Page 2 • Arenac Conservation District 62nd Annual Report, February 7, 2018
Goodroe’s provides hands-on ag education
By Tim Barnum
news@arenacindependent.com 989-387-9140
STERLING — When it comes to providing agricultural education to Arenac County students, one would be hard-pressed to find a better source than the annual fifth-grade trip to Goodroe Farms in Sterling. Due to its willingness to allow students to see the farm’s operations,
Goodroe Farms was selected as the Arenac Conservation District’s farm of the Year. “They have been helping us with the fifth-grade tour for the last four years,” said conservation district Administrator Dawn Hergott. “For them to shut their farm down to help us with that program, we just really wanted to show our appreciation. They man stations and get it all set up. I know they’re working for
Jake, Bill, Jon, Dave and Dan Goodroe pose for a photo near the sign at the entrance of their farm.
Tim Barnum/Arenac County Independent
several day before to get the farm ready for the kids. Whatever we want done, they’ll do.” Jake Goodroe, owner-operator of the farm, said although the farm has partnered with the conservation district for the last few years, school field trips have been held there for much longer — about 20 years. Jake said he enjoys seeing the students come to the farm. “It’s a great experience, because we started doing the tours when I was in school and my classes would come,” he said. “It reminds me of the joy we had growing up.” Since the time Jake and his classmates went to visit the family farm, the tours and farm have grown. “It used to be we would just hold hands and walk from the school in Sterling,” he said. “Now we have multiple schools coming. We have buses coming in and it’s a larger operation from when I was in school.” Hergott said being able to take students to a farm is important for the conservation district, and knowing Goodroe Farms is ready and willing every year makes her job and that of the volunteers who help with the tour a lot less stressful. The farm staff is always willing to try new things during the tour, Hergott said.
“I’ve not had one problem,” she said. “I bring ideas to them and they’re like, ‘Yeah, let’s do it.’ It’s been pretty great
working with them.” The farm is shut down for several hours during the annual fifth-grade tour, Hergott said, but that doesn’t mean the staff is relaxing. “They run several of the stations that we have,” she said. “They run the milking parlor and work with the kids. They’re over in the dry cow barn and with the equipment and the calves.” Hergott said the farm also provides snacks, drinks and hand sanitizer for the students during the tour. Hosting and participating in the tour is important to the farm, Jake said. “We want to have young kids know why and what we do,” he said. “It keeps them from having negative insight on what they think we’re doing.” Along with hosting the school tour, Jake said Goodroe Farms also practices environmentally friendly procedures, although it isn’t enrolled in any state or federal programs. “We don’t have them come out, but we do cover crops on corn ground,” he said. “We plant rye through the winter. That way the soil doesn’t erode.” Jake said the Goodroes are appreciative of the award, which will be presented to the farm during the conservation district’s annual meeting Feb. 15 at the Deep River Township Hall in Sterling.
Arenac Conservation District 62nd Annual Report, February 7, 2018 • Page 3
Check out our ONLINE STORE!
www.arenacconservationdistrict.com www.facebook.com/ ArenacConservationDistrict
Arenac Conservation District 2018 Spring Tree Sale Deadline to order is March 30th Pick-up is April 20th (9 am - 5 pm) & 21st (9 am - Noon)
Page 4 • Arenac Conservation District 62nd Annual Report, February 7, 2018
Hunting Access Program Success
A message from Dawn M. Hergott Arenac Conservation District has been participating in the Hunting Access Program (HAP) since 2010 when we were asked by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to help them promote and increase HAP acres in our county. As in any program, we like to measure success. We have had incredible success in signing up properties and increasing acres. We currently have 30 landowners and 2,693 acres signed up. That’s an easy way to show success that we are very proud of. We also measure success with the amount of dollars generated in the HAP program with a total of $42,833 being paid out to our local landowners for their generosity of opening their land to the public, which is not an easy thing to do in this day and age with so many things to worry about liability-wise, but our landowners are wonderful stewards of the land and love to share the results of their years of caring for the land with others. We also look at the number of hunters using HAP lands. Although this is not a hard statistic that we
use, it’s definitely one that we look at to determine how a HAP land is being used. Hunters have to sign in when they use the property, which helps determine what HAP lands are generating traffic and being used to their full potential. If properties are not utilized as much as others, we may start to review what can be done to bring it up to a more successful usage. One of the ways we can improve the properties’ potential for wildlife and hunters is through the DNR habitat grants. Habitat grants help improve habitat, from more trees and shrubs to better grassland management. We encourage all HAP landowners to take full advantage of this grant opportunity and use it to better the wonderful asset they have in their lands. One way we have never evaluated success is in the actual success that the hunter has when on HAP lands. Hunters often leave messages about how wonderful the lands are that they hunt on, but we never really hear or see what their hunt brings them. To find a unique and fun way to track success this year, we decided to have a Successful Hunt drawing.
