Agriculture

Demonstrations, Field Days & Tours

Adams County
Adams County Conservation District - Vy Trinh, Project Leader
670 Old Harrisburg Road
Suite 201
Gettysburg, PA 17325
(717) 334-0236 x344
Mini-Grant Funds: $879.46 Audience: Misc.
Demonstration Cattle Crossing and Fencing
An addition to existing exhibits and demonstrations at the county's Agricultural and Natural Resources Center, the project demonstrates construction materials and techniques for installation of streambank fencing to exclude livestock.
Program Year: 05/06

Adams County
Adams County Conservation District - Kevin McGonigal, Gary Fosbaugh, Project Leaders
670 Old Harrisburg Road, Suite 201
Gettysburg, PA 17325-3404
(717) 334-0636
Mini-Grant Funds: $785.70 Audience: farmers, public officials
Conservation Successes in Adams County
Adams County Conservation District organized and conducted a tour of previously completed Bay Program projects throughout the county. The district targeted farmers, officials, and legislators, as well as district and NRCS technicians to attend the tour. The tour was held on March 27, 2002, and attended by 31 individuals.
Program Year: 01/02

Bedford County
Bedford County Conservation District - Richard Hershberger, Project Leader
702 West Pitt Street
Bedford, PA 15522
(814) 623-7900, ext. 112
Mini-Grant Funds: $1,500 Audience: farmers
Nutrient Management and Crop Management Field Day
The district, along with other groups, promoted cover crops, streambank fencing, nitrogen testing, and other best management practices (BMP's). Demonstrations included nitrogen test plots, no-till planting, cover crop residue, lime spreading and other farm BMP's.
Program Year: 04/05

Bradford County
Bradford County Conservation District - Terry Lutz, Project Leader
RR 5
Box 5030C
Towanda, PA 18848
(570) 265-5539
Mini-Grant Funds: $1,884 Audience: Farmers, Homeowners, Nutrient Management Planners, Township Officials, CD/NRCS/CREP Staff/Contractors, Sportsmen, Park the Plow
Nutrient Management Field Day
Description: Reduce nonpoint source pollution and improve the Chesapeake Bay through providing an Educational Outreach Program that covers the connection between nutrient/soil resource management and the Chesapeake Bay.
Expected Outcomes: Target audience increases knowledge of NPS pollution, Chesapeake Bay, role audience plays in making a positive difference, role nutrient/soil resource management plays; Target audience improves nutrient/soil resource management practices.
Program Year: 07/08

Centre County
Centre County Conservation District - Ann Donovan and Beth Hirt, Project Leaders
414 Holmes Ave., Suite #4
Bellefonte, PA 16823
(814) 355-6817
Mini-Grant Funds: $1,546.26 Audience: public
Centre County Environmental Workshops and Field Days
Activities included: pasture walks designed to education farmers on best management practices, with an emphasis on grazing; a field day to educate local government officials about the effectiveness of the Chesapeake Bay Program; a watershed protection workshop focusing on low impact development.
Program Year: 04/05

Centre County
Centre County Conservation District - Beth Hirt, Project Leader
414 Holmes Avenue, Suite 4
Bellefonte, PA 16823
(814) 355-6817
Mini-Grant Funds: $561 Audience: farmers
2003 Pasture Walk Series
The district collaborates with several conservation and farm organizations to conduct pasture walks on local farms. The goal of the walks is to educate farmers on best management practices with an emphasis on grazing and to promote information sharing among farmers.
Program Year: 03/04

Centre County
Centre County Conservation District - Beth Hirt, Ann Donovan, John Wataha, Project Leaders
414 Holmes Ave., Suite 4
Bellefonte, PA 16823
(814) 355-6817
Mini-Grant Funds: $510 Audience: agriculture
Streambank Fencing and Grazing Tour
The district hosted a walking tour to spotlight farm BMP's with an emphasis on grazing. The tour addressed the benefits of riparian areas and rotational grazing. Representatives of the DEP, Penn State Cooperative Extension, NRCS, Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture and Project Grass addressed the audience.
Program Year: 02/03

Centre County
Centre County Conservation District - Beth Hirt, Ann Donovan, Project Leaders
414 Holmes Ave., Suite 4
Bellefonte, PA 16823
(814) 355-6817
Mini-Grant Funds: $876 Audience: farmers, conservation district staff
Best Management Practices Farm Tour
The Centre Conservation District, in partnership with the Clinton Conservation District, NRCS, Project Grass, and PA Association for Sustainable Agriculture, hosted a field day on Oct. 3, 2001. The field day consisted of a bus tour of BMP sites on Centre County farms, lunch, and then afternoon speakers. The tour was attended by more than 40 local farmers and agency personnel interested in learning about sustainable agricultural practices.
Program Year: 01/02

