Fairfield Soil and Water Conservation District

06/25/2026

06/25/2026

https://www.morningagclips.com/2026-ohio-manure-science-review/

Maria Stein, Ohio — Agricultural professionals, producers and industry experts are invited to attend the 2026 Manure Science Review, a one-day educational event focused on...

06/25/2026

Happy !

Ohio is known for its strong agricultural industry, but did you know forestry is part of the agriculture sector? 🌳🌽 This is because trees can be cultivated and harvested just like other crops, only on a much longer time scale.

One early example of forestry being recognized as agriculture was the creation of the American Tree Farm System in the early 1940s. This marked a shift from the old practice of logging all trees on a parcel of land and moving on, toward sustainable forest management. Today, forestry remains a thriving part of agriculture, providing essential wood products that benefit both our daily lives and our economy. In Ohio alone, forestry contributes approximately 25% of the $124 billion that food and agriculture add to the state’s economy! 🍁💰

🌲 Learn more about the history of the American Tree Farm System here: https://foresthistory.org/digi.../american-tree-farm-system/

Ohio Forestry Association
Ohio Tree Farmers

06/24/2026

06/24/2026

By Randall Reader, Ohio No-Till Council As you attend our field days and other programs, we hope our speakers and panelists provide a few moments of discomfort. Yes, even if you’re an experienced no-tiller, you should hear at least one “transformative” idea that will make you say, “Wow, I’...

06/24/2026

Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) Director Brian Baldridge and Indigo Ag announced a new public-private partnership that will provide additional financial incentives to Ohio farmers implementing conservation practices through H2Ohio, Governor Mike DeWine’s statewide water quality initiative.

06/23/2026

It took 33 of us (30 cows/calvesincluded) today to survey for a livestock heavy use pad. I believe this curious herd enjoyed it. The proposed pad that we will be designing will hold 3 round bale feeders and will be extended around an existing tire tank watering facility. Due to the hill above the project area, we will need a small diversion to keep rainwater from washing over it.

Livestock operation areas in pastures or near barns that are frequented by livestock experience rutting. Grass is hard to maintain in these high traffic locations, usually feeding and/or watering sites. Heavy use pads can be placed in these trouble areas for better access. Like access roads, geotextile is used under a stone base, usually 304s topped with screenings. We have created a brochure on All-Weather Horse Paddocks specifically for equine facilities also which can be found on our website at https://fairfieldswcd.org/heavy-use-pad-hup/

Another example is a composting pad. Again, geotextile under a stone base and screenings on top create a base for a manure composting operation. Manure can be wind-rowed and composted over time into a product that can be spread back onto the field to provide nutrients to pastures and/or crops.

06/22/2026

Camp AMP:
How Regenerative Grazing is Changing Military Land

"Camp AMP," the newest short film in Peter Byck's Carbon Cowboys series, follows Eric Czaja and his family as they work to introduce regenerative grazing practices on U.S. Department of Defense bases nationwide.

The pilot site is Camp San Luis Obispo, situated along the California coast, where Mark Simonin—the current holder of the grazing lease—has agreed to let Czaja shift his cattle management toward regenerative techniques.

Already within the first year, the base's land shows greater resilience to both drought and flooding, while wildfire risk and land maintenance costs have dropped substantially. Most importantly for the base, warfighter readiness has improved, since the regeneratively grazed terrain stays cleared and training-ready.

As the base commander, Col. Brian Wintzer, says, "It's a win, win, win, win."

This film is 18 minutes in length and is available to view on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8g6iwmjSLU

The Noble Research Institute also showcased the Camp Amp in their 2025 Fall Newsletter in an article entitled "Grazing for National Security." To read their article and the interviews, visit their website.

The latest in Peter Byck's carbon cowboys series of short films, "c...

06/22/2026

Cover Crop Strategies: Diving Head First into Cover Crops - Vol. 7
Available for free download, this publication is a great resource for farmers and ag advisors to help improve farm operations, soil health, and the bottom line.

Inside you'll find:
• Methods Farmers are Using to Seed Cover Crops
• 2026 Cover Crops Operational Benchmark Survey Results
• Cover Crop Grazing Provides Economic & Soil Health Wins
• Single Cover Crop Species Outshines Diverse Mix with 70+ Bushel Boost to Corn Yields
• and More!

Cover Crop Strategies