Tractor Air Conditioning Repairs Bulk Tank Repairs Commercial Water Heaters, Repair & Installation In-floor Radiant Heating Systems Installation
989-233-5823 707 W. US-23, Omer
Dan Meihls Jr. meihlsmechanical.net 24-HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE Agricultural • Commercial • Industrial • Residential Refrigeration ~ Heating ~ Plumbing Air Conditioning ~ Boilers SALES, INSTALLATION & SERVICE
The rules are simple: when a hunter has a successful harvest on a HAP land, they send us a picture that includes the HAP sign-in book of the property they were hunting on, and they are entered into a drawing for a $100 gift card to Frank’s Great Outdoors. Simple enough, right? We wanted to make it fun and have extra opportunities to enter so we offered additional ways to enter the drawing. If they post a picture on our Arenac Conservation District Facebook page they get an entry; if they have the HAP sign in their picture they get another entry; and if they email their photo to our office they get yet another entry. The one thing we didn’t expect was the great stories that would come from the contest. Hunting is a very passionate experience, especially when family members hunt together. I’m going to share just a bit of one letter sent to us as written: “Jacob decided a year ago to purchase a pointer dog puppy and train him on pheasants and grouse in this great state. This was Jacob’s and my first experience with HAP and the Pheasant Restoration Initiative.
The three mornings of hunting were awesome — you see, it’s not just about shooting birds. We experienced and were awed by the overall beauty of Arenac County and all of the hard work that has gone on there from a conservation and restoration initiative. The dog flushed hens in many of the fields we hunted, and then our success came on Sunday morning with Jacob shooting this beautiful rooster after a spectacular point and flush by his 1.5-year-old German Short-hair Pointer Oliver.” Now, I don’t know about anyone else but, this to me is GREAT SUCCESS! The fact that these two spend time raising, training and hunting together has to be worth more than anyone can ever measure. That we played a role in providing a place for them to go hunt and have success in their hunt well, that’s just the icing on the cake for us here at the Arenac Conservation District. If you would like to know more about the Hunting Access Program, stop in and see Dawn Hergott at the Arenac Conservation District office or you can check out www.michigan. gov/mihunt.
Arenac Conservation District 62nd Annual Report, February 7, 2018 • Page 5
The Arenac County Fair July 31 - August 4, 2018
A note from the Chairman, Tim Hagley, Board Chairman Hello to all our Arenac County residents. Having been involved with the Arenac Conservation District for many years, first being elected in 1987, I am proud to be a part of the board that works not for ourselves but for the residents of our county in helping to protect the nature, beauty and future of their lands. As different invasive plant species migrate into county lands, the Arenac Conservation District works hard to provide opportunities to manage invasive species through grants and educational sessions. With the soil erosion control in Arenac County, the Arenac Conservation District can help rural and agricultural property owners with education, direction and plans to conform with the county
ordinance. The Arenac Conservation District Board truly appreciates our county residents’ support through their purchase of trees through the Arenac Conservation District Tree Sales. These purchases are one of the main monetary supports for the Arenac Conservation District. Thank you! The Arenac Conservation District Board also thanks our local school districts for their involvement in education and the Fifth-Grade Tour. The Fifth-Grade Tour provides memories for students that last a lifetime. Finally, your Conservation District Board would like to thank all county residents, businesses and school districts for their support, as well as District Administrator Dawn Hergott for her hard work and performance for the Arenac Conservation District.
