The Dirt on Conservation

Going for the gold takes dedication

Every summer, Colleen Sharp spends hours in the water. Suiting up, then diving in, she hones her skills and technique like an athlete in training. She has inspired many, both young and old, with her dedication, drive and passion. Colleen has what it takes to be a champion … the conservation kind. In the spirit [...]

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Dry summer is a reminder to plan for the worst, be thankful for rain

,My, how things change. It seems like just the other day (it was actually about Christmas time), I was writing an article about all the mud that we all were dealing with, and now we’re all looking for some relief from the record heat and near-drought conditions. Sure goes to show you that when it [...]

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Dry summer is a reminder to plan for worst, be thankful for rain

,As I sit here today thinking about what to write … I look out my office window to the brown grass. That’s when it came to me. Water, one of the most important resources to human survival, how do we deal with a shortage or drought? What are the potential consequences? I remember the drought [...]

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A fair is an opportunity for lessons

Does time fly when you’re having fun, or is it that you’re just so busy you don’t realize where the time went? Either way, summer is my favorite time of the year. Yes, it’s hot, but I admit I love it. I enjoy the sunshine, afternoon thunderstorms, birds chirping, lightning bugs, and fields of green. [...]

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Conservation begins in our backyards

Aldo Leopold once said, “Conservation is the state of harmony between men and land.” The coexistence between the two is often threatened and even diverted into a clash of oppositions and misunderstandings. Who’s right? With various opinions on how to “preserve” our world’s resources, how are we as a population supposed to know who has [...]

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Don’t develop nature deficit disorder

It was way back in 1994 that I can account for an “aha!” moment that defined just how I would continue to plan the environmental education programs from that point on for the Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District. Finding Researchers say that although it may not appear in the shape of a light bulb [...]

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Monroe SWCD and county commissioners form new partnership

Soil and Water Districts across the state work with other organizations on a daily basis. Our partnerships are one of the most valuable aspects of our agencies. When the Monroe County auditor needed assistance with inspecting properties on the Current Agricultural Use Value program, a partnership was formed with the Soil and Water District. For [...]

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Square foot gardening can be fruitful

A funny, but prompting, story. My parents only live two houses away from me and my Dad puts out the most beautiful vegetable garden every year. The garden is definitely his pride and joy. Well, I was sitting on my pool deck and happened to look over at Dad’s garden (which he just got fully [...]

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If you want to see more ruffed grouse, we need the right kind of habitat

Ohio’s once grouse-friendly habitat is changing.

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The secret life of a drainage ditch

You’ve heard the saying that the value of land is based mainly on location, location, location. But after working for many years in a conservation district, I have come to believe that the value of land is also greatly affected by drainage, drainage, drainage. Many of the drainage systems landowners rely on have deteriorated over [...]

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Improve your pasture for happier cows

Sunnybow Farm has been in my family for the past 50 years. There have always been cattle grazing these pastures whether dairy or beef. Three years ago my husband, Zac and I took over the family farm. Ownership wasn’t the only change that was going to take place on this 65-acre farm. We had, and [...]

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Conservation efforts are working

I’m not much of a “joiner,” but I do belong to a couple conservation-minded organizations. It has become obvious to me that one of these organizations recently sold my contact information to every other conservation organization in the United States, and possibly the world. I have been invited to save the rainforest, the whales, tigers, [...]

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It’s official: Medina County is the ‘Pond Capital of Ohio’

We have always known we have had lots of ponds in Medina County. You see them everywhere. People who fly over the county have told us that they seem to see more here than anywhere else in Ohio. So, are we the pond capital of Ohio? Yes, we are! It’s official! The Medina SWCD Board [...]

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Soil and Water Stewardship Week: A time to stop and think

Each day of your life, you pick up a fork or spoon and eat. Most all of us eat at least three times a day, but do you ever think about where all of your food — and the food everybody else eats — comes from? For some, the answer may be from my freezer [...]

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Conservation starts in your backyard

COSHOCTON, Ohio — Do you ever remember mowing your lawn in March? Due to the warm weather this year many of us did just that. I don’t remember starting this early and I have spent many hours of my life on a lawnmower. Before moving to Coshocton, I mowed several acres of yard that took [...]

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The ins and outs of Ohio dam safety

More than 95 percent of Ohio’s dams are owned by local landowners or other entities other than the state of Ohio. And, if you are the owner of a dam, the responsibility for maintaining a safe dam rests with you.

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Anyone remember cyclone seeders? The early years of drills and related planting equipment

When I was a kid, my father’s crop rotation was corn, oats, wheat and hay. The wheat was planted in the fall after the oats stubble was plowed and, in order to have a crop of hay in the year following the wheat, grass seed had to be sown either with the wheat, or the [...]

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Get your land ‘buff’ and in shape

To get in shape, or “buff” as the slang term implies is to have good muscle tone, be physically fit, and trim. Well, I’m not talking about you and your body, what I’m talking about is your land and property. Whether you own a half acre, five acres or hundreds of acres, your land is [...]

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Oil and gas pipeline easements — the next phase of the leasing process

Phase I If you live in Carroll or Jefferson counties, the frenzy of the leasing process is beginning to slow up somewhat, and drill sites are popping up all over the horizon. Ahhh, finally, we can let out a slow sigh of relief and wait to see what unfolds. Unfortunately, just when you thought it [...]

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OASWCDE — What the heck is it?

The OASWCDE is the Ohio Association of Soil and Water Conservation District Employees. The organization is open to employees of all 88 districts as official members. District board members and partners from other agencies are welcome to join as associate members. Purposes The OASWCDE has three main purposes: To promote the professional development of district [...]

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