The Current
Manitowoc County Soil & Water Conservation - Fall 2020
Learn About Cover Crops from Local Producers: Manitowoc County Cover Crop Map
Have you seen these signs? They're located across Manitowoc County, and highlight one of the best practices Farmers can do to enhance and protect their soil and keep surface and groundwater clean - growing cover crops. Cover Crops are close growing grasses, legumes, or small grains grown to control erosion, add organic matter to the soil, fix nitrogen, offer alternative forage, and improve soil infiltration and aeration.
You can learn more about the cover crops growing across our county with a new interactive cover crop map, featuring over 20 local producers. They describe what's growing, how and when they planted their crops, benefits they're seeing, and lessons they've learned. You can use the map from the comfort of your home or take a drive and see the crops for yourself. Learn who's involved with the project in the "Thank You" video, below.
To view and use the map click the link:
From A Desktop Computer: Click on the field location icon you're interested in learning about. A video bubble with information pops up. Click the play button.
From a Mobile Device: Make sure you have the Google Earth App downloaded to your phone for the best experience. Click on the field location icons or navigate by clicking on the arrows on the bottom of the screen. Use the map to see the fields for yourself!
Pine Creek Watershed Project Updates
Work in the Pine Creek Watershed is underway and we've developed a few tools to share our progress!
Meet the project managers, access the Pine Creek watershed website, and click the story map link to learn what we're working on and get involved.
Website:
https://pinecreekwatershed.wixsite.com/swcd
Story Map:
https://manitowoc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Shortlist/index.html?appid=2864b7e2686045c3ade68c5b6354c395
Meet our New Resource Conservationists & Pine Creek Watershed Managers!
Meet Cheyenne Behnke! Before coming to the Soil and Water Department, Cheyenne worked with local farmers as a Crop Consultant. One of her biggest accomplishments as a crop consultant was earning her CCA (Certified Crop Advisor). She received her Bachelor’s degree in Soil and Crop Science from UW-Platteville. Cheyenne and her husband recently bought a house near St. Nazianz, and were married in October! While not at work you can find Cheyenne raising feeder pigs, teaching figure skating, spending time outdoors, hunting, fishing, four wheeling and spending time with family and friends. She's excited to be a part of the Soil and Water Conservation team!
To Contact Cheynne:
Email: cheyennemueller@co.manitowoc.wi.us
Phone: 920-683-4906
Laura Paletta grew up in upstate New York and received her degree in environmental science, but always wanted to focus on agricultural systems. She moved to Wisconsin to receive her Master’s at the University of Wisconsin- Madison in Soil Science and Agroecology. Her thesis focused on using cover crops and reduced tillage to minimize erosion and phosphorus losses. She continued her research in soil health at UW- Madison until her husband received a job on the east side of the state, bringing her to Manitowoc County Soil and Water. They are excited to explore their new community by boating, kayaking, and hiking.
To Contact Laura:
Email: laurapaletta@co.manitowoc.wi.us
Phone: 920-683-4163
Nutrient Management Class Offered in Small Groups
Manitowoc County Soil & Water Conservation Department is hosting its Nutrient Management Farmer Education Class in small-group sessions this year.
In this condensed version of the class, participants will use their soil test results to write a nutrient management plan and enter it into SNAPPLUS software. The class is best suited for individuals with some experience writing their own nutrient management plan or need support with the SNAPPLUS software.
Contact the office for more information and to sign up at 920-683-4183. Small group sessions of 4 or fewer people will be offered on February 19 and 26, 2021.
To participate, you must have soil test results that are no more than four years old, sampled on a one-sample-per-five-acre basis, and analyzed by a DATCP-approved laboratory.
County-Wide Nitrate Screening Results
A total of 301 well water samples were screened during the Soil & Water Department's 2020 free nitrate screening in August.
The Soil & Water Conservation Department, along with the Home & Community Education Association, provided free nitrate screenings at the Manitowoc County Fair since 1994. After the fair was canceled this year the department teamed up with Country Visions and Rick's Piggly Wiggly to offer the screening at five locations across the county. “Current circumstances prompted us to rethink how we offer our services,” says Education Coordinator, Tara Wachowski. “The new “drive-up” screening offered a safe, more convenient alternative for the public to have their water screened, resulting in a 47% increase in participation this year."
The map indicates average nitrate screening results from 1994 - 2020. Over half (56%) of this year's samples contained less than or equal to 2.0 mg/L. These levels are far below the drinking water standard of 10 mg/L. 32% of the samples were in the 2.0 - 10.0 mg/L range, and 12% tested above the standard. Higher nitrate levels tend to occur in areas vulnerable to groundwater contamination. These areas have shallow soils over bedrock and karst features, such as sink holes, which allow rainwater and melting snow to easily percolate into the underlying aquifer.