Daniels Septic Service Septic Tank Cleaning Portable Toilets for Rent Sterling, MI
989-654-3199
Thanks again to everyone who showed their support for the kids and the community at last year’s fair. Visit our website at www.arenaccountyfair.jimdo.com or call us at 989-846-4461 for more mo information.
PLATBOOKS AVAILABLE
Arenac County Farm Bureau
“A Voice for Agriculture” Normal Office Hours: Tuesday & Thursday 8:30 am - 12:30 pm
Congratulations
to Goodroe Farms for Farm of the Year and Mitch Pula for Agricultural Advocate Lifetime Achievement Award
MEMBER BENEFITS AVAILABLE Mission Statement:
To recognize the needs of area agriculture and work together to find solutions.
ARENAC COUNTY FARM BUREAU
Your Strength is in the Soil
P.O. Box 249 441 S. Main, Standish, MI
989-846-9446
Our thanks to the Arenac Conservation District for 62 years of dedicated service.
Serving the greater Arenac County since 1883
989-846-4531 • www.arenacindependent.com
Page 6 • Arenac Conservation District 62nd Annual Report, February 7, 2018
A lifetime of stewardship Omer farmer Mitch Pula to receive award
Mitch Pula to receive Agricultural Lifetime Achievement Award.
Tim Barnum
By Tim Barnum
news@arenacindependent.com 989-387-9140
When Mitch Pula of Omer receives the Agricultural Lifetime Achievement Award from the Arenac Conservation District Feb. 15, the district will be honoring a farming life dating back more than 70 years. And for much of the 70-plus years in agriculture, Mitch, 92, has worked with the Farm
Service Agency and other organizations to keep his operation environmentally friendly. FSA County Executive Director Tim Stein said Mitch has been on the front lines of agricultural conservation for about 50 years, including around 20 years enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program and Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program. Stein said the field strips like the ones Mitch left at the perimeters of his field help keep eroded sediments and field chemicals out of the ditches, which also keeps them out of the water. “Mitch has been involved in being a good steward of the land and everything that’s been entrusted to him since he’s started
farming,” he said. Stein said he has known Mitch since the early 1970s, and that Mitch has been a good example to other farmers in Arenac County. “He’s been very active in leadership with the Farm Service Agency,” he said. “He was on the county committee when I was hired back in 2000.” “He’s been a calm voice in moving forward with everything that we need to do from an agricultural standpoint,” Stein said. Mitch said he and his late wife Elaine moved to their farm in Omer after they got married in 1943. Pula Farms had humble beginnings but grew large over time. “We rented it for three years, the original 40 acres, and then we bought it and we kept buying 40s alongside of these,” he said. “Then we bought, my brother and I, the homestead. I ended up with 80 acres and he ended up with 20 acres and the buildings.” The early days of Pula Farms saw Mitch pulling double duty, milking cows and hauling milk to a dairy plant in Standish. During his run one day, he ran into a nearby property owner at the store in Pine River, and Mitch said their discussion led to a 40-acre acquisition to the farm. This was the first step in Pula Farms growing to what it would ultimately become. “When I hauled milk I used to stop in there to get a candy bar or whatever and keep on going,” he said. “Then we got talking and he asked if I’d be interested in
buying it. I said, ‘Yeah, if I could afford it.’ That’s how it all started. Then the next-door neighbor, they owned 40 and wanted to know if I’d be interested in buying that a year or two later. I said, ‘Yeah.’ The nextdoor neighbor to them had 40 and we ended up buying that. From there neighbors just kept asking if we’d be interested and I came up with the same story. We ended up with about 400 acres.” Eventually the Standish dairy plant closed and Mitch’s new route had him traveling to Sebewaing. Around this time, though, Elaine and Mitch had multiple children and with the Sebewaing plant having stricter rules, decided to get out of the dairy business altogether. “There was not enough hours in the day,” he said. “That’s how that all happened. Then my wife had three or four little babies and she was pretty well tied up, so I got rid of the milk cows.” “The dairy that I hauled to, they went all Grade A, and I wasn’t prepared for it, so I just quit milking cows and I kept raising the cattle until the last few years,” he said. “For maybe the last six or eight years I haven’t had any cattle here at all.” Stein said Mitch’s life work at his farm and commitment to being a good steward makes him very deserving of the Agricultural Lifetime Achievement Award. “Good for him,” he said. “I can’t think of someone that’s more deserving than Mitch of getting this.”
