That's a wrap on our spring project installations! Check out what we accomplished. Welcome, summer!
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| Spring is the busiest season for field staff in most Soil and Water Conservation Districts. During this time, we get our hands dirty planting trees, native plants, and seed mixes. After months of planning and preparation, our conservation projects are finally in the ground. It has been an exciting time, and now we are looking forward to seeing things take root in summer! We hope you enjoy reading about our spring 2025 conservation achievements in the second edition of our Quarterly Newsletter.
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| We are excited to invite you to our first-ever Pollinators & Pints event on June 21st, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Continental Divide Brew Pub in New York Mills. This family-friendly event highlights the value of pollinator conservation and is free for all. No registration required. What's on tap for this occasion? Join us for the Pollinator Pocket Garden Design Clinic at 11:30 a.m. in the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center. This 30 minute session offers hands-on learning about pollinator habitat design. The Roots & Wings Forest School will provide activities for children throughout the event. Enjoy Buzz LightBEER, a honey pilsner from Bucks Mill Brewing, and participate in pollinator trivia at 1:00 p.m. Door prize winners announced around 1:45 p.m. to conclude our gathering. We are grateful for the community collaboration that has made this event possible. Hope to see you there! |
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| Nitrate Clinics in Otter Tail & Wadena Counties |
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The East Otter Tail and Wadena SWCDs offer free nitrate testing at our clinics (results while you wait) and walk-in/drop-off at our offices (results in 1-3 days). Nitrate clinics will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for the following dates and locations: |
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| June 20th - June 27th - July 11th - July 25th - August 8th - August 22nd - |
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West Otter Tail SWCD Office Ottertail Community Center Prairie Event Center East Otter Tail SWCD Office Verndale Community Center Menahga City Hall |
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| Want to know more about nitrate testing? Call 218-346-9105 or use the buttons below to visit resources on our website. |
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| Join the University of Minnesota Extension in the field to discuss opportunities to add diversity to your corn and soybean rotation. This year, we will be highlighting small grains, dry edible beans, winter camelina, and soil health considerations for adding new crops through a field day.
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When: Friday, August 1 from 8:30-12:30 Where: Central Lakes College in Staples
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No registration required, and the field day is free to attend. Questions? Email Jackie Estrem at [email protected] or Olivia Olson at [email protected]. For more information, use the button below to visit the Diversified Crops Field Day website: |
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| The local agriculture community and a host of volunteers are all geared up for this year’s EOT Breakfast on the Farm event. This year’s event will be held on Saturday, August 2nd, from 7 a.m. to noon at Palubicki Farms located on the southeast edge of Perham.
This family-friendly event connects non-farming families with local farmers and agricultural professionals. Enjoy a traditional breakfast while learning about modern farming practices and agricultural production in our area.
Get an up-close look at farming machinery and technology, participate in activities hosted by our local FFA, and see local 4-H youth showcasing their animals. Don’t miss the popular barrel train ride for kids! You can find out more about the event using the button below. |
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| Join us for The Future of Tillage, our Summer 2025 Soil Health Field Day featuring strip-till equipment demonstrations. This educational event will include break-out discussions on soil aggregate stability, root boxes, and a local farmer panel. Personnel from the MN Soil Health Coalition and the University of Minnesota Extension will lead some of the discussions and provide knowledge on soil health aspects relating to strip-till. This free event will take place on August 19th from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Ron Sakry Farms, located at 31757 State Highway 106 in Deer Creek, Minnesota. We strongly encourage registration, as light refreshments will be provided. Please call or visit our website for more information about this event. |
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| Project installs wrapped up |
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| Who looks happier - our staff or the little tree about to get its roots in the ground? The Tree Program is the bread and butter of the SWCD. This year, our team planted 15,700 trees across Wadena and EOT counties, which we consider a light year! These plantings require months of preparation, including site visits, conservation planning, and equipment maintenance. A lot of work goes into getting this little tree in the ground, and we're happy to do it! Check out the Tree Program on our website to learn more. Don't have much space for planting trees? Read this blog on Pocket Forestry. |
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| This spring, we set up our Irrigation Scheduling Program equipment with twenty-seven producers across Wadena, EOT, Hubbard, and Todd Counties. Our Ag Team will work with producers each week throughout the summer, monitoring soil moisture, crop water use, and crop growth across 5,682 acres of land for six different crops. This information helps producers decide the timing and quantity of irrigation necessary for growing a healthy crop. There are roughly 70,000 irrigated acres in Otter Tail County. Are you irrigating? Check out the Irrigation Scheduler Program webpage below for more information.
