AWARDS
EAST POTTAWATTAMIE
SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT
2019 Awards Banquet
On September 12th, the East Pottawattamie Soil & Water Conservation District held their Annual Awards Banquet at Oakland's City Park.
The Conservation Educator of the Year Awardee was Jennifer Sellner
The Conservation Farmer of the Year Awardee was Don Applegate
The New Cooperator Awardees were Norma and Jeff Buckingham
The Friend of Conservation Awardee was Carstens 1880 Farmstead, Inc.
The Ed Kleen Stewardship Memorial Awardees were Terry and Larry Whiley
2016 Awards - Celebrating 75 Years
“Farming the conservation way is not unlike flying Old Glory full mast. For the man who genuinely loves the soil, there is a sense of pride and security in the land defended well against the ravages of erosion and constant harvest. As the flag is our emblem of defense against harm from beyond our borders, conservation farming is the pattern for protection against forces, also destructive, within our own land. We have seen the land resources of our continent squandered. Working together—all of us—we can continue to prevent needless destruction of the soil. We can continue to rebuild the wasted land. We will continue to work at it, we will continue to join hands and oppose careless farming even more effectively than we have before, and we will continue to educate our future generations. Thank you for your past, present and future dedication to soil and water conservation practices.”
-East Pottawattamie SWCD
"I am a fourth generation farmer. My father contoured, terraced, and had grassed waterways. Along came no-till and cover crops in my time. Nutrient management, grid soil testing, and tissue testing got us to 250 bu yield and even 300 bu. All these things have happened in the last 50 years, to make the soil more productive. What can we expect to see for my sons and grandsons? Where can we improve the soil with all of these practices? I wish I had a crystal ball, but I am sure it will be positive."
Don Applegate, producer
"I first became interested in The East Pottawattamie SWCD when my uncle, Robert Bingham, was a commissioner, and more so when I became the owner of my family's farm in 1990. I have implemented many practices on my farm that contribute to the protection and improvement of land and water resources through the guidance and help of the SWCD -- terracing, waterways, tiling, well closures, filter strips and pollinator acres. A large percentage of the farm land is owned by women, and from personal experience the knowledge and professionalism I receive from the employees and commissioners of The East Pottawattamie SWCD office have helped me and other women gain confidence as they support the sense of pride in our farms.
Hazel Harvey, landowner
"I remember the first terrace that Dad built because he wanted to straighten the ditch running the length of the farm. I was told by a neighbor that when we cultivated corn on the contour we formed mini terraces, and I saw that the soil was staying on the hillside and not down in the creek.
I was not impressed at first with the value of contour farming because I liked the challenge of keeping rows straight when planting up and down hills. It was not long before my brother and I saw the benefits of terracing, so we worked at getting the home section terraced. By then we started conservation tillage which lead to no-till farming."
Robert L. Stuart, Assistant Commissioner, 1985-1995