Congratulations to Jay, Melissa and Jayden Hansen! They are West McLean’s 2016

Achievement Winners and are being recognized for their outstanding efforts in

conservation.

The Soil Conservation Achievement Awards program is a statewide program whereby

each of the 60 soil conservation districts recognizes those who have made an outstanding

effort to conserve their valuable natural resources.

The Hansens farm and ranch west of Ryder, ND and they have implemented a planned

grazing system, pasture and hayland plantings for their cattle operation and multiple

water developments which include solar panels. Their hayland plantings included sain-

foin, which is a plant similar to alfalfa that fixes nitrogen in the soil and can be used for

both hay and grazing. They have also started a farmstead windbreak renovation which

included a new tree planting and weed barrier fabric in 2016.

As winners, the Hansens will be the district’s guests at the annual district convention in

Bismarck on November 20-22, 2016. They will also receive a framed aerial photograph of

their farmstead.

West McLean SCD

2016 Achievement Winners

Fall 2016

West McLean SCD hosted it’s annual Eco-Ed at Audubon National Wildlife Refuge again this

year. Originally this event was called the 7th Grade Soil Conservation Tour but we took a new

direction this year and followed the statewide Eco-Ed program. This is a field day for 6th and 7th

graders at our district schools to learn about the importance of conservation; schools include

Max, Garrison, and White Shield. Teachers, chaperones and 113 students enjoyed a rotation of 5

sessions and lunch was served by Kyle’s Katering.

Sessions included: Watersheds and Water Quality by Jim Collins, ND Dept. of Health; Wetlands

by Jennifer Kross, Ducks Unlimited; Prairies by Luke Gilbert, NDASCD; Soils by Brianna

Wegner, NRCS; and Woodlands by Jeff Smette, Towner State Nursery. Students are tested on

what they learn and the winning school is presented with a traveling trophy!

Thank you to all of our wonderful presenters, volunteers, and SCD supervisors who helped make

this great experience a reality for the students. Board members Ed Hauf, Byron Holtan, and

Richard White Bear along with Pat Stockdill, Whitney Huesers, and Calla Jarboe all volunteered

their time to assist with Eco-Ed.

Congratulations to the 6th and 7th graders at Max Public School on a great job!

Dalaney Ruhland and Emily Fannik of Max and Abbigail Zeiszler of Garrison all

received perfect test scores! Great job girls!!!

Max Students Win Eco-Ed Field Day!

West McLean SCD Page 2

Above: Supervisor Byron

Holtan takes in the Wet-

lands session taught by

Jennifer Kross with his

group.

Above: Supervisor Ed

Hauf and his group listen

to Luke Gilbert present

on Prairies.

Below: Pat Stockdill leads

her group to their next

session of the day.

West McLean SCD will be adding cover crop seeding to their list of services in 2017.

Farmers will be able to hire the SCD to seed their cover crops allowing them to continue

combining during the busy harvest season. Cover crop mixes will need to be reviewed by

the district to ensure that it will work with the equipment. A limited number of acres will

be signed up so that we are able to plant as soon as possible after harvest. The SCD did

200 acres of cover crop this summer to test the drill and it went smoothly.

If you are interested in having the district seed your cover crop, contact the SCD office

today to sign up or get more information.

Pictured below is one month of growth on a mix of radish and turnip at 4 lbs/acre.

Cover Crop Seeding

Bauman’s Selected for Harvest Bowl

Page 3 Fall 2016

West McLean SCD Supervisor Don Bauman and his wife Edith were selected as the

2016 NDSU Harvest Bowl Honorees from McLean County. The NDSU Harvest Bowl

recognizes the success, dedication, and hard work of agriculturists in 53 counties in

North Dakota and several counties in western Minnesota.

Congratulations Don & Edith!!

The Working Grassland Partnership (WGP) is a voluntary program that provides cost

share and lease payments to landowners to maintain grassland habitat on expiring CRP

through the addition of fences and water developments. The goal is to convert expiring

CRP into working grazing lands that benefit the wildlife, resources, and the producer.

The funding for this project is from North Dakota’s Outdoor Heritage Fund and is ad-

ministered through the Natural Resources Trust. The 10 year agreement states that the

existing cover will be maintained and there will be no alteration of habitat by digging,

plowing, disking, or otherwise destroying the habitat. CRP contracts set to expire in

2016 and 2017 are the top priority, however, contracts that will expire in the future, as

well as expired contracts will be considered.

Cost share for fences and water developments is 60/40, 60% from WGP and 40% produc-

er cost. Receipts are required for reimbursement. The program requires a grazing plan

that will allow for proper rest of pastures and change the season of use. The land will re-

main in the landowners control throughout the contract period. While not required, land-

owners are encouraged to consider entering the land into the ND Game & Fish’s Private

Land Open To Sportsmen (PLOTS).

If you have any expired or expiring CRP and would like to include the land into a grazing

system, please contact me. I will be happy to answer any questions you have.