Centre County
Centre County Conservation District - Robert Sweitzer, Manager
414 Holmes Ave., Suite 4
Bellefonte, PA 16823
(814) 355 6817
Mini-Grant Funds: $446.10 Audience: farmers, government officials
Chesapeake Bay Urban & Agricultural Conservation Tour
The tour highlighted a manure storage structure, water control structure, contour strip cropping and the roof water management system on the farm. Soil erosion, storm water management, sediment basin, filter fabric fence and collection ditches were viewed at a residential construction site. Informative discussion about the benefits of using BMPs took place on the bus.
Program Year: 95/96

Clearfield County
Clearfield County Conservation District - Bill Clouser, Project Leader
650 Leonard St.
Clearfield, PA 16801
(814) 765-2629
Mini-Grant Funds: $428.36 Audience: farmers
Management Intensive Grazing(MIG) Field Day
Tour of a demonstration farm to educate farmers about the benefits of intensive grazing. The tour included presentations on soil savings, cost share and water quality benefits.
Program Year: 96/97

Clinton County
Clinton County Conservation District - Allen Hollenbach, Project Leader
45 Cooperation Ln.
Mill Hall, PA 17751
(570) 726-3798
Mini-Grant Funds: $2,484 Audience: Ag landowners, non-ag landowners, watershed association members, school students/teachers, other conservation districts
Clinton County Conservation Tour Day and County Conservation Catalog
The district conducted a tour of installed conservation practices on farms to highlight these practices and their potential benefits to local streams and the Chesapeake Bay. The district produced a catalog of specific conservation practices. The district's goal for this project is to encourage increased Amish participation.
Click here for sample products created by this project.
Program Year: 06/07

Cumberland County
Cumberland County Conservation District - Amy Skvarka, Project Leader
43 Brookwood Ave., Suite 4
Carlisle, PA 17013
(717) 240-7812
Mini-Grant Funds: $1,600 Audience: Ag producers
"How Much Nitrogen Does My Corn Field Need?"
The district collected and ran the pre-sidedress nitrogen test on cornfields throughout the county. This test is used to determine if there is enough nitrogen available in the field to meet the desired crop yield.
Program Year: 06/07

Cumberland County
Cumberland County Conservation District - Pam Eyer, Project Leader
43 Brookwood Ave., Suite 4
Carlisle, PA 17013
(717) 240-7812
Mini-Grant Funds: $1,817 Audience: Producers
2007 Farmer Field Day -- No-Till Can Work for You
The District hosted a field day directed toward the farming community in Cumberland County to provide information farming practices, especially no-till and cover cropping.
Program Year: 06/07

Cumberland County
Cumberland County Conservation District - Amy Skvarka, Project Leader
43 Brookwood Avenue
Carlisle, PA 17013
(717) 240-7812
Mini-Grant Funds: $1,988.64 Audience: Farmers
What Every Farmer Needs to Know about the Nutrient Management Regulation Changes
The district hosted a field day in March for the farm community to update them on nutrient management program regulation changes.
Program Year: 05/06

Cumberland County
Cumberland County Conservation District - Carl Goshorn, Manager
43 Brookwood Ave., Suite 4
Carlisle, PA 17013
(717) 249-8632
Mini-Grant Funds: $600 Audience: farmers/general
Nutrient Management Field Day
A conservation field day was held to inform farmers and others about the Nutrient Management Act regulations, alert them to the water quality programs that are available, and educate them on the environmental and financial advantages of different tillage methods. All farmers were encouraged to develop a nutrient management plan for their farm and to install best management practices. Highlights of the day included a trip to see a local pesticide containment facility and a chicken composting operation.
Program Year: 95/96

Cumberland County
Cumberland County Conservation District - Amy C. Skvarka, Project Leader
43 Brookwood Avenue
Carlisle, PA 17013
(717) 240-7812
Mini-Grant Funds: $1,057.92 Audience: producers
Do I Really Need that Much Additional Nitrogen?
This project demonstrates a method to determine how much additional nitrogen fertilizer is needed to meet expected corn crop yields and that more nitrogen is not always beneficial or economical.
Program Year: 04/05

