21 Attend Producers Breakfast Meeting in Blackstone

A scrumptious breakfast, followed by a lively discussion about a mandated TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) program under development by the EPA made getting up at 0- dark -thirty worth the effort.  21 producers attended the Breakfast Meeting.

Mandatory Livestock Stream Exclusion…Fact or Fiction?

If you are a livestock producer and are wondering how the New EPA Chesapeake Bay TMDL will affect the way you do business, you will want to sign up for one of two meetings scheduled in January.  A breakfast meeting is scheduled on Thursday, January 21 at the  Piedmont Southern Piedmont AREC in Blackstone at 7:30 am (register by Jan. 18th), and a dinner meeting is scheduled January 28th at the Prince Edward Co. Ag. Bldg. in Famville at 6:30 pm (register by Jan. 25).   Reps. from Piedmont SWCD, NRCS, FSA will discuss cost-share opportunities.  There is no charge but pre-registration is required by calling 434-392-3782 ext. 133 or 804-561-2947 ext 110.

Piedmont SWCD Honored at State Association Annual Meeting

Director Ricky Rash received the 2009  R.E. Wilkerson Outstanding Director Award  December 8th  at the 71st Virginia Association of Conservation District Annual Meeting.

As the Association Annual Meeting, TMDL Conservation Specialist Charlie Wootton received the Chaffin Employee of the Year Award from  Association President and Piedmont Director Wilkie Chaffin.

Citizen Dedication Recognized

Members from the Sandy River Reservoir Protection Overlay District Committee were invited to attend the November board meeting to receive a copy of a board resolution recognizing their ” willingness to serve and courage to lead.”  Attending the meeting were committee members Charlie Hicks, Charles Weaver, and Sam Coleman, pictured here with directors Wilkie Chaffin and Don Gantt, Jr.

November Board Meeting

At the November board meeting, Don Gantt, Jr. tendered his resignation effective December 2009.  Mr. Gantt, elected in November to serve on the Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors, is pictured here opening the  Survival Kit that staff prepared for him.  Board Chairman Larkin Moyer is pictured below presenting Mr. Gantt with a Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of dedicated service for the conservation of natural resources.

Amelia Welcomes Brian Loadholt

Brian Loadholt, Amelia’s new District Conservationist, chatted with producer Henry Foster, Piedmont SWCD Conservation Specialist Paula Totten, and FSA’s Joan Poore  during the Amelia Open House held Tuesday, November 3rd in the Amelia Service Center.

Agriculture Awareness Day in Prince Edward County

The Piedmont SWCD staff discussed soil and how we all depend on it for  food  with fourth grade students from Prince Edward County as they cycled through ten stations learning about agriculture and its importance to our lives.

A milk cow and a three week old calf were crowd-pleasers at the Ag. Day at Prince Edward County.

Conservation Partners Enjoy Open House

Conservation Partners from Amelia, Nottoway and Prince Edward County enjoyed good conversation and tasty treats while perusing wall to wall education exhibits at the October 13th Open House at the Piedmont SWCD’s office in Farmville, VA.  An Open House is scheduled in Amelia, Virginia on Tuesday, November 3 from 10 am until 4 pm at the Amelia Service Center.  Ya’ll come!

Back to School 2009

It’s official–school is in session and Piedmont SWCD is ready to get back into the classroom! We offer a variety of classroom programs to school systems in Amelia, Nottoway, and Prince Edward Counties and they are all FREE OF CHARGE. We work with students of all ages, grades pre-K through 12. Our programs include: Watershed 101, Water Pollution, The Water Cycle, Wetlands, and Soils. We have tons of curriculum materials and activities for your classroom. Check out our Education page for details. We can’t wait to hear from you!

DEAR ENVIROTHON TEAMS:

It may seem like forever away, but next spring’s Envirothon competition will be here in a few short months. Contact us today for the information and resources you will need to start your team off right!

A final note… Whether you are a teacher planning your next lesson, a student with an upcoming science fair, or an agricultural producer thinking about taking advantage of the BMP Cost Share, you can learn about plant and soil structure and see the benefits of cover crops for yourself by constructing a Root Box. Contact us for more information and a detailed how-to guide!

Thanks for Joining Us!

We had a great time at the Nottoway Family & Farm Day over the weekend! We ate some delicious sno-cones, crawled through the soils tunnel, and managed not to get lost in the corn maze. About 500 people were able to attend. See you again next fall!

We hope you got a chance to see our BLUE RIBBON AWARD winning exhibit at the Amelia County Fair! There’s still time to stop by the Five County Fair in Farmville and check out our “Good Farm, Bad Farm” exhibit.

Curious about what we do? You are invited to join us for this month’s District Board Meeting on Tuesday, September 22 at 11 a.m. We will see you in the conference room of our building, 100-B Dominion Drive, beside Lowes in Farmville. Questions about the meeting? Just give us a call.