Steinbauer Farms • Corn • Wheat • Soybeans Congratulates the farmers of Arenac County and the Conservation District on a job well done! 989-846-4234 4276 Irwin Rd., Standish
Arenac Conservation District 62nd Annual Report, February 7, 2018 • Page 7
Have you seen this sign while driving around? What does it mean? What is MAEAP? MAEAP stands for Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program. It is a free, confidential program designed to assist farms of all sizes and commodities to address and evaluate any potential environmental risks. Producers who are verified through MAEAP are proactive and voluntarily manage their farms to protect soil and water resources. MAEAP also helps farms align their management practices to meet the Generally Accepted Agriculture and Management Practices (GAAMPs), therefore offering protection under the Right to Farm Act against nuisance complaints. The program is designed to assist all types of farms, ranging from large-scale dairy operations to small hobby farms. Farmers can become MAEAP verified in any of four systems, which consist of Farmstead, Cropping, Livestock and Forestry. Each system addresses different risk areas and farm-specific elements including: • • • • •
Pesticide Storage and Use Fertilizer Storage and Use Fuel Storage Well Condition and Safety Environmentally Sensitive Areas
• • • • •
Watershed Resources Soil Erosion Nutrient and Pest Management Manure and Odor Management Emergency Planning
My name is Amanda Turner and I am the MAEAP technician serving Arenac County. For further information on MAEAP, feel free to contact me via phone or email or visit www.maeap.org. If you are interested, I can schedule a farm visit to identify and evaluate your environmental and legal risks and develop solutions specific to your farm. If you complete the process and become verified, then you have access to MAEAP marketing tools including a free sign to place on your farmstead with the MAEAP logo as seen above, among various other incentives.
MAEAP INCENTIVES & UPDATES:
Amanda Turner
Arenac Conservation District MAEAP Technician amanda.turner@macd.org (989) 726-3413 office (231) 794-8879 cell
Cost-share money is now available to implement various agricultural practices on farms. Payments to have MAEAP Risk Assessments and/or MAEAP Verifications. Payments from various crop commodity organizations to become MAEAP Verified. Farm Insurance Savings (up to 20% off liability portion) RUP Credits available (8 per visit)
Congratulations
Goodroe Farms, Farm of the Year and Mitch Pula, Agricultural Lifetime Achievement Award Winner
WILTSE INSURANCE AGENCY
216 North Main St., Standish 989-846-6481 Home, Farm, Business
Auto, Boat, ATV, RV, Life
Page 8 • Arenac Conservation District 62nd Annual Report, February 7, 2018
Weighing in on proper woodlot management
By Anne Collins anne.collins@macd.org
Working in the Thumb/Saginaw Bay area of Michigan has been a learning experience (a good one at that). Growing up in the Upper Peninsula, forests and the woods are taken for granted (it’s rural but a different kind of rural). Having the UP woods and specifically the Keweenaw Peninsula as my classroom and playground during college was amazing and a great “control” for learning and helping to manage forests in other regions. The type of forest management I learned and practiced was for larger tracts of land and in areas where human activities and movement have not impacted the forests so drastically (be that good or bad). Moving down here and working with the landowners of this region, I have had to change my thought process and perspective on how to get or keep healthy, sustainable and productive forests or woodlots that fit the landowners’ objectives. Small woodlot management is an entirely different animal but the basics are the same. The basics that I and a landowner need to keep in mind and discuss when managing a woodlot are: 1. History of ownership and activities (this should also include current and future ownership) 2. Historical land cover 3. Diversity of property — this
includes tree species, plant species, soils, topography, ponds, lakes, rivers and ditches 4. Age of the forest 5. Future “disasters,” i.e. invasive species, disease, windstorms, water (drought or flooding), fire and human activities on adjacent properties. All of these can and will influence the objective of the landowner and their goals for their forest or woodlot. In the past it was not uncommon for landowners to hold a woodlot and let nature take its course, and then every couple of generations when prices were high, they “lumbered it off.” This form of “management” still occurs today, but allowing nature to takes its course is not the best or smartest plan of action, mostly due to the influence of invasive species (insects, plants or diseases). Today’s small woodlot owners use their property for multiple purposes, such as outdoor recreation, observing wildlife, hunting, relief from working life, gains from using land value, aesthetics and a source of fuelwood. This diversity of co-existing uses is why when I work with a landowner we talk about what their goals and objectives are for their woods and then how can we realistically meet those goals and objectives in an affordable, sustainable way. If you are thinking of managing your woodlot or forest, there are some steps that should be taken. First step would