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| Gains in Lake Stewardship |
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Over the past five years, our Shoreland Program has installed 50 native buffer and stormwater projects in Otter Tail County. This year, we planted a total of 7,392 native plants across 14 shoreland projects. Our goal is to restore native vegetation to the shoreland zone to combat water quality concerns and loss of riparian habitat. These restorations stabilize soils, infiltrate runoff, filter pollutants, and create habitat for pollinators. But we can’t do it without you! With 1,048 lakes in Otter Tail County, we have a significant responsibility to protect our surface waters for future generations. Have you tried the DNR Score Your Shore tool to assess your lake property stewardship? Visit our Shoreland Program page on our website or call (218) 228-2381 to schedule a site evaluation. |
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| Targeting Noxious Weeds in Wadena County
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Wadena SWCD was one of thirteen municipalities chosen to receive additional grant funds through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture for noxious weed management. Funds will be allocated to Wadena townships on a first-come, first-served basis for the timely management of Leafy Spurge and Wild Parsnip in 2025. Thus far, approximately 9 acres of Wild Parsnip are scheduled for treatment by the end of June! If you know of a large population of either of these species that is within your township’s jurisdiction, please reach out to a township board member or Alyson Levig, the Wadena County Ag Inspector, for more information on how to receive management funds. For more information on the noxious weed law, management strategies, or the noxious weed list, please check out the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s website: |
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| East Otter Tail and Wadena SWCD are committed to educating our communities on natural resources. Each year, our staff collaborates with area schools to engage students in conservation education. In EOT, these events include a nitrate water testing clinic with Perham 6th graders and Ag In The Classroom presentations for Perham and New York Mills 3rd and 4th-grade students. We partake in Conservation Days for 5th graders throughout Otter Tail County and the Envirothon competition for senior high students throughout MNSWCD Area 1.
Wadena SWCD coordinates the Envirothon for junior and senior high students in Area 8. In the fall, Wadena SWCD hosts Conservation Days for 5th graders in Wadena County as well as the Area 1 junior high Envirothon. |
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| Third Application Period for Advancing Markets for Producers Program |
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The third application period is now open for the Advancing Markets for Producers (formerly the Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture) pilot program. From June 23rd through July 25th, 2025, farmers and ranchers in East Otter Tail or Wadena County are eligible to sign up to receive $100 per acre by voluntarily implementing conservation practices that sequester carbon, improve soil health, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve water quality and conservation. The list of eligible conservation practices includes: Eligible producers will be able to enroll up to 160 acres per Farm Service Agency (FSA) farm number. The minimum acreage enrollment is three acres. The online application portal and selection process are managed by Virginia Tech, which will also manage direct payments to participants. Interested producers should contact EOT or Wadena SWCDs for assistance with the enrollment process. Upon enrollment, participants will receive ongoing technical assistance and support from their respective SWCD and partners to complete all necessary documentation throughout their contract period. Please contact your respective SWCD for more information. |
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| Thank you for taking the time to read about the conservation happening in your area! Our team is passionate about being a technical resource for you and your communities across East Otter Tail and Wadena. We'll have more stories to share at the end of the summer. We hope you will share this with neighbors, family, and friends.
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Kindly, East Otter Tail SWCD & Wadena SWCD |
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You are receiving this newsletter due to your previous engagement with your local SWCD. If you no longer wish to receive the SWCD Quarterly Newsletter, please use the unsubscribe option below. Thank you! |
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