April 3, 2008

PERRYVILLE – The Perry Soil and Water Conservation District has presented its 2007 Conservation Farmer of the Year Award to Curtis and Mary Kassel.

SWCD officials say the Kassel’s raise Holstein steers, have grass and alfalfa hay, do no-till on all fields and uses a rotation of corn-wheat soybeans double crop.

They have completed several conservation practices: 4,335 feet of grassed backslope terraces, 1,687 feet of underground outlets, five grade stabilization structures and have done numerous practices on rented farms

The SWCD also announced the winners of its Poster and Coloring Contests.

The theme this year was - "Water is Life". There were 69 entries from five schools. The contests were sponsored by the Bank of Missouri

Fourth grade winners - 1st place - Rachael Moore - St Vincent Elementary - Perryville Dennis and Shelly Moore – parents; 2nd place - Andrew Bohnert - Concordia Trinity Lutheran School-Altenburg Tim Bohnert and Tammy Bohnert – parents; 3rd place - Jordan Buchheit - St Vincent Elementary • Perryville Bill & Sue Buchheit - parents

Sponsored by Buchheits, Inc.

Fifth grade winners – 1^st place - Brett Schario - St Vincent Elementary – Perryville, Ed and Tess Schario – parents, 2nd place - Veronica Wibbenmeyer - St Vincent Elementary - Perryville Terry and Lisa Wibbenmeyer – parents; 3rd place - Kayla Winkler - St. Vincent Elementary - Perryville Keith & Mary Winkler – parents.

There were 147 entries from five Schools in the SWCD coloring contest.

First grade winners - 1st place - Luke Heberlie - St Vincent Elementary - Perryville Kevin & Connie Heberlie – parents; 2nd place - Lexie Naeger - St Vincent Elementary - Perryville Matt & Tara Naeger – parents; 3rd place - Megan Hennemann - St Vincent Elementary - Perryville Jim & Sarah Hennemann – parents

Second grade winners - 1st place - Grace Powderly - St Vincent Elementary - Perryville Greg & Shelly Powderly – parents; 2nd place - Abby Buchheit - St Vincent Elementary - Perryville Bill & Sue Buchheit – parents; 3rd place - Meta Schlimpert - Concordia Trinity Lutheran School-Altenburg Steve & Amie Schlimpert - parents

In fiscal year 2007 approximately $220,000.00 was spent on Conservation Practices in Perry County, serving 45 landowners/operators.

11 Water Impoundment Reservoirs (ponds)

17 Water & Sediment Basins (dry structures)

62 Vertical Drains (sinkhole development)

7 acres Critical Area Treatment

3900 feet Underground Outlets

1.3 acres Grassed Waterways

In 2007, 22 applications for the Environmental Qualities Incentive Program were approved for funding. These contracts brought an additional $156,600 worth of funding into Perry County to complete conservation practices.

21.5 acres were enrolled into the Continuous Conservation Reserve Program.

The district sponsored the following -

The Heartland Forage Day

The Grassland Evaluation Contest both

Regional and State Landuser Information Meeting on the 319 project

The district mails information on soil stewardship to over 30 churches in the area.

The district has the coloring contest for 1st and 2nd grade students and a poster contest for 4th and 5th grade students.

The Perry SWCD along with Cape SWCD co-sponsored a Woman in Agricultural meeting in 2006. This year on April 18 will be the 4th annual Women in Ag tour/meeting. Anyone interested in attending see Karen or Dana this evening. Also in September this area will be hosting the state Women in Ag meeting.

The district board members attended the Winter Training conference, Area 8 district Supervisors meeting and the Education Seminar for legislature held in Jefferson City.

The district has two mulchers a Tailgate mulcher and a Finn mulcher. We also have 2 Great Plains 10* drills and a new 7 ft1 Great Plains drill with a warm season grass attachment.

We also purchased an assortment of equipment useful in conducting prescribed burns on private land. This equipment was donated to Missouri Department of Conservation. The equipment is all contained on a small trailer. The trailer is highway-ready, and is equipped with a 2" ball hitch. For scheduling of this equipment please call the NRCS/SWCD office. This piece of equipment is housed at the MDC building.

The district is also scheduling an offset disc for the Missouri Department of Conservation. This piece of equipment can be used for food plots, fire breaks or early successional vegetation habitat management. It will also tear up thick sod bound stands of grass in order to get bare ground which is important for quail.

The district would like to thank the landowners for their support and help during the past year.