Dauphin County
Dauphin County Conservation District - Frank Schneider, Project Leader
1451 Peters Mountain Road
Dauphin, PA 17018
(717) 921-8100
Mini-Grant Funds: $716.34 Audience: farmers
Best Management Practices Discussion & Tour
Designed for farmers, the best management practices (BMP) discussion and field tour expanded on information presented by the district at prior meetings. This discussion presented an overview of BMP's, their benefits, and grant programs available, followed by a tour of actual BMP's.
Program Year: 03/04

Fulton County
Fulton County Conservation District - Greg Reineke, Project Leader
216 North Second Street, Suite 15
McConnellsburg, PA 17233
(717) 485-3547, ext. 120
Mini-Grant Funds: $307.96 Audience: seventh graders and teachers
Environmental Education Field Days
During the field days, middle school students from throughout the county learned about important environmental and ecology topics, including the identification of pollution sources and the relationship between land use practices and the health of the environment.
Program Year: 04/05

Fulton County
Fulton County Conservation District - Suzette Brought, Karen Kelly, Project Leaders
216 North Second St.
McConnellsburg, PA 17233-1170
(717) 485-3812 ext. 109
Mini-Grant Funds: $1,000 Audience: farmers, general
Farm City Farm Tours: Increasing the Knowledge and Awareness of the Chesapeake Bay Program
The tour included stops at three dairy operations, each located adjacent to different streams within the Chesapeake Drainage Basin. The farms selected for the tour featured several different best management practices. By hosting a tour of these sites the district helped to educate farmers and non-farmers alike about the benefits that best management practices can produce. The tour was incorporated into Fulton County's annual Farm City Week celebration.
Program Year: 02/03

Lancaster County
Lancaster County Conservation District - Jeffrey Graybill, Project Leader
1383 Arcadia Road
Lancaster, PA 17601
(717) 299-5361
Mini-Grant Funds: $2,500 Audience: Farmers
No-till Field Day
This project helped enhance farmer knowledge of no-till systems. Speakers discussed and demonstrated no-till and cover crop technology. The day-long field day promoted awareness and helped educate farmers on the importance of conserving soil resources to the economic profitability of farms.
Program Year: 05/06

Lancaster County
Lancaster County Conservation District - Kevin Seibert, Project Leader
1383 Arcadia Road, Room 6
Lancaster, PA 17601
(717) 299-5361
Mini-Grant Funds: $1,000 Audience: various
Lancaster County Conservation Exposition
This Expo focused on conservation practices that anyone (farmers, homeowners, excavators, students, etc.) can implement The Expo will included children's activities, exhibitors, and sessions on "Conservation at Home" and "Conservation Tillage and Practices for Profit and Improved Water Quality."
Program Year: 03/04

Mini-Grant Funds: $1,000 Audience: misc. all ages
Lancaster County Conservation Exposition
Targeted to farmers, homeowners, students, gardeners, construction companies, excavators and others, this annual event focused on soil and water conservation practices. The expo featured children's activities, exhibitors, "Conservation at Home" sessions (water testing, septage system management, drinking water quality) and discussions on conservation tillage with equipment dealers and farmers.
Program Year: 02/03

Mini-Grant Funds: $1,000 Audience: homeowners, farmers, students
Lancaster County Conservation Exposition
The short-term goal of the Expo is to educate everyone that nutrients and nutrient pollution originate from many sources, not just farm animals. The long-term project goal is to assist people to clean up their "corner of the world," in order to benefit Lancaster County and the Chesapeake Bay.
Program Year: 00/01

Mini-Grant Funds: $750 Audience: citizens/farmers
Lancaster County Conservation Exposition
The event focused on soil and water conservation practices that citizens can incorporate into their daily lives to reduce the amount of nutrients entering their local waterways, and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay. Included were displays and presentations on nutrient management, and a variety of speakers were featured.
Program Year: 99/00, 98/99

Mini-Grant Funds: $500 Audience: citizens/farmers
Lancaster County Conservation Exposition
Program Years: 95/96 & 96/97

Schuylkill County
Schuylkill County Conservation District - Martie Hetherington, Project Leader
1204 Ag Center Drive
Pottsville, PA 17901
(570) 622-3742 ext. 115
Mini-Grant Funds: $900 Audience: district director, agency officials
Chesapeake Bay BMP Awareness Tours
The Schuylkill Conservation District conducted a tour of several Chesapeake Bay Cooperating Farms for SCD Directors, cooperating partners and agency personnel. The tour also included discussion on the elements and benefits of conservation planning, manure management, developing and implementing nutrient management plans and BMP construction. The tour will make it easier for participants to discuss BMPs and the Bay Program with district cooperators.
Program Year: 00/01

