Pope Soil & Water

Providing Quality Conservation Resources since 1949

Providing Quality Conservation Resources Since 1949

Dorrich Dairy Named 2015 Outstanding Conservationist for Pope County & Area Finalist for state Award

1511MNWaterQualityFarmThe Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (MASWCD) has named Dorrich Dairy, Glenwood, Minnesota as one of eight Area Finalists in the 2015 Outstanding Conservationist Award Program. Dorrich Dairy will be recognized at a Dec. 8 luncheon at MASWCD’s 79th annual convention in Bloomington. The awards program recognizes farm families, individuals, conservation organizations, and other groups for their accomplishments in implementing conservation practices and improving Minnesota’s natural resources.

Of the eight finalists, one will be announced as the State’s Outstanding Conservationist of the Year at the Dec. 8 luncheon.

“We’re proud of Dorrich Dairy and the Vold Family for what they’ve done in conserving the natural resources in our area,” said Tom Talle supervisor of the Pope Soil and Water Conservation District, which nominated Dorrich Dairy and the Vold Family for the awar1511DorrichDairyd. “It’s great to be able to recognize the work they’ve done locally. They’ve provided a wonderful example for us by implementing buffers, no-till, pest and nutrient management, wildlife practices, water reuse, cover crops, and much more,” he said. They are also very active in the community and provide education an outreach to the community to share their expertise about agriculture. Dorrich Dairy was also just recently recognized as the first operation certified in Pope County through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture Ag Certainty program.

MASWCD sponsors the Outstanding Conservationist Award Program, with support from The Farmer magazine.

Irrigation Clinic to be Held December 16, 2015

Download Postcard | Irrigators mark your calendars to attend an Irrigator’s Clinic to be held at the Lakeside Steak and Chophouse in Glenwood, MN on December 16, 2015. This event will be of interest to anyone who is actively engaged in irrigation on ag lands.

A great line-up of speakers has committed to participating in the event representing: Irrigators Association of Minnesota, University of Minnesota, Board of Water and Soil Resources, Department of Natural Resources, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) and Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

Our groundwater has become a topic discussed more frequently and there has been considerable debate about its sustainability. In the past two years pilot groundwater management areas are discussing quantity and quality concerns related to groundwater. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has been working on an update to the appropriation water permit process and soil and water conservation districts and other agencies and landowners have been a part of that process locally in the Bonanza Valley Groundwater Management Pilot Area. We are pleased to be able to share some of this more recent information with landowners and especially landowners that use irrigation.

There are several other great topics to be addressed during the day including; irrigation technology, an irrigator panel, the state buffer program, water appropriation permitting with thresholds, the MN Ag Water Quality Certification Program, irrigation related programs, projects and incentives, and nutrient management on irrigated soils. The event begins at 8 AM with registration and concludes at 2:45 PM. Lunch will be provided. Pre-registration is requested by sending $10 to Holly Kovarik, Pope SWCD, 1680 Franklin Street North, Glenwood, MN 56334 by December 11, 2015. For more information contact the SWCD’s in Douglas, Kandiyohi, Pope or Stearns counties.

SWCDs fill the crucial niche of providing land and water conservation services to owners of private lands. Minnesota has 89 Soil and Water Conservation Districts. For more information on the Pope Soil and Water Conservation District, please call 320-634-5327 or visit our website.

Intern Hired to Help Control Invasive Weeds

1505JessicaOldakowskiJessica Oldakowski, a 2014 Biology graduate from the University of Minnesota, Morris was recently hired as the Cooperative Weed Management (CWMA) Intern for the Pope Soil and Water Conservation District. She grew up on a dairy farm north of St. Cloud Minnesota and has remained interested in agriculture and the outdoors. Over the last couple of years Jessica was employed with the USDA Soil Lab in Morris working on a Pollination Project. At Ag Reliant Genetics, she was a harvest intern and assisted in corn production line work. She enjoys working with plants, animals, and oilseed crops. A few of her hobbies include being outdoors, hunting, fishing, crafts, and playing tennis.
Jessica will continue the work under the Cooperative Weed Management program including education, documentation of infested sites, treatments, and re-seeding with local native seed. Our main goal with this program is to reduce the environmental and economic threats posed by invasive plant species in the grasslands of Pope and Swift Counties. Education and raising awareness of the significance of these threats is key to achieving our goal.
The CWMA partners are: MnDot, Pope County Highway Department, Pope County Land and Resource Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The Nature Conservancy, Department of Natural Resources, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Farm Service Agency, University of Minnesota Extension Service, and the Pope and Swift Soil and water Conservation Districts. These partners have established a steering committee and are working together to make this program a success. For more information or to report an infestation contact the CWMA intern Jessica Oldakowski at Jessica.oldakowski@co.pope.mn.us or call 320-634-7793.