be to contact your Forestry Assistance Program (FAP) foresters through your county’s soil conservation district. It is free of charge for them to come out and walk your property with you and talk to you about your goals and objectives for your property. Once you have taken that step, your FAP forester will help you to realistically look at your property and your short- and long-term goals to see if they can be met, and if not, look at how you can modify the goals or “modify” that property so they can be met. Your second step should be getting a Forest Management Plan (FMP) and working with a consulting forester to inventory your forest. A forest inventory is one of the most important steps you can take as a small woodlot owner because it tells you specifically what your property is made up of. Once you have your FMP you can start implementing the practices that you and the consulting forester have decided on. The implementation of your FMP is what helps you to meet your goals and objectives along with creating a healthy, productive forest. There are many programs out there through different agencies that help with the cost of getting a Forest Management Plan. The Natural Resources Conservation Service helps with funding through the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP); additionally it helps with the cost of other forest management activities such as shrub/brush/invasive control, tree/
shrub planting and trail development, to name a few. The DNR also helps with cost-share funding for FMPs through Forest Stewardship Plans (FSP). The Qualified Forest Program (QFP) is a great program that helps to reduce taxes on your forested properties if you are willing to actively manage your forest along with meeting your objectives and goals. If any of these programs interest you or if you just want someone to come out and walk your property with you and answer any questions you may have, please give me a call or email me: Anne Collins, District Forester, 989-674-8174 ext. 3, anne.collins@macd.org. Living down here now for almost three years and working with the multitude of diverse landowners in the five-plus counties that I work in, along with the challenges that come with forest woodlot management in a heavily agricultural area, have led me to some conclusions. Management should be for quality of trees and forests over quantity. Patience and looking long-term versus short-term or quick fixes is also a more realistic approach. Landowners also need to take an active role in managing their forests or woodlots. These simple-sounding but not so simple to act upon ideas are what will ultimately create healthier, sustainable and more diverse small woodlots in the Thumb and Saginaw Bay region along with meeting the objectives of the landowners.
Arenac Conservation District 62nd Annual Report, February 7, 2018 • Page 9
Private Forestland
Even though Michigan is home to three national forests in addition to state forests, the majority of forestland in the state is not publicly owned. According to the USDA Forest Service, nearly half of Michigan’s forestland is owned by families or other private, non-corporate entities.
Forest Management Plans
With most of the state’s forestland privately owned, proper management of this resource is important. No matter how a landowner uses forestland, a Forest Management Plan is essential. A Forest Management Plan helps the landowner protect soil, water and wildlife resources and identifies other threats such as invasive species and disease. A Forest Management Plan is designed to optimize the resources that are important to the landowner, be it specific game species, sustainable timber production or general recreation. The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides financial assistance for forest management plans through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Assistance is provided for plans to be developed by certified technical service providers. Developing a Forest Management Plan is a requirement for applying to receive EQIP assistance for implementing forest conservation practices.
