Conservation District event showcases best methods

    HOULTON — The Southern Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District recently held a “Winter Cover and Beyond” Field Day at Houlton High School’s Bird Farm.
Photo courtesy of Sue Young
COMMITTED TO CONSERVATION — Over the five-year, cost-shared Winter Cover Project, 36 producers within the Meduxnekeag Watershed adopted the required winter cover crop and mulching practices. Accepting his special “Participant’s Plaque” during the recent Southern Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District field day luncheon is Perry Lilley of Smyrna.
    The purpose of the field day was to not only recognize those farmers who participated in the Winter Cover Project, a five-year effort designed to support winter cover conservation practices, but to expand on the Winter Cover Project by providing information to producers on how to decrease on-farm energy costs while continuing to improve soil health. This was done through a reduced tillage equipment demonstration and session talks by agriculture professionals.
    Andrew Plant of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension began the field day by talking about alternative cover crop rotations, some of which were planted on a demonstration plot at the Bird Farm, that can reduce inputs and potentially open new markets that may help alleviate some of the energy crunch. Lauchlin Titus, an agriculture consultant, discussed fertilizer efficiency and how a producer can figure the nitrogen available for their next crop to eliminate unnecessary applications.
Photo courtesy of Sue Young
PUT TO THE TEST — Littleton’s Bob Fitzpatrick tries out an 8-foot roller crimper and demonstrated it by knocking down a cover crop of oats and hairy vetch with an 8-foot roller crimper during the recent field day.
    The afternoon session focused on reduced tillage and soil health discussions and provided everyone present a chance to see a roller crimper in action. Mark Fulford of Teltane Farm in Monroe and an independent farm consultant and educator, has been working on a soil health project with the Heart of Maine RC&D and has been no-till planting experimental plots on his own farm.
    Fulford brought an 8-foot roller crimper and demonstrated it by knocking down a cover crop of oats and hairy vetch. The resulting mulch from the rolled cover crop, which would normally be direct seeded or transplanted into, provides protection from soil erosion, weed suppression and nutrient cycling. It also preserves soil moisture and organic matter and provides habitat for beneficial insects. Using this method eliminates additional field passes, which reduces soil compaction and saves on fuel costs, equipment wear and time.
Mark Fulford
    Over the five-year, cost-shared Winter Cover Project, 36 producers within the Meduxnekeag Watershed adopted the required winter cover crop and mulching practices. These same participants were each presented with a special “Participants Plaque” during the field day lunch by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s representative, Steve Winnett.
    The Winter Cover Project was funded through a grant program from the EPA and involved the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, SASWCD, Natural Resources Conservation Services and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.