Snyder County
Snyder County Conservation District - Barry Spangler, Project Leader
403 West Market St.
Middleburg, PA 17842
(570) 837-0007 x114
Mini-Grant Funds: $987 Audience: Farmers
No-Till Educational Field Day Demonstration
The district conducted a no-till educational field day and demonstration. Speakers discussed advantages and other information related to no-till conversion and equipment will be shown in field demonstration. An extra bonus may occur during the demonstration -- the actual sowing of double crop soybeans with a no-till drill pulled by a team of draft horses.
Program Year: 06/07

Somerset County
Somerset County Conservation District - Len Lichvar, Project Leader
6024 Glades Pike
Suite 103
Somerset, PA 15501
(814) 445-4652
Mini-Grant Funds: $1,226.50 Audience: Agricultural Producers, Educators
No-Till / Cover Crop Field Day
Description: Reduce nonpoint source pollution and improve the Chesapeake Bay through providing Field Day that covers the connection between no-till, cover crops, nonpoint source pollution, and the Chesapeake Bay.
Expected Outcomes: Target audience increases knowledge of NPs pollution, Chesapeake Bay, role audience plays in making a positive difference, role no-till/cover crops play; Target audience adopts/moves toward adopting no-till/cover crop practices.
Click here for sample products created by this project.
Program Year: 07/08

Somerset County
Somerset County Conservation District - Paula Ledney, Project Leader
6024 Glades Pike, Suite 103
Somerset, PA 15501
(814) 445-4652x5
Mini-Grant Funds: $438 Audience: Farmers, local government officials, cooperating agencies, and county residents.
Somerset County CD Field Tour
The Somerset County 50th Anniversary Field Tour visited four sites that demonstrated non-point source pollution problems and the solutions the District, landowners and cooperating agencies have implemented to address those problems.
Program Year: 06/07

Sullivan County
Sullivan County Conservation District - Corey Richmond, Project Leader
RR#4 Box 4181
Dushore, PA 18614
(570) 928-7057
Mini-Grant Funds: $240 Audience: farmers
Soil Testing Benefits Project
The importance of soil testing to agricultural operations was demonstrated by using test plots on various farms and soil analysis. The savings possible by decreasing fertilizer purchased if the tests prove it is not needed was shown to farmers. The benefits of lessening nutrient pollution was also shown.
Program Year: 97/98

Susquehanna County
Susquehanna County Conservation District - John Benscoter, Project Leader
31 Public Avenue
Montrose, PA 18801
(570) 278-1011 ext. 109
Mini-Grant Funds: $929.55 Audience: misc., all ages
Barnyard Treatment Tour
The district's annual Barnyard Treatment Tours have been valuable in demonstrating the importance of installing best management practices on farms and dispelling misconceptions about them. Open to farmers, contractors, students, and others, the tour highlighted such practices as concrete barnyards, feedlots, and riparian buffers.
Program Year: 2003

Susquehanna County
Susquehanna/Bradford County Cooperative Extension - Mark Madden, Project Leader
31 Public Ave.
Montrose, PA 18801
(570) 265-3475
Mini-Grant Funds: $750 Audience: farmers/citizens
"On" Point Demonstration Sprayer
A clean crop sprayer with an on-board sprayer rinse system was used to demonstrate the benefits of sprayer rinse systems and low-drift nozzles. The rebuilt sprayer unit was fitted to make available handouts and brochures and will be used at field days, fairs, and meetings to show producers in a "hands-on" manner how pesticides should be applied to mitigate non-point source pollution, personal injury and economic loss.
Program Year: 98/99

Tioga County
Tioga County Conservation District - Jehanna Howe, Project Leader
50 Plaza Ln.
Wellsboro, PA 16901
(570) 724-1801 x112
Mini-Grant Funds: $1,912 Audience: Farmers, ag groups, nutrient management specialists
Chlorophyll Meter Educational Grant
The district held one-on-one trainings with a chlorophyll meter to help farmers better understand their crop nitrogen needs relative to their nutrient management plans. By demonstrating how much nitrogen a plant truly needs and absorbs to be productive, we can demonstrate the economic and environmental value of applying the right amount of nitrogen to their fields so that the farmer and local water quality can both benefit.
Program Year: 06/07