A series of videos are in the works by our office to assist landowners in making management decisions on their ponds. These short videos will contain the basics of pond management here in our county and address some of the most common problems and questions our office receives calls on. These will be released as they are completed and will supplement our annual pond clinic. As always, we still offer free onsite consultations to your pond management and pond construction needs. You can also check out our website for additional educational pond material.
The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission’s (ORANSCO) Ohio River Sweep 2021 will be held on June 19, 2021 from 9 am to noon as part of the Summer Litter Clean-up month long event. The annual volunteer cleanup extends the along the entire river and is a great volunteer opportunity for groups and individuals. The event includes cleanups in New Richmond, Neville and Moscow. For more information and registration, contact Penny at OhioRiverSweep@gmail.com.
Please join us in welcoming Connie Miller as the new SWCD Executive Assistant. Connie started work in April, and comes to us from the Clermont County Water Resources Department, where she served as the Executive Assistant and Office manager for 12 years. Before that, she worked for seven years at the Clermont County Law Library. Connie grew up on a small family farm in Brown County, and is excited to have the chance to work with the agricultural community.
After 21 years of serving as Clermont SWCD’s administrative assistant, Susie Steffensen retired on May 28. Susie began her career in April 2001, and quickly made substantial improvements to the District’s accounting system. Before long, administrative assistants from SWCDs across the state would turn to her for guidance. Along with maintaining the District’s finances, Susie was always eager to take on additional duties, such as assisting with pollution abatement complaints, stream sampling and maintenance of monitoring equipment, storm sewer mapping, and taking care of multiple public rain gardens across the county, not to mention the annual plant sale. But most will remember Susie as the first person they spoke with when they called or visited the office. Over 21 years, Susie answered questions and provided guidance on District services to thousands of people.
We will greatly miss Susie’s enthusiasm and dedication to her work, but most of all we will miss seeing our friend in the office each day. Thank you for 21 wonderful years, Susie. You will be missed!
When most people hear the word ‘compost’, they automatically think of a smelly pile of moldy food. However, when done correctly, composting does not smell bad and is a sanitary way to dispose of organic waste. There are many excellent reasons to compost and the greater Cincinnati area has numerous resources available to assist you on your composting journey. Composting yard, garden, and food waste at home saves transportation and disposal cost, and provides an environmentally sound way to manage waste, since yard waste makes up to 30% of the municipal solid waste stream. In addition, composting can provide excellent fertilizer for gardens, yards, and other plants. Adding compost to your garden will increase drainage and provide a continuous source of nutrients required for plant health.
There are many different ways to start composting and no matter what your restrictions may be, there is a composting method that will work for you. At the most basic level, composting can happen when materials are placed in a mound and left alone. If you want a faster or more contained system, you can consider building or purchasing a composting bin. It is not necessary to have a bin, however, it can make it easier to turn the pile, keep the pile manageable, and remove finished compost. You can make your own bin out of wood or fencing and posts. You can also purchase a compost bin that is an enclosed system which will produce usable compost typically in less than a month. These types of bins include rolling bins, tumblers, enclosed bins, and worm bins. If you are interested in purchasing a composting bin, the Office of Environmental Quality currently has Earth Machine compost bins available for purchase for $46. Contact Hannah Lubbers (513) 732-7894 x 4 or hlubbers@clermontcountyohio.gov for more details.
Composting can be an easy and cost effective way to improve the soil quality in your gardens and help your landscaping thrive. No matter how you choose to compost your organic waste, know that you are doing your part to help reduce the amount of waste that goes to our landfills.
