Tips, tricks, and a quick peek into the everyday life of the conservation district.
Back in August, we went back to visit one of our cooperators, Bill Cayford, who is the type of guy who just wants to do the right thing with his land.
Bill has 20 acres total, half of which is pasture and open space
Read MoreHere's a creative way to move dirt from one part of a hill to another. This happened in Monroe at the Housing Hope family complex. Snohomish Conservation District is partnering with Housing Hope to restore and build garden beds for residents.
Read MoreHere are some helpful tips from our district engineer for youth scientists participating in the First Lego League Challenge - 2017/18 Hydro Dynamics Challenge.
Read MoreMaybe you read last week’s editorial about lawns stifling creativity and you’ve started to second guess the big rectangle of grass in your front yard, but you’re hesitant to get rid of your lawn altogether. After all, you’ve got kids, or pets, or both, and it’s a great space to play!
I’ve got good news for you: you can keep your lawn and be creative with it at the same time.
Read MoreYour land is a powerful medium for creative potential and beauty. Why are you doing the bare minimum with it?
Read MoreOur largest rain garden has finally been planted. Check out how small it makes our Vet Crew seem.
Read MoreLearn more about Lawns to Lettuce!
Read MoreGet to know our 2017-2018 Washington Conservation Corps crew!
Read MoreThis Camano Island rain garden is doing triple duty, filtering water from three different sources: rainwater from the sky, runoff from the roof, and surface water from the uphill slope.
Read MoreFirst series of 'Living with Beavers' workshops held and useful for attendees in Tulalip, Stanwood and Monroe.
Read MoreManure & Lime Spreader Program Ending for 2017
Sound Horsekeepers, Adam and Tracey
The spreaders are out at the last cooperators' property and will be picked up Friday and put away for the season. We will not be taking reservations until April 2 for next spring, so mark it on your calendars. There will be some changes coming to the program that Michael Hipp, our Resource Planner / Sound Horsekeeping Program Manager, will be working on over the winter, They are changes related to efficiency so that we can better serve you all. He will let you know what those are as they become official.
A big THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the spreader program this year! 2017 was the busiest and most successful yet.
34 Cooperators (aka landowners / farmers / horsekeepers) used the spreaders; some, multiple times.
3,020 miles driven to deliver the spreaders - that's the distance from Seattle to San Salvador, El Salvador!
Only 1 flat tire on the trailer (thanks to Skagit Farmer's Supply for the assist!)
And there is no way to measure the tens of thousands of pounds of manure and lime spread this year, but it is great to know that all those nutrients are out building good soil. Thank you to our cooperators for not only having Michael out to your property to discuss soil health and good pasture management practices, but also for following through and getting your pastures one step healthier for your horses.
Please remember that if you encounter any new resource concerns over the winter Michael is always here to help. Winter in western Washington is always a challenge with horses, so please don't ever hesitate to contact him any time.
Office: (425) 377-7019 | Email: mhipp@snohomishcd.org
Are you new to the Pacific North-Wet or do you find yourself struggling every year with mud? Do you need ideas for how to keep your horse happy and exercised while pastures rest? Please let us know!
Read MoreOur own Ryan Williams just began his AgForestry Class 40 in Pullman with a success.
Read MoreHere are another six completed rain gardens in the City of Everett. Want one for your property? Contact the City of Everett and inquire about their rain garden rebate program.
Read MoreSeeking artist /carpenter for rain arbor. Contact Derek at 425-377-7012 if interested.
Read MoreA community came together and our Vet Crew did the work.
Read MoreHügelkultur is a German word that means hill or mound. In agriculture and gardening, it means no-dig raised beds constructed from decaying wood debris and other compostable biomass plant materials. They hold moisture, build fertility, maximize surface volume and are great spaces for growing fruit, vegetables and herbs.
Photo credit: www.richsoil.com
Read MoreWhen the Washington Conservation Corps crew starts their contract year, they get right to work. And, mind you, they often get more done in a day than a normal person or household gets done in a month!
Their first project this year was to return to the Department of Ecology grant location off of Highway 2 near the Arco Station near Monroe to do some needed maintenance.
From the returning crew lead, Ali Trout, "We spent the last two days pulling night shade at the Monroe Wetlands site. The night shade mono-culture area is supposed to be a branch of the creek, but it has been so choked out by the night shade, that the creek doesn’t really exist anymore. The water just slowly trickled through the night shade mat. We cleared 2,600 sq ft so far and about 21 cubic yards for volume."
Yeah. We're glad they're back to work.
Keep watching the site for official photos of the 2017/2018 crew.
This June we had the opportunity to complete several best management practices (BMPs) at the Holly Farm in Bothell, WA in the Little Bear Creek Watershed.
Read MoreHere is a unique project to slow upland flow of materials using compost socks.
Read More
Snohomish Conservation District | 528 91st Ave NE, Lake Stevens, WA 98258 | 425-335-5634