Protecting Soil & Water
Using best management practices allows landowners to utilize forest resources while protecting soil and water resources. Proper management is especially important near streams and rivers as activities in these areas greatly impact water quality and aquatic habitat.
Accurate Pest Control North Residential • Commercial HUD • VA • FHA Inspections • Treatment
Wildlife Habitat
Virtually all of Michigan’s forestland has been significantly altered by human activity. The process of deforestation and subsequent reforestation did not recreate the diverse forest habitat that existed before. EQIP financial assistance is available for practices that improve habitat for a variety of forest species from ruffed grouse to whitetail deer. Upland birds like ruffed grouse and woodcock require a diverse habitat of both young and mature trees. A mature forest with a closed canopy often lacks the groundcover needed for nesting birds. Creating small forest clearings provides improved habitat for upland bird nesting and mating. Structural practices like nesting boxes or brush piles also can provide habitat for desired species. Sustainable Harvesting Selective harvesting and utilizing best management practices allows forest owners to harvest trees without degrading the forest. Selective harvesting can also improve the value of the remaining trees over time. With proper harvesting techniques, landowners can change the makeup of their land by replacing harvested trees with more desirable species. This is best achieved by consulting a professional forester and following a management plan.
When & Where to Apply
Applications for NRCS conservation programs are accepted on a continuous basis at your local NRCS field office, 989-846-4566 ext. 3. Producers who already receive email correspondence from USDA can also apply online utilizing the Conservation Client Gateway. Please contact NRCS for more details.
MICHAEL SHARROW
989-846-1229
Cell: 989-493-2352 We now take major credit cards
427 East Beaver St. • Standish, MI 48658
A farm fire can destroy your life's work. We offer insurance that covers such hazards completely. Don't let your dreams go up in smoke . . . CALL US!
UNGER
INSURANCE AGENCY
989-846-4621
125 S. Forest Standish
Thank You!
USDA is an Equal Opportunity Employer, Provider and Lender
We now have liquid de-icing products available Residential • Commercial
Eastern Dust Control Inc. 5571 Bentley Road • Standish, MI 48658
989-846-0508
Cell: 989-233-3661 • Fax: 989-846-0511
Page 10 • Arenac Conservation District 62nd Annual Report, February 7, 2018 2016-17 Arenac Conservation District Board Members Tim Hagley, Board Chairman Richard Dell, Vice Chairman Steve Bilacic, Board Member Earl Steinbauer, Board Member Tony Czymbor, Board Member Arenac Conservation District Staff Dawn Hergott, Administrator Penny McMaster, Administrative Assistant Arenac Conservation District Technicians Amanda Turner, MAEAP Anne Collins, Forester NRCS Staff Tim Bohnhoff, District Conservationist Beth Knochel, Soil Technician FSA Staff Tim Stein, County Executive Director Ruth Gulvas, Program Technician Lyn Potts, Program Technician Megan Wolfgang, Program Technician
Farm of the Year Goodroe Farms -for their dedication to the youth education of our county by hosting the 5th grade tour for 3 years in a row.