Nitrates are one of the most common contaminants in drinking water, and are also a leading indicator of other possible contaminants. Common sources of nitrate include nitrogen fertilizers, manure, septic systems and sewage treatment practices.
Our Partners' News
Farmers and Forest Landowners!! Apply for EQIP funding by November 20! Click the "Financial Assistance" photo above, for more information.
Libertyland Farm Demonstration Plot Updates:
Learning Lessons
The Between the Lakes Demonstration Farm Network made it through its first growing season, with each participating farmer learning lessons that may help local producers.
Greg Gries, of Libertyland Farms Inc, the demonstration farm for Manitowoc County, describes some of those lessons in the video, above. His farm, along with Project Manager, Steve Hoffman, set out to learn if a pull-type fertilizer spreader could be used to spread winter wheat and spring barley cover crop seeds after corn harvest. It proved successful -with a good spread pattern. The time savings and dual-functions of the equipment may benefit some farms in the future.
They also wanted to see if they could establish a winter wheat and spring barley cover crop by surface spreading the seeds and following with a manure application using a medium disturbance tool bar with 5 inch injection. In another trial field, they followed planting with an Aerway as a shallow incorporation tool. Both fields had successful cover crop establishment.
Looking ahead, Gries and Hoffman have their eyes on two trials this spring. The first trial is planting green. Libertyland Farms Inc. is one of four Between the Lakes Demonstration Farm Network farms which are planting green this coming year. Planting green refers to no-till planting of a primary crop into a previous cover crop. For Libertyland, it means no-till planting corn into wheat and barley. The field mentioned above, which was planted and followed with the Aerway, is better positioned to plant green into this spring, and will serve as the trial field for this practice.
The second trial is frost seeding red clover in March. Frost seeding is the practice of broadcasting seed in late winter or early spring. It allows spring's freeze/thaw cycle to work the seeds into the soil, creating good seed to soil contact. This practice opens up another planting window, and may prove to be a cost effective and energy-efficient way of seeding row-crop fields and pastures in our local area.
We'll continue to follow up with Gries, Hoffman, and the rest of the Between the Lakes Farms this spring.
Meet the Between The Lakes Demonstration Farms Network New Natural Resources Educator!
Meet Miranda Miller. She's a Natural Resources Educator with the Between the Lakes Demonstration Farm Network and the Upper Fox and Wolf Demonstration Farm Networks. She conducts outreach around soil health and water quality to reduce non-point source pollution in the Great Lakes area. Miranda earned her Master’s degree in the Human Dimensions of Natural Resources. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Management.
Glacierland RC&D Continues Aquatic Invasive Species Work in Eastern Wisconsin
Glacierland RC&D received a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Grant from the USDA Forest Service to reinvigorate the Lakeshore Invasive Species Management Area (LISMA), a Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area that consists of Calumet, Fond du Lac, Kewaunee and Manitowoc Counties. With the funding, Glacierland RC&D will now administer LISMA, provide educational outreach and workshops, and update the area’s strategic plan for managing invasive species. In addition, with this funding Glacierland RC&D is partnering with the Woodland Dunes Nature Center to treat 45 acres of the Woodland Dunes State Natural Area in Manitowoc County for buckthorn, honeysuckle and Japanese barberry. Woodland Dunes Preserve was designated a State Natural Area due to its high biodiversity and importance to migratory and breeding birds and this control project will contribute to the Nature Center’s continuous efforts to maintain this crucial natural area.
Through funding from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Glacierland employs two Clean Boats Clean Waters Watercraft Inspectors, who are stationed at boat landings across Manitowoc County to talk with boaters about the prevention steps they can take when entering and leaving boat landings to stop the spread of invasive species. Glacierland also has a watercraft inspector in Kewaunee County stationed at East Alaska and Shea’s Lake.
Glacierland employs an Aquatic Invasive Species coordinator, Jake Divine, to administer the AIS education program in Manitowoc County and the LISMA program. If you live or work in Manitowoc County, Jake is available for any questions or concerns about invasive species in your area. He is also able to provide invasive species educational programs, either virtually or in person. Feel free to contact him at jake.divine@glacierlandrcd.org. To learn more about Glacierland RC&D you can visit their website at www.glacierlandrcd.org.
Manitowoc County Soil and Water Conservation
Website: http://webmap2manitowoc-county.com/departments/soil-and-water-conservation/
Location: 4319 Expo Drive, Manitowoc, WI, USA
Phone: (920) 683-4183
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ManitowocCountySoilandWater