CONSERVATION CORNER
A weekly blog for all things conservation
By: Nathan Dewing, Agricultural Team Leader January and new patterns of growth go well together. Our understanding of stewardship, or lack thereof will set us up for 2021 growth or shrinkage (and don’t believe you are too old to grow). A Steward is “a person whose job is to manage the property of another person”, as defined by Webster. Stewardship is defined as “the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care.” Take stock of what you are stewarding and give yourself an evaluation. I suggest writing them down, perhaps in order of importance. Give yourself a grade – A, B, C, D; rate yourself 1 -10, or better yet, ask the one you are working for (the owner) how you’re doing. Before you let yourself off the hook too quickly, consider what it is that you really own. Here’s a hint, I believe – it’s what I brought with me when I was born and what I will take with me when I die.
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By: Nathan Dewing, Agricultural Team Leader What does a tree have to do with Christmas? A lot, but not so much with what has become known as the Christmas tree. It is simply a beloved Christmas tradition. It didn’t begin that way in the United States. 16th century German Christians were the first known to bring decorated trees inside. 19th century Americans didn’t think much of the idea, considering them an offensive pagan symbol interfering with a sacred day. 100 years later, the Christmas tree was growing in popularity, and today it is central to many a home’s Christmas decorations. By: Miranda Neville, Agricultural Resource Specialist On the coldest, darkest, snowiest days – when most people are able to call in to work or take a snow day, farmers trudge through the feet of snow to their barns and carry on with their 24/7/365 jobs. Winter is setting in and the long months of harvest are now in the rear view. Farmers everywhere have spent the spring, summer and fall working tirelessly to ensure they had enough feed to make it through the cold winter months. Hearing “well your crops are all done, now you get to relax” couldn’t be further from the truth. The relief that crop harvest is over is a much-needed physical and mental break. (Now there may even be time to squeeze in a nap or two!) Winter is also time for planning, making decisions for the next crop year, tillage choices, selection of seeds to plant in the spring, cutting firewood, and ordering parts for the endless equipment maintenance. Winter is also a time for holiday celebrations and family. So begins the delicate balance of scheduling both worlds. By: Kristin Pepper, Dirt & Gravel Road Specialist, BCCD
BCCD participates in the state-wide Dirt, Gravel, and Low Volume Road Program (DGLVR) which provides funding for environmental improvements and reduced long-term maintenance of our network of dirt and gravel roads. Since its formation in 1997, the program has helped Bradford County municipalities improve approximately 70 miles of dirt and gravel roads. Each year BCCD recognizes a handful of those municipalities that stand out above the rest in various categories. By: Miranda Neville, Agricultural Resource Specialist Every spring all of the farmers I know start to get super antsy and excited to get planting done, only to roll right in to hay season (or whatever crops they grow), then followed immediately by corn harvest in the fall. There is no time for breaks, just a lot of racing to beat the next rainstorm and praying for good summer sun. When they’re planting those seeds, they are planting hope; hope for the future, but it’s important not to forget to take some time every now and then to admire the present moments. By: Miranda Neville, Agricultural Resource Specialist, BCCD As temperatures are getting warmer and summer is rapidly approaching, farmers are gearing up for hay season and farm kids are preparing for cow shows. Like a kid going off to summer camp with butterflies of excitement to meet up with friends, have new experiences and make hundreds of memories, so many farm kids (and adults) are getting those butterflies thinking about packing up the cattle trailers and heading out to the county fairs. In the farming world, the cow show circuit is not only a place for cattle breeders to show off their top genetic cows- it’s also a place where they can connect with each other and have an opportunity to educate the public, but most importantly to have fun! By: Nathan Dewing, Agricultural Team Leader, Bradford County Conservation District Sustainable food production and distribution is getting people’s attention today. Thankfully, we have had leaders among us who haven’t taken this for granted. Let’s remember some. By: Guest Columnist Cheyenne Bastian-Brown, Bradford County FFA President What do you think of when you hear FFA? When confronted with the concept of what FFA (formally known as the National Future Farmers of America Organization) is, many people focus primarily on the word farmer and look no further for any other explanation. Since the title includes the phrase “Future Farmer,” it is then believed that each member of the organization is in pursuance of one day becoming a farmer, a landowner, and someone to feed the world population… nothing else. Typically, this is the idea that most parent/guardians have in mind when their student pursues an interest in agricultural education. By: Miranda Neville, Agricultural Resource Specialist, BCCD Last week I wrote about how farmers and the industry are growing and evolving exponentially. This week, I’d like to focus on how gender roles have also changed and evolved in the agriculture world. Historically agriculture has been a male dominated industry. Still true today, but the number of women with hands-on involvement or decision-making power on farms is rapidly increasing. Women are also serving an ever-increasing role in the agriculture industry in other ways such as agriculture educators, animal nutritionist, A.I. breeders, veterinarians, CONSERVATION DISTRICT employees, milk testers, and quality assurance inspectors, to name a few. By: Miranda Neville, Agricultural Resource Specialist, BCCD In a fast-paced world that demands constant change with bigger-is-better ideals, many still look at small, conventional, dairy farming as an antiquated way of life. Often referred to as “stubborn farmers”, a term I’ve uttered myself more often than I care to admit…sorry husband, the advancement of farming practices has proven just the opposite. Ironically, if you were to sit down with those “stubborn farmers” you could learn so much about the growth of the industry and how they’ve had to evaluate, adapt, and adjust to so many new pressures. The origin of the family farm was to provide a stable life for a family while supplying surrounding communities with farm fresh milk and locally grown produce. A simpler time. As communities got bigger, so did the demand on the farmer. Not only the demands, but more astringent regulatory requirements and increased skepticism from the general public. Though farmers are getting paid significantly less for their products, operating costs are at an all-time high and many cannot sustain. Dairy farmers are given two options: change to meet demands or sell the farm, the foundation of their family. |
AuthorsVarious staff at the Bradford County Conservation District Archives
May 2024
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