Area Two staff took part in a field day at the KSU Research Farm on April 17. 

This is the first Outreach Field Day of planned sessions to be held each year by NRCS at the KSU farm.

David Stipes, Area 2 Assistance State Conservationist for Field Operations along with Dr. Marion Simon and Louie Rivers of KSU have joined forces to bring conservation information to limited resource farmers in Kentucky.  The university does hold monthly "Third Thursday Thing" events and NRCS has agreed to take part each spring in the event.

The day started with NRCS' new national campaign,  CONSERVATION  Our Purpose. Our Passion.  presented by Peggy Jackson, DC for Franklin/Woodford Counties. 

There were also presentations by Steve Ewalt, DC, Anderson County, Ed Thompson, DC, Boone/Kenton/Campbell/Grant Counties and Greta Steverson, DC, Henry/Trimble Counties covering grazing, wildlife cropland, and pastureland.  

In the afternoon, the group then moved to the outdoors and traveled by a wagon to various sites on the farm.

The sites presentations included natural resource inventory on your farm, a soils core pull and geology/landscape considerations with practice application, as well as pond construction and a tour of a managed riparian buffer area.  The NRCS staff included Kurt Mason, DC, Jefferson/Oldham/Bullitt Counties, Steve Blanford, Soil Scientist, Franklin County, Randal Rock, DC, Shelby/Spencer Counties,  Bill Thomas, Area 2 Engineer,  Bob Ricks, Soil Conservation Technician, Franklin County, Kevin Skelton, Soil Conservation Technician, Shelby County,  Johnny Davenport, Soil Conservation Technician, Anderson County, and Glen Abney, Area 2 Resource Conservationist.  Danny Hughes of Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources also assisted.

Additional NRCS technical support was provided by Lela Ison, Area 2 Administrative Coordinator, Steve Crabtree, GIS Specialist, Bob Eigel, Soil Scientist, Franklin County, John Smith, Civil Engineer Technician, Martha Marsh  Civil Engineer Technician, Mark Cambron, DC, Washington County, representing the Civil Rights Committee and Lois Jackson, Public Affairs Specialist.

(Pictured below) Wildlife found on the KSU farm.