04.22.15 NW HUB TELECONFERENCE NOTES

NW REGIONAL HUB TEAM TELECONFERENCE

April 22, 2015

Present:

/ Lisa Holscher, IASWCD / CCSI
Meg Leader, ISDA
John Young, Cass NRCS
Talia Tittlefritz, Wabash River Enhancement Corp
Kristen Clason, Wabash River Enhancement Corp
Angie Garrison, Hamilton NRCS
Leah Harmon, ISDA
Ashley Hammac, Purdue / CCSI
Ben Lambeck, Fountain NRCS
Susannah Hinds, NRCS Area Office
Gene Matzatt, Purdue Extension
Geneva Rawlins, ISDA
Mark McCauley, Hamilton SWCD
Notes by: / Lisa Holscher
  • Advanced Cover Crops Training
  • Still a lot of review
  • Lori Hoagland presentation on soil ecology was the most interesting
  • Need to stick with NEW topics
  • Structure seemed to work well; Really like the hands-on
  • Great info on WLEB / Stone Labs (April 9 in Ft Wayne – Gene Matzatt)
  • Summer Workshop Updates
  • Ray Archuleta
  • June 23rd – MAY be part of Farm Management Tour in Jay Co. UNKNOWN
  • June 24th – Henry/Hancock Co – Workshop
  • June 25th – Reclaimed Minelands Field Day, Sullivan County
  • Roger Wenning
  • August 12th – Dave Brandt, Jim Hoorman
  • Hoorman MAY also do event in SW
  • Ray Weil
  • August 18th – Beef House w/ Bob Barr, Mike Starkey, Jack Maloney
  • August 19th – LaGrange – Will also pull in MI and OH; Field Day Setting, soil pits, etc
  • August 20th – Arnholt Farm, Bartholomew Co – Field Day setting, Soil Pits, etc
  • Will do one large press release for the events; Will have targeted press releases / flyers for individual events/series
  • Other Upcoming Events
  • Susannah H. is working on Small Farm / Soil Health Field Day in June; May have a grazing component
  • June 24th – Diagnostic Training at Pinney; similar to the ACRE events;
  • September 9th – Diagnostic Training at Pinney
  • Wabash River Enhancement Corp – Deer Creek Sugar Creek
  • WREC is managing Section 319 grant for Carrol Co SWCD – Grant ends January 2016
  • Deer Creek / Sugar Creek watershed is located in Carroll, Cass, Miami, Tippecanoe, and Howard Counties
  • Have just distributed $150,000 in cost share
  • Mostly cover crops
  • Pretty evenly distributed over watershed.
  • Contractually required to have 2 workshops.
  • Goal – Make sure recipients are successfuland will continue to use cover crops w/o financial assistance.
  • Bus Tour
  • Have farmers who would be interested.
  • Suggested visiting w/ Dan Perkins, Jasper SWCD, and Ben Reinhardt, Clinton Co SWCD about how their Soil Pit tours were organized.
  • Consider giving option of following tour in private vehicles.
  • Suggest working with DCs; SWCDs to locate good stops
  • Would want speakers on the bus(es) – Susannah Hinds, Kerry Smith, Brandy Dagget (All NRCS) and Ben Reinhart would be good suggestions – local to the area; ready to step into these roles.
  • Timing – Consider LATE fall and replicate in Spring (CCSI would pledge support to keep the momentum going)
  • “Traditional” Field Day
  • Were discussing Cass Co; Location in / around Deer Creek
  • John y. will work with DCs, Cameron Mills to try locating potential place
  • Perhaps have summer-seeded plots in place (think after wheat). May require
  • Timing – LATE August
  • Content
  • Consider Jamie Scott as a “how to” speaker; Cameron Mills also good.
  • Consider having Tillage / Cover Crop Transect Information Available
  • Consider having Jordan Seger / Justin Schneider and/or others talk about Indiana efforts w/ EPA – role model of voluntary implementation of best practices; avoiding regulation.
  • RCPP
  • Notre Dame 2-stage Ditch program in Howard and Kosciusko Co.
  • Got application, but had to cut 1/3 of $$.
  • Kosciusko had 60% +/- of watershed in cover crops before ran out of funds - 3000-6000Ac in drainage area.
  • Delaying start in Howard Co for 2 years.
  • Once people were aware of project, it snowballed.
  • Might use $$ to put on a super-targeted workshop in Howard Co. (Need clarification here)
  • Plots
  • Soil Pits
  • Case studies from actual farms

NEXT Teleconference – May 27th