November 23, 2016

Newman re-elected to SWCD Board of Supervisors

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In the election held September 8th, Melody Newman was re-elected to the Soil and Water Conservation District’s Board of Supervisors. Melody had been a teacher at Clermont Northeastern for 35 years where she taught fifth grade Science and Language Arts before retiring in 2013.

Melody received her bachelor’s degree from Morehead State University and her masters from Northern Kentucky University. She has lived her entire life in Clermont County and currently resides near Stonelick Lake.

Melody will be sworn in by county officials as she begins her third term on January 1, 2017. Congratulations to Melody and thank you for serving your conservation district and county

Posted in: board of supervisors
November 23, 2016

International Delegation Visits Clermont SWCD

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In October, a delegation with the China Ministry of Agriculture visited the Clermont SWCD office on their tour of American agriculture. The delegation was deeply interested in programs that are available to farmers and mapping soils, including soil health.  The delegation visited with staff from our office and Lori Lenhart with the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Posted in: best management practices, conservation
November 23, 2016

Clermont County to Host New and Small Farm College

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Are you interested in learning how to make the most of a few acres? If so, the OSU Extension Clermont office is hosting an eight week course just for you. Topics include: Getting Started, Sources of Information, Legal/Insurance, Financial/records, Marketing and more.

Weekly classes will be held on Thursday evenings in the 4-H Hall on the Clermont County Fairgrounds between January 12 and March 2. The cost to register is $150 for the first person from a farm and $100 for each additional person. This includes dinner, drinks and dessert each night, along with a materials binder and one soil sample evaluation.

To register or for more information, contact Gigi Neal at neal.331@osu.edu or 513-732-7070.

Posted in: conservation, cover crops, new farm, small farm
November 23, 2016

Duke Energy, Clermont SWCD Partner on a Beautiful Solution to Storm Water Pollution

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Recently, Duke Energy and the Clermont Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) partnered with a homeowners’ association in a Union Township subdivision to combat runoff problems and beautify the neighborhood at the same time.

Under a $25,000 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation, Clermont SWCD worked with the Shayler Woods Homeowners Association (HOA) to install a 1000 square foot rain garden in a section of the subdivision where storm water did not receive any treatment before it reached a small creek. The garden will catch storm flows from two small drainage areas and allow it to soak into the ground over a day or two rather than running off into the creek. Along with reducing flow, the garden will help filter pollutants, including nutrients found in lawn fertilizers what can contribute to algae blooms.

Gene Benninger, the president of the Shayler Woods HOA, said “We are pleased that our community was chosen for this project. It has greatly enhanced the appearance of the landscape, and we look forward to Spring when everything will be blooming.”

Clermont SWCD offers guidance to any landowner in Clermont County, including homeowners associations, interested in creating their own rain garden.  Requests for assistance can be made by calling (513) 732-7075. or sending an email to ssteffensen@clermontcountyohio.gov.

Posted in: conservation, rain barrels
November 23, 2016

Wolfer Farms Honored as District Cooperator of the Year

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Wolfer Farms is located in Jackson Township and is operated by Eric and Tony Wolfer. Multiple conservation practices have been installed on land they farm, including cover crops, conservation crop rotation, nutrient management and others. Wolfer Farms received one of the first cover crop EQIP contracts in Clermont County in 2010.

Eric and Tony have lent their cover crop expertise to the district on several occasions. They offered up their farm to Miami University students to learn farming practices, while completing a project for Clermont Soil & Water. Their input was included in the “Cover Crops for Southwest Ohio” booklet that was published by the district and the newest edition has just been released in November. Eric also allowed Soil and Water to feature him in our “Cover Crop Farmers of Southwest Ohio” booklet, where he shared some of his successes and gave tips for farmers just starting out with cover crops.

More recently, Tony and Eric have allowed the district use of their farm on McCafferty Road to study the effectiveness of cover crops in reducing nutrient and sediment runoff. This is no small commitment. They have allowed us and the Office of Environmental Quality to install two very large monitoring flumes and associated monitoring equipment in two side by side ditches for a period of five years. Wolfer Farms has agreed to plant winter cover crops in one of the fields while leaving the other unplanted after crops are removed, allowing us to study the differences in runoff. Not only have they lent their land for this, they have helped with both the installation and repairs, which, after the heavy storms we’ve received, have been significant.

Posted in: cooperators
November 23, 2016

Clermont SWCD Thanks Its 2016 Cooperators

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Thanks to all our Cooperators for all the Conservation Best Management Practices installed this Year!

Agri-chemical Handling Facility

Wolfer Farms

Brush Management

Bob Bolce

Charles Ernstes (4)

Jim Metzger

Jeremy Mount (2)

Don Smith (2)

Laura Weber (3)

Dan Welz

Arthur Williams (2)

Conservation Crop Rotation

Tony Panetta

Robert Stahl

Conservation Stewardship Program

Tina Bosworth

Dave Uible

Cover Crop Plantings:

Doug Auxier  (2)

Troy Baker

Robert Fee

Jason Grant

John Gray

Jeff Gunter

L & L Farm Holdings

Ted Hollender

Rob Hutchison

Tim Jarman

James Liming

Mark Liming

Brian Lung

Tony Panetta

Louie Rose

Richard Rosselot

Robert Stahl

Dan Tarvin

David Werring

Tim Werring

Tony Werring

Eugene Wiederhold

Wolfer Farms (2)

Critical Area Planting

David Morgan

Waltz Enterprises

Forest Stand Improvement

Jeremy Mount

Varick Trust (2)

Heavy Use Area Protection

Wolfer Farms

Herbaceous Weed Control

Joel Monteith (2)

Laura Weber

High Tunnel

Louise Gartner

Adam Mancino

Prescribed Grazing

Victor Riley

Dan Weber (2)

Tree/Shrub Establishment

Joel Monteith (2)

Jeremy Mount

Laura Weber

Arthur Williams

Upland Wildlife Habitat Management

Cincinnati Nature Center

Posted in: best management practices, conservation, cover crops