Edgecombe Soil and Water Conservation District

05/18/2026

Hey everyone! Check out what we have been up to this Spring with the latest edition of our newsletter.

Check out this Real Estate Flyer designed by Jenna Russell.

04/29/2026

Another spot check day for the books! This year, we had supervisors Ayra Sundbom and Harold Thompson, Ayra's daughter Jo, and we even had our area coordinator Taryn Thompson. We looked at several active contracts which included: a precision agrichemical applicator system, cropland conversion to trees, a pond repair/retrofit, a mortality management system, and a cropland conversion to grass. To finish off the day, in the best way possible, we all enjoyed lunch together.

If you're interested in more information on these practices and more, feel free to contact our office.

04/24/2026

Want some fun activities for your kids to do this summer? Check out Edgecombe 4-H summer fun programs. There's something for everyone!

04/08/2026

Planting season is beginning and that means saying goodbye to the winter cover crops. These photos demonstrate rye being used as a cover crop in the off-season. A cover crop is typically grasses, legumes, small grain, or brassicas grown primarily for seasonal vegetative protection, erosion control, and soil improvement. Talking with this farmer, he said that after he began planting cover crops, he started noticing soil health improvements, along with increased wildlife activity on the farm.

04/03/2026

Ayra Sundbom, a member of our board of supervisors, is going to be at the farmers market. Make her sell out!

03/31/2026

This photo says it all—rotational grazing at work on our farm.
By carefully moving our herd between pastures, we naturally improve soil health, reduce inputs, and give our cattle access to fresh, nutrient-rich forage. The result? Healthier, happier cows and high-quality, nutrient-dense beef you can feel good about feeding your family.
From our pasture to your table 🌱🥩

https://hurricanebranchfarms.com

03/19/2026

The NCDA&CS Farmland Preservation Division is excited to invite North Carolina’s farmland preservation and agricultural community to the 2026 North Carolina State VAD Conference, taking place July 22–23 in Cherokee, North Carolina.

Please join us for a lively and informative two-day gathering featuring:
• Updates on statewide VAD and EVAD programs
• Best-practice and program success stories
• Public hearing and ordinance guidance
• Networking with counties across North Carolina
• And much more

03/11/2026

Our Streamflow Rehabilitation Assistance Program (StRAP) projects have come to an end for this funding cycle. This cycle we contracted to remove debris from Ballahack Canal, Deep Creek, Moccasin Creek, Knight Canal, and Mitchell Swamp. All that adds up to removing thousands of pounds of debris from 146,000 linear feet of streams! This work is important to help reduce flooding and maintain the flow of streams and canals.

03/06/2026

Showing the students how water acts in the soil when the farmer is using no-till practices along with planting a cover crop and leaving the crop residue vs when conventional tillage is used.

03/06/2026

This week, I was asked to return to South Edgecombe Middle School to talk about soil and water and to do a couple of activities. We started off doing a shake jar, this was to give the students a chance to get their hands dirty and play with some soil. This activity is also a simple way to show the students the different soil particle sizes of sand, silt, and clay. We then moved onto an activity about till vs no-till farming and how water reacts to these scenarios.