The Parke County Soil & Water Conservation District is part of a multi-county Clean Water Indiana Grant of which the main focus is Soil Health. Part of the grant money has been used to hire Larry Timm as a consultant to meet with producers and hold small group meetings promoting cover crops and no-till farming. Don Donovan, NRCS District Conservationist is on the Indiana Soil Health Team and has been very active in promoting Cover Crops. The program has been very successful in increasing acres that are minimally tilled and no-tilled and the acres planted in cover crops has increased greatly in just the two years the grant has been in place. On August 21 a Cover Crop Field Day was held in Parke County at the Fairgrounds. “How To” Improve Your Soil Health was the topic and Mike Plummer, retired Illinois Extension Educator presented a “How to Seed” program. Also presenting were Betsy Bower, Zach Cain, Andrew Brown and Don Donovan. The program was a success with 98 attendees and over 20 sponsors. Another component of the grant is a cost-share program which helps producers experiment with planting cover crops. The first year there was one participant but the next year fourteen producers applied. Parke County SWCD is very happy to be promoting Healthy Soils!
Another program offered in 2012 was well testing. Sixty-six Parke County residents had their well water tested at a reduced rate because the SWCD paid 50% of the fee. It is important for everyone to be aware of the benefits of clean water. Educational programs are also a large part of our mission. We supply Soil Stewardship materials to churches and all schools in our county and also promote conservation through our 4th grade poster contest. The Parke SWCD supports Extension Conservation programs like 5th Grade Conservation Days and 4-H Projects. Wildlife Plot seed is available at no charge in the spring for wildlife buffers and habitat. Our Truax no-till drill is available to rent for seeding waterways, buffers, pastures and habitat areas.