The Lawrence County Soil and Water Conservation District’s (SWCD) goal is to provide assistance, education and technical service to the land users of Lawrence County in conserving soil, water, and related natural resources. The Clean Water Indiana (CWI) watershed grants have allowed our District to better serve the landowners of Lawrence County.
Soil Health is an important topic among farmers in the Midwest. With the assistance of CWI grant funds, the Lawrence County SWCD has been able to provide cost share, educational information and technical assistance for grid sampling, cover crops and pasture seeding in recent years. Lawrence County SWCD focused on cover crops for both 2011 and 2012 CWI grant funds. Cover crops are crops planted with the primary purpose of improving soil quality, reducing soil erosion and managing soil fertility. Lawrence County SWCD hosted a cover crop barn meeting to inform the public of the incredible benefits that cover crops have on soil health and erosion control. The meeting began at a demo plot on the corner of State Road 58 East and Boyd Lane just west of the high school. This plot had 11 different varieties of cover crop mixes planted to show farmers the different root structures, and soil benefits between different varieties of plant species. Each different species had a sign to inform the public of the type of cover crop that was present. Greg Downing with Cisco Seed was the speaker at the barn meeting. While on site, Downing discussed the benefits of each different plant species. From there the 39 attendees traveled to SWCD Supervisor Mike Spreen’s farm near Williams where we continued our discussion of cover crop advantages. Attendees were given “Managing Cover Crops Profitably” a book on cover crops to help guide landowners when planting cover crops.
This meeting generated interest from individuals to ask questions and sign up for cover crop cost share program. A copy of the “Cover Crop Field Guide” was given to all those who participated in the 2012 Cover Crop CWI grant. Lawrence County SWCD also purchased yard signs and placed them in the fields where cover crops were planted. The sign reads “Cover Crops Protect Soil & Water;” this was an effort to educate the public, by providing a good visual. Lawrence County SWCD also co-sponsored the Southern Region Soil Heath Workshop with the main focus being Effectiveness of Cover Crops in Southern Indiana.
Clean Water Indiana funds have allowed Lawrence County to help 44 landowners plant 1,872 acres of cover crops in the last two years. Lawrence County Soil and Water Conservation District is looking forward to improving soil health by promoting pasture seeding with cost share from 2013 CWI funds.
Soil Health is an important topic among farmers in the Midwest. With the assistance of CWI grant funds, the Lawrence County SWCD has been able to provide cost share, educational information and technical assistance for grid sampling, cover crops and pasture seeding in recent years. Lawrence County SWCD focused on cover crops for both 2011 and 2012 CWI grant funds. Cover crops are crops planted with the primary purpose of improving soil quality, reducing soil erosion and managing soil fertility. Lawrence County SWCD hosted a cover crop barn meeting to inform the public of the incredible benefits that cover crops have on soil health and erosion control. The meeting began at a demo plot on the corner of State Road 58 East and Boyd Lane just west of the high school. This plot had 11 different varieties of cover crop mixes planted to show farmers the different root structures, and soil benefits between different varieties of plant species. Each different species had a sign to inform the public of the type of cover crop that was present. Greg Downing with Cisco Seed was the speaker at the barn meeting. While on site, Downing discussed the benefits of each different plant species. From there the 39 attendees traveled to SWCD Supervisor Mike Spreen’s farm near Williams where we continued our discussion of cover crop advantages. Attendees were given “Managing Cover Crops Profitably” a book on cover crops to help guide landowners when planting cover crops.
This meeting generated interest from individuals to ask questions and sign up for cover crop cost share program. A copy of the “Cover Crop Field Guide” was given to all those who participated in the 2012 Cover Crop CWI grant. Lawrence County SWCD also purchased yard signs and placed them in the fields where cover crops were planted. The sign reads “Cover Crops Protect Soil & Water;” this was an effort to educate the public, by providing a good visual. Lawrence County SWCD also co-sponsored the Southern Region Soil Heath Workshop with the main focus being Effectiveness of Cover Crops in Southern Indiana.
Clean Water Indiana funds have allowed Lawrence County to help 44 landowners plant 1,872 acres of cover crops in the last two years. Lawrence County Soil and Water Conservation District is looking forward to improving soil health by promoting pasture seeding with cost share from 2013 CWI funds.