Agricultural Lifetime Achievement Award Mitch Pula-for his dedication to agriculture. See Tim Hagley for this information The board chairman is bringing an article to me on wed morning Financial Balance Sheet
Assets Total Checking/Savings Accounts Receivable Other Current Assets Total Assets
$160,525.14 $13,053.34 $841.73 $174,420.21
Liabilities & Equity
Accounts Payable Total Liabilities Retained Earnings Net Income Total Liabilities & Equity
$1,105.11 $1,006.67 $165,863.00 $6,445.43 $174,420.21
Tree Sales The Arenac Conservation District (ACD) holds our annual Tree Sale in the spring of each year. The Tree Sale serves several purposes. Districts provide a source of trees, shrubs and seeds based on local resource concerns and suggested solutions at a reasonable price. One of the purposes is to assist the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). NRCS staff recommends programs to help landowners with resource concerns such as soil erosion and degradation, loss of wildlife habitat, encroachment of invasive species and loss of wetlands. Through the conservation planning process, NRCS makes recommendations on which programs and practices would best alleviate the resource concerns. Many of these recommendations include planting trees, shrubs and grasses, and changing farming practices such as conventional till to no-till. The Tree Sale also helps landowners who may not be farmers with ways to enhance wildlife habitat for hunting or just to enjoy additional wildlife on their land. There are also landowners who would like to grow shrubs and fruit trees for their own enjoyment, grow some of their own food for personal consumption and to be a bit closer to the land they manage. The ACD also has another purpose for the Tree Sale and that is a source of funding. Although ACD is a local unit of state government, we do not receive any funding from the state for the running of our programs. Unless the Conservation District receives grants to administer, conservation programs are funded through our Tree Sales. Education is important to the Arenac Conservation District Board. Our Tree Sale allows us to give students seedlings on Arbor Day.
In 2017 we gave away 1,500 seedlings to Arenac County students grades 8 and under. The ACD offers a wide variety of conifers and deciduous trees and shrubs native to Michigan. Native trees and shrubs are always going to do better in the setting that they are developed in, just as with people — there is no place like home to grow up in. We offer a wide variety of fruit trees. Fruit trees are used for wildlife as well as home orchards, and we also carry a few garden plants such as asparagus, strawberries, grapes, raspberries and blueberries. This year we have added Swamp White Oak to our deciduous trees and we have added five new flowers: Hibiscus, Russian Sage, Dianthus, Monarda and Perovskia. We are very proud of the reforestation that we provide for our community, although you do not have to be a resident of Arenac County to order from us — we get orders from all around Michigan due to our large selection of products. Last year we sold 20,450 conifer trees, 1,935 deciduous trees, 1,133 fruit trees and 2,500 shrubs with a total reforestation of 26,018 trees and shrubs and a total sale income of $22,035.90. Our Tree Sale takes a multitude of volunteers and without them we could not hold our sale. In 2017 we had 66 volunteers help us with a total of 419 volunteer hours. We are deeply appreciative of our volunteers and truly could not do this without them! If you would like to volunteer just contact us at our office, 989-846-4565 ext. Tire Recycling This was the Arenac Conservation District’s seventh year for tire recycling. We have been receiving from DEQ to provide this service. The tires are taken to Flint where they are recycled into a fuel source. The Arenac Conservation District hosts a
Arenac Conservation District 62nd Annual Report, February 7, 2018 • Page 11 tire recycling event in the spring and the fall of the year to try to give everyone in the county a chance to bring in their tires. This program is a great way to dispose of your old tires that may be sitting around your yard collecting water and breeding mosquitoes, housing rodents or just contaminating the water in our community. We are fortunate to have some beautiful rivers and of course the Saginaw Bay in our community. We need to take care of our natural resources in the best manner that we can. Recycling tires so they are not contaminating our waters is a great step in helping out. We have applied for the 2018 DEQ Scrap Tire Grant, and if awarded we will again host two tire recycling days. If anyone would like to volunteer to help us out, we would love to have you join us! You may contact us at our office at 989-846-4565 ext. 5. Fifth-Grade Tour The Fifth-Grade Tour is an annual event held the third week in September. All fifthgrade students from Arenac County schools are invited. The Fifth-Grade Tour was held at the Goodroe Farm for the third year in a row. The Goodroe family is very gracious in hosting this event. They shut the farm operations down for three to four hours while the students visit various stations set up for them around the farm. This year 165 students plus teachers and chaperones
