Beef Feeding Facility Farm Tour
On January 21, 2015, the Perry County SWCD held a farm tour to take a closer look at the Beef Feeding Facility cost-share practice that is being offered for the first time to landowners. See Landowner Assistance for specifics concerning the practice. The first stop on the tour was to view a cow/calf feeding facility. The second stop on the tour was to view a beef stocker feeding facility. Tour attendees were able to have their questions answered by landowners that received cost-share to build the barns, the NRCS Engineer, the Perry County SWCD District Technician, and SWC Program personnel. Those attending included 34 landowners, 6 SWCD District Technicians, 3 SWCP personnel, and 4 NRCS personnel from 9 counties. More photos....
Biennial Perry County SWCD Meeting and Supper
The Perry County SWCD has a biennial meeting and supper to keep county landowners informed of activities and issues that affect the SWCD in addition to electing members to the SWCD Board. Area school children that participated in coloring and poster contests have their work judged and receive ribbons. The first 3 winners of 1st graders, 2nd graders, 4th graders and 5th graders receive awards sponsored by area businesses. See Board Members for current SWCD board members. Brent Buerck, Perryville city adminstrator, and James Hunt, NRCS district conservationist, discussed the roles different partners have in the grotto sculpin community plan and how best management practices to help protect the karst environment. More photos....
| Coloring Contest | Poster Contest | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place | Winner | Grade | Place | Winner | Grade |
| 1st | Aki Hosoda - St. Vincent | 1st | 1st | Connor McMillian - St. Vincent | 4th |
| 2nd | Lydia Schlimpert - UCLS | 1st | 2nd | Sam Mueller - Altenburg Public | 4th |
| 3rd | Allyson Burns - Immanuel Lutheran | 1st | 3rd | Rachel Riney - St. Vincent | 4th |
| 1st | Rose Hathcock - Immanuel Lutheran | 2nd | 1st | Lacci Gibbar - St. Vincent | 5th |
| