News & Notes August 2006

Snyder County Conservation District Hosts No-Till Demo Day
Horse-Drawn Equipment Featured

Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) is ahead of the game. In terms of number of no-till acres farmed, that is.

About thirty-five percent of the acres farmed in the county are no-till, compared with the twenty-one percent targeted by the Department of Environmental Protection to meet the Chesapeake Bay Tributary Strategy goals … by 2010.

But the district is not stopping there. SCCD has its eye on increasing this number, especially in Amish and Mennonite communities. In an effort to attract these producers to adopt better soil conservation techniques, Snyder County held a No-Till Education Field Day on Thursday, July 27, featuring a horse-drawn Sukup drill and Pequea planter - a first for Snyder County.

About seventy people attended on a very hot, humid day, with thunderstorms threatening. Some of those attending were Amish or Mennonite.

Barry Spangler, SCCD, coordinated the event and welcomed all. He spoke on concerns about water quality locally and in the Chesapeake Bay, and the positive impact no-till farming can have on both.

Mark Goodson, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Agronomist, demonstrated the impact of water on soil samples from regularly tilled land and from no-tilled land. When water was added to each, the soil that had been tilled repeatedly fell apart. The no-tilled soil held together, demonstrating the capacity of no-tilled soil to resist erosion, due to the organic matter created over time.

A no-till vegetable transplanter was on-site but could not be unloaded from the trailer. Andrew Frankenfield, Penn State Cooperative Extension (PSCE), Montgomery County, discussed the use of this equipment.

Equipment demonstrations were given by:

-No-till drill with horse team, Jim Huber, Triple H Equipment from Peach Bottom
-No-till planter with horse team, Gideon Stoltzfus, Pequea Planter from Gap
-No-till vegetable transplanter, from Southeastern Pennsylvania RC&D through John Metrick, Perkasie, PA (Andrew Frankenfield, PSCE, Montgomery County - Frankenfield spoke about the transplanter, but it was not demonstrated.)
-Tractor operated no-till planting equipment, Hoober, Inc. from McAllisterville, and Binkley and Hurst from Lititz

A horse drawn no-till drill was demonstrated during the Snyder County's No-till Demo Day.

A horse drawn no-till planter was also demonstrated.

The participants look at what a continual no-till field can look like over time (6 years). Soil health concepts were explained as well as pest control and ways to prevent soil compaction.

The event wrapped up with a discussion of the programs available through SCCD and NRCS for no-tilling, cover crops, and other best management practices.

Many successes were achieved through this event. In-roads were made in communicating with Amish and Mennonite communities about no-till farming. Although greater numbers of farmers from this group were hoped for, it was a start. The demonstrations showed to all in attendance that no-till planting and transplanting can be achieved and that the equipment is available. (SCCD is offering a two-year no-till incentive payment program through a CBP Special Project. NRCS also has a no-till incentive payment program via the Environmental Quality Incentive Program.) SCCD continues to push toward greater numbers of no-till acreage through innovative programs.

For more information about this event, contact Barry Spangler, SCCD at barry-spangler@pa.nacdnet.org or 570-837-3000.

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