conservationist Award for their continued efforts with conservation practices. The Robbins received th...

Jim and Carol Braum are the 2022 Kansas Bankers Award recipients. The couple’s farmland is South & Southeast of Denison. Jim began farming on the multi-generational family farm in 1976 and continued through 1996.

Braum Soil Conservation Award Jim and Carol Braum are the 2022 Kansas Bankers Award recipients. The couple’s farmland is South & Southeast of Denison. Jim began farming on the multi-gene...

Sponsorships are available for the Women in Ag, if you would like information call 785.336.2186x110 Registration opens February 1st!

Friday – March 17, 2023
Evangel United Methodist Church
227 Pennsylvania Avenue
Holton, KS 66436

GRAZING MANAGEMENT TO EXTEND GRAZING SEASON
Jim Gerrish, Grazing Expert and Consultant
This workshop will focus on grazing cover crops and alternative forages to extend the grazing season through the fall and winter months, keeping livestock out of confined feeding areas. Jim will also discuss the economic advantages of grazing cover crops and how to make every drop of water count.

REGISTER FOR WORSHOPS AT: https://kaws.networkforgood.com/events/52276-livestock-roadshow-2023

For more information contact: Mary Howell (785) 562-8726 or [email protected] Please Register for Meal Count

This project has been funded through Section 319 of the Clean Water Act
Kansas Association of Conservation Districts (KACD)

Great turn out for our Soil Health Workshop on Friday, January 27th in Holton. Over 70 people in attendance to hear Doug Peterson and Bill Buessing discuss soil health, cover crops, grazing, management, profitability and more. We heard great presentations and a lot of great conversation.

The purpose of this Local Work Group (LWG) meeting on Thursday, February 23rd is to gather and make recommendations to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist, as well as other state and local leaders, related to addressing natural resource concerns identified at local level. The recommendations gathered locally, as well as a consolidated report for the entire state of Kansas, will be shared with all interested parties.

LWGs are important because they provide recommendations on local and state natural resource priorities and criteria for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conservation activities and programs.

To RSVP for the February 23rd meeting or to request more information about LWGs, contact your local County Conservation District or NRCS staff. In Jackson County contact: Brian Boeckman; 785-364-3329 ext or use this link: 136.http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=rnxi99sab&oeidk=a07ejlnzd8225d9fa7c

Doug Peterson was an NRCS employee for over 32 years. He started his career as a Soil Scientist. He has been a State Grassland Specialist, State Soil Health Specialist and Regional Soil Health Specialist helping row crop and livestock producers around the country understand soil health and regenerative agriculture, how it impacts virtually all natural resource processes, and what type of management it will take to effectively regenerate our soils health, function and productivity. He attended college at Missouri Western State University graduating in 1986 with a B.S. degree in Agriculture with an emphasis in Economics and Agronomy. He grew up on a crop and livestock farm near Newtown in north Missouri. For the last 20 years he has operated his own 250 head cow/calf and contract grazing operation. He utilizes Adaptive Regenerative Grazing to regenerate soil health, eliminate the need for most purchased fertilizer and limit hay needs to about one bale per cow per winter. Currently he is the Science Officer for the Regenified team. Doug’s NRCS training coupled with his real-world hands-on experience make him very relatable to row crop and livestock producers in all parts of the country. I am excited to be part of the Regenified team and to continue down this path helping others understand how to regenerate their land, improve our environment and be profitable while doing those things. It seems that I have spent my entire adult life learning about soil, plants and animals. Overcoming the human tendency to have absolute control over everything is the first step we have to take. Learning to work with natural ecosystems and not against them is without a doubt one of the hardest things to learn. I believe the best learning comes from doing. Growing up on a farm and then spending many years with NRCS evaluating farms and ranches across the Midwest has allowed me to learn a tremendous amount about managing the land. Running my own farming operation for the last 25 years has been the ultimate learning experience. Whether it be selecting the right fence, waterline, water tanks, adapted livestock, or cover crops and no-till equipment I can help.
Regenerative Agriculture has the ability to improve our environment as well as the health of its people. Without a doubt regenerative agriculture is the future of all agriculture. I look forward to helping you gain the knowledge and confidence to allow you to make the right decisions for your operation.

Bill Buessing owns and operates BS FARMS INC along with his wife Sandy. He uses more than just corn and soybeans in his crop rotation. Cover crops were introduced on his farm more than 20 years ago. He has had something growing in his fields 24/7 since 2013. Bill uses a variety of livestock to help stack the enterprises on his farm.

Our Jackson County Poster Contest have been announced. The County had over 600 posters entered. Thank you to all of the teachers for leading their students through this project and all the work the students put into participating this year.

The winning posters were: 1st grade - Raegan Andler from Royal Valley Elementary; 2nd grade - Callie Moss from Royal Valley Elementary; 3rd Grade - Sylvie Rawlings from Royal Valley Elementary; 4th Grade - Hazel Bowser from Holton Elementary; 5th Grade - Elsie Harris from Holton Elementary;

The Jackson County Conservation District held its annual Speech Contest. The topic was "Healthy Forests: Healthy Communities". We had 3 participants: Ellie Gresham and Carter Will from Jackson Heights and Cody Tannahill from Royal Valley. Congratulations to all of them to participating and for a job well done.

Congratulations to Ellie Gresham from Jackson Heights who was our Jackson County Conservation District Speech Contest winner. The topic was "Healthy Forests: Healthy Communities". She now moves on the the Area IV Speech Contest to be held on November 9th.

Sunflowers with cover crops planted in wheat stubble in July on Danny Goodman's farm.

FFA Regional Land Judging event held on Wednesday, September 21st in Jackson County, hosted by Jackson Heights High School. The Jackson County Conservation District provided lunch to 200 students and advisors. Our lunch sponsor was Denison State Bank, we appreciate their support in helping provide the opportunity to do this. The Conservation District also hosted an educational session after lunch, lead by Joseph Kennedy, District Technician with a rain simulator demonstration and discussion on soil health.

Marshall County Conservation district is hosting a workshop on Managing Old World Bluestem On September 7th, 2022!

RSVP by September 2nd: 785-562-5343 Extension 3

The Jackson County Conservation District have 2 AquaSpy soil moisture probes installed to monitor a soybean field and an alfalfa field within 300 feet from each other. The soybean field was planted to a 12-way cover crop mix into wheat stubble last August 2021. The cover crops were then grazed in November last fall. The soybeans were planted on April 22nd this spring. The alfalfa field is an established stand being hayed every 5 weeks (last cutting 7-15-22).

The soybean field began the week at above 100% soil moisture level, the alfalfa field was at a 26% soil moisture level even though the fields have received the same amount of moisture throughout the year. The alfalfa field lost over half of it's soil moisture level in 5 days, while the soybean field with cover crop residue maintained at 100% soil moisture during that same period. The last moisture detected in the fields was on Sunday, July 17th. The soybean field infiltrated moisture 48" deep, the alfalfa only infiltrated 20" deep with the same rainfall event. With temperatures approaching 100 degrees on July 21st, the soil temp at the 4" depth was 87.8 degrees in the soybean field with cover crop residue and the alfalfa field 4" depth temperature was 91.5 degrees. The infiltration depth of each rainfall event has been 2x to 4x deeper in the soybean field vs. the alfalfa. As we weather this intense heat and lack of rain, the fields with cover crop residue and continued soil health management practices will help sustain the crop through challenging weather conditions while limiting the impact on yields.