Luke Gilbert

Farm Bill Specialist

Burleigh, McLean, Sheridan Counties

Cell: (218) 256-1505

Email: luke.gilbert@nd.nacdnet.net

Working Grassland Partnership by Luke Gilbert

West McLean SCD Page 4

Project Area

Planting season is just around the corner. If you would like to be on our list for trees, fab-

ric, or grass seeding please contact the office as soon as possible. Ground preparation for

trees and fabric must be completed in the fall and worked up again in the spring. Tilling

the ground at your tree site in the fall allows the soil to mellow over the winter and pro-

vides a good seedbed for planting in the spring. Tree planting occurs in early May and

fabric follows as soon as we are done planting trees for all of our contracts. Ground prepa-

ration is also very important for fabric. Fabric will not stay secure if the ground is

chunky, rocky, or uneven.

If you are interested in having grass seeded there will be a limited number of acres seed-

ed this spring. Contact the office now to guarantee your spot. Fields must be free of large

rocks, sprayer ruts, and need to be sprayed the fall prior to planting. Fields may need to

be sprayed again in the spring depending on if weeds start to come up. If a field is not ad-

equately prepared, the district will not seed it until it is. Rocks and sprayer ruts are very

hard on our equipment.

Pricing for these services can be found on our website.

Handplant orders are being taken this fall up until March 31, 2017. Order early to guar-

antee the species that you need.

Order forms and pricing can be found on our website as well as a database of tree species

that can be ordered.

2017

Tree Planting, Fabric Installation & Grass Seeding

Applications

Handplant Orders

Page 5 Fall 2016

www.westmcleanscd.com www.facebook.com/westmcleanscd

Sign up for the electronic newsletter can also be found on the website.

North Dakota CRP Regulations have made a few changes for the better.

Mid-contract management is required on all CRP contracts. The types of management

operations are different for some CRP practices, but they are all intended to rejuvenate

the stand half way through the contract period. Most contracts were set up to allow only

50% management per year to the grass stand, but new rules allow up to 100% of acreage

to have this performed in the year(s) planned on your contract. So with a simple contract

modification you may complete your mid-contract management in one year, if you

choose.

Vertical tillage is now allowed for mid-contract management for CRP practices that

allow for disking.

Haying and grazing may be requested depending on the contract practice.

Routine grazing of CRP on contracts approved after July 28, 2010, allow a modifica-

tion to routine graze once every other year. Routine grazing is allowed from August 2

through September 30.

Managed grazing of CRP for contracts that were limited to grazing once every 5 years

can now be grazed every 3 years with a modification. Managed grazing is allowed

from August 2 through September 30.

Managed haying of CRP for contract that were limited to haying once every 5 years

can now hay the acreage every 3 years with a modification. Managed haying is al-

lowed from August 2 through September 1 and the hay must be removed by Novem-

ber 15.

These changes aim to improve the management and quality of CRP acres in the state.

Haying that is allowed during a mid-contact management year will take care of that re-

quirement while providing the producer, or an eligible livestock producer, with forage.

There is a 25% reduction in payment on the acres and in the year that haying or grazing

was performed. Beginning farmers are exempt from the 25% reduction in payment.

If you have any questions, concerns, or are interested in a modification to hay/graze eve-

ry three years, contact the FSA or NRCS office.

CRP Modifications by Luke Gilbert

West McLean SCD Page 6

Have you ever looked across your property and thought about some land management

goals you would like to take to the next level? Maybe we can help.

No one knows more about your land than you do, and no one knows more about conserva-

tion than we do. Together we can develop a plan tailored to your land and your goals to

help you increase productivity and protect the value of your land.

CSP helps you build on your existing conservation efforts while strengthening your oper-

ation. Whether you are looking to improve grazing conditions, increase crop yields, or de-

velop wildlife habitat, we can custom design a CSP plan to help you meet those goals. We

can help you schedule timely planting of cover crops, develop a grazing plan that will im-

prove your forage base, implement no-till to reduce erosion or manage forested areas in a

way that benefits wildlife habitat. If you are already taking steps to improve the condi-

tion of the land, chances are CSP can help you find new ways to meet your goals.

HOW DO I APPLY?

If you feel like you are ready to take your conservation efforts to the next level—we are

here to help. You can apply for CSP any time throughout the year but there will be an-

nounced cutoff dates for ranking and funding opportunities. For more information on ap-

plications visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/csp or visit your local service center.

Aspen trees grow straight and eventually self-

prune their lower limbs. They are called quak-

ing aspen because their leaves tremble and

quake with the slightest breeze. Aspen have

whitish gray bark and dark green leaves which

turn yellow in the fall. Aspen trees grow well

in moist conditions and require full sun. It nor-

mally grows in areas with a high water table

on north and east facing slopes. It rapidly re-

colonizes after logging or fire. Deer and other

mammals browse aspen heavily during the

winter.

Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) by NRCS

Tree of the Quarter—Quaking Aspen

Page 7 Fall 2016

140 5th Ave SW

Garrison, ND 58540

Phone: 701.463.2851

Email: westmcleanscd@restel.com

Website: www.westmcleanscd.com

We s t M cL e a n S C D

2016 Newsletter Sponsors

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RTC

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Max Farm Services

CHS—Garrison

Max Farmers Elevator

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RDO Equipment

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Farmer’s Union Oil Co .

Garrison State Bank & Trust

BNC National Bank

McLean Electric Cooperative

Garrison Lumber Co.

OtterTail Power Co.

S&J Hardware

Semchenko Electric