attended. They went to nine stations manned by volunteers from various organizations and the farm. Tim Bohnhoff from NRCS ran the groundwater station; Jim Hergott from the Saginaw Bay Research, Conservation and Development ran the watershed model; Melissa Prohaska with Michigan State University Extension brought in Zoonotic; Andrea Leitch with Farm Bureau brought in one of our favorite interactive displays, Mooven Molly; the Goodroes shared their farming knowledge in the milking barn and the dry calf barns and on farming equipment; and this year we had some new additions. Retired FFA teacher Bob Stein joined us and spoke with the students about swine. Tom Resmer with the Sunrise Side Tractor Club brought in some antique tractor engines, and finally we had our local NRCS Engineer Craig Ogg talk about manure pit design and function. The students also get to visit the calf barn along their way through the farm. This year we were also fortunate to have been provided some funding through Farm Bureau to provide lunch for the students, and a snack was provided by the United Dairy Industry. Our Fifth-Grade Tour is designed to teach conservation and farming. www.arenacconservationdistrict.com www.facebook.com/ ArenacConservationDistrict
Disclaimer The U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political belief, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 (Voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Mel Kruse & Sons, Inc. FARM DRAINAGE CONTRACTOR
2068 7 Mile Rd., Kawkawlin, MI
989-684-5416 • 989-662-4839
Linwood Tile 205 S. Huron Rd. Linwood, MI 48634
989-697-4491
Page 12 • Arenac Conservation District 62nd Annual Report, February 7, 2018
2017 Poster Contest
Arenac Conservation District holds its annual District Conservation Poster Contest in the spring of the year, inviting all students to participate through the school system, and homeschool children are also welcome to participate. Last year’s total participation was 674 posters, with our first participation at the high school level from Mr. Stokoszynski’s class. It has been a goal for the District to expand the program to include more of the middle and high school level in Arenac County. There are five divisions in the poster contest divided up by grades K-1, 2-3, 4-6, 7-8 and 10-12. We have one of the best participations of poster entries in the state of Michigan. We received the following number of posters per division, as follows: Division I - 202, Division II - 236, Division III - 3, Division IV - 25 and Division V - 25. Each class receives a first-, second- and third-place winner with each first-place winner up for judging for an overall division winner, and then each division winner goes on to the state level for judging. The total number of posters submitted at the state level for judging last year was 1,350, and we were fortunate to have four of our five entries place at the state level. Division I local level winner - Ayla Donahue, second place at state Division II local level winner - Averie Treichel, second place at state Division III local level winner - Taylor Neely, third place at state Division IV local level winner - Jersey Traxler, second place at state Division V local level winner - Alivia Nadell The teachers in Arenac County deserve to be commended for the success of this program because they do an excellent job at teaching the conservation topic each year. Last year’s poster topic was “Healthy Soils are Full of Life.” This contest is not just an art-judging contest; a great deal is based on originality and how well the topic is understood, and you can tell by the posters that the teachers explain the topics very well. Division winners are invited to the Arenac Conservation District’s annual meeting to receive a plaque for their efforts, and if they place at the state level there is a cash prize that is provided by the Conservation District Employee of Michigan group that sponsors the poster contest at the state level. Posters are displayed on our website, www.arenacconservationdistrict.com, and Facebook page.
Ayla Donaue
Division 1 winner
Averie Treichel Division 2 winner
Taylor Neely
Division 3 winner
Alivia Nadell
Jersey Traxler
Division 5 winner
26,500
$
21,000
$
2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
20,000 2011 Ford F-150
Supercrew, 5-1/2 ft. Box, 4 WD, XLT. 72,998 mileage.
22,500
$
2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Double Cab, Standard Box, 4 WD, LT. 23,968 mileage.
$
Division 4 winner
2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Crew Cab, Short Box, 4 WD, LT. 94,922 mileage.
26,500
$
2015 Ford F-150
Supercrew, 5-1/2 ft. Box, 4 WD, XLT. 70,620 mileage.
Double Cab, Standard Box, 4 WD, WT. 52,230 mileage.
32,000
$
2014 Ford F-150
Supercrew, 5-1/2 ft. Box, 4 WD, Platinum. 64,540 mileage.
CHEVROLET
989-846-4511 Ford Store | richardsonstandish.com • US-23 • Standish • 989-846-4515 Chevy Store ©2018 Sunrise Printing & Publishing Inc.