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Thursday, August 14, 2014
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Energy and Your Horse Farm Meeting Agenda
Farm Stewardship
Meeting
Thursday, August 14, 2014, Noon
to 3:00 pm
Energy Use on Your Horse Farm
Agenda
Welcome and Introductions
Jane Thery, Chair
Energy Use and the Environment
Dan Johannes , Maryland
Energy Efficiency Options and Programs
Dean Fisher, Program Manager
Natural Energy Through Stable Design
John Blackburn, Senior Principal
Solar Energy Options
Wayne Brechtel, Senior Field
Energy Consultant
SolarCity
Canoeing !!
Special thanks to our host and
canoeing partners, The Chesapeake Bay
Foundation, and to Piedmont Insurance and SolarCity for the fine refreshments.
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Summer Farm Stewardship Meeting on Energy
Summertime ! Time to think about energy use
on your horse farm.
Are you running fans when you could use
natural ventilation and shade? Is your
arena or barn roof a good candidate for solar panels? Could that wind that blows be harnessed to
provide you with electricity? Are there
easy ways for you to cut down on the electricity you now use through LED bulbs
and smart monitors? Do you want to
reduce the “carbon footprint” of your farm?
Energy is the focus of the Summer Maryland
Horse Council Farm Stewardship meeting which will be graciously hosted by the
Chesapeake Bay Foundation at their headquarters in Annapolis
Please join us on
Thursday, August 14 from noon – 3:00 pm.
Phillip Merrill Environmental Center
Special added feature !!! Paddle out into the Bay after the
meeting! Bring your boating
clothes. Fun on the Chesapeake
Agenda:
SolarCity – Solar Power
Lunch will be provided. Kayaking on the Chesapeake
Questions? Contact Jane Thery at theryjane@gmail.com or 202-527-2145
Monday, June 30, 2014
Attention Horse Farm Owners ! Deadline for Application is September 30.
"This voluntary program offers a one-time signing bonus, now up to $250 an acre, attractive annual rental and incentive payments, and cost-share to install streamside buffers, wetlands, livestock fencing, watering facilities and other stream protection practices. "
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program applications now being accepted
Annapolis, MD - 6/29/2014
By Press Release, Maryland Department of Agriculture
Local soil conservation districts are now accepting applications for the newly reauthorized Maryland Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). Farmers interested in earning extra farm income by taking environmentally sensitive cropland out of production for 10 to 15 years and planting streamside buffers, establishing wetlands, protecting highly erodible land or creating wildlife habitat should call or visit their local soil conservation district to take advantage of this popular environmental incentive program. Applications will be accepted through September 30.
CREP is a federal-state partnership program that was reauthorized in the 2014 Farm Bill. This voluntary program offers a one-time signing bonus, now up to $250 an acre, attractive annual rental and incentive payments, and cost-share to install streamside buffers, wetlands, livestock fencing, watering facilities and other stream protection practices. CREP buffers meet all Maryland Nutrient Management Program setback requirements. In addition, CREP offers easy reenrollment for current participants with expiring contracts.
“The good news is that CREP is back and available to help farmers protect local waterways, enhance their farming operations and comply with Maryland’s nutrient management regulations,” said Maryland Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance. “It’s worth checking into. I’ve never met a farmer who regretted installing a stream crossing or watering facility. Livestock farmers report that these practices can help improve hoof health for cattle and reduce mastitis problems in dairy cows. I urge farmers to visit their local soil conservation district to find out how this program can benefit their farms.
Maryland’s Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share Program and USDA’s Farm Service Agency provide landowners with financial assistance to install best management practices (BMPs) on lands enrolled in CREP. Incentive payments worth up to 40 percent of the cost-share allocation are available for certain BMPs. Free technical assistance to install BMPs is provided by local soil conservation districts. In some instances, landowners have the option of selling a permanent easement on their land to the state.
In 1997, Maryland became the first state to participate in the CREP program. Since then, CREP has helped hundreds of landowners plant streamside buffers of grasses and trees, establish wetlands, protect highly erodible land and create wildlife habitat on roughly 70,000 acres of environmentally sensitive land. When fully implemented, CREP will help Maryland achieve its water quality goals by:
- Reducing an estimated 11.5 million pounds of nitrogen and 1.1 million pounds of phosphorus from entering Maryland waterways each year.
- Reducing the amount of sediment entering streams by approximately 200,000 tons annually.
- Establishing and enhancing 77,000 acres of riparian buffers and 5,000 acres of wetland habitat and 2,000 acres of habitat for declining, threatened or endangered species, including the bald eagle and Eastern bog turtle.
- Stabilizing and protecting up to 16,000 acres of highly erodible land.
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
June 11, 2014 Meeting Report
The evening sky was threatening rain but about 35 people
came to beautiful Persimmon Tree Farm for the meeting on “How Your Horse Farm
Can Be a Home for Healthy Horses AND Natural Flora and Fauna.”
Farm owner and host Carolyn Krome gave the group a tour of the native
grasses planted to provide wildlife habitat and to hold the soil. She explained the practice of a controlled
burns to burn down the dry grasses on a regular schedule to avoid invasive
plants and to minimize thatch. She said
that the grasses have attracted many birds, small animals, coyotes and even a
bobcat. Carolyn also showed the group
the section of her farm planted to attract “pollinators” such as bees and butterflies. This project was supported by the Maryland
Soil Conservation Districts Pollinator Habitat Project.
Jane Thery, Committee Chair, welcomed the group to the meeting. Samantha Spencer, Carroll Country Soil
Conservation District specialist, presented the plan she had prepared to
develop a section of wetlands on Persimmon Tree Farm. She explained the process of wetland planning
and the assistance available from the Soil Conservation District office.
James Remuzzi, President of Sustainable Solutions, described
his company’s process for controlled burns.
He noted that they will handle all of the needed permits, review the
weather for an appropriate burning day and assure that the burn is
contained. He recommended that any
native grass plantings that were to be burned are surrounded by a mown grass
buffer zone of at least 15 feet to effectively contain the burn area.
Gerald Talbert, Program Director of the Soil Conservation
District Farm Certification and Assessment Program (FSCAP) spoke about the on-going
process for bringing more horse farms into the program and announced that we
now have 17 horse farms who have received full certification.
Jane Seigler, president of the Maryland Horse Council, gave
an update on legislative issues from the meeting of the Maryland Assembly. She noted that our new lobbyist, Frank
Boston, was very useful in legislative tracking. One bill which passed and is important for
the Farm Stewardship composting promotion is the requirement to include organic
material under new fertilizer regulations.
Informal networking over refreshments sponsored by the
Piedmont Group and R.D. Bowmen rounded out the evening as the rain began to
fall.
The next Farm Stewardship meeting will focus on energy
efficiency and renewable energy sources for your horse farm and will be held
sometime in August or September.
Saturday, June 7, 2014
MHC Farm Stewardship
Committee
Spring Meeting
Contributing to Healthy Horses and a Healthy Environment in
Maryland
Wednesday, June 11
6:00 - 8:30 pm
"How Your Horse Farm Can Be a Home for Healthy Horses AND
Natural Flora and Fauna"
Our host is Carolyn Krome.
Refreshments will be provided
Meeting Address:
Persimmon Tree Farm
1030 Bloom Road
Westminster, MD 21157
Agenda: Welcome and Introduction
Jane Thery,
Chair, Maryland Horse Council Farm Stewardship Committee
Naturalizing
Your Horse Farm
Carolyn Krome,
Owner, Persimmon Tree Farm
Conservation
Programs and Planning
Samantha Spencer
and Stan Pennington, Carroll County Soil Conservation District
Sustainable
Solutions
James R.
Remuzzi, President
Update on the
Farm Stewardship Certification and Assessment Program (FSCAP)
Gerald Talbert,
Program Director
Legislative
Issues Impacting Farm Stewardship
Jane Seigler,
President, Maryland Horse Council
Tour of Persimmon Tree Farm
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
June Farm Stewardship Meeting Coming Up !!
Please join us for the June Maryland Horse Council Farm Stewardship meeting at beautiful Persimmon Tree Farm!
Wednesday, June 11 6:00 - 8:30 pm
"How Your Horse Farm Can Be a Home for Healthy Horses AND Natural Flora and Fauna"
The meeting will focus on methods and financing for adding natural habitat to your farm. We will also get an update on environmental issues for horse farms from the state legislative session, review where we are in signing up farms for the Farm Stewardship Certification and Assessment Program (FSCAP) and discuss ideas for future meetings.
Our host is Carolyn Krome. Refreshments will be provided
Meeting Address:
Persimmon Tree Farm
1030 Bloom Road
Westminster, MD 21157
Questions?
Contact Jane Thery, Chair, theryjane@gmail.com; 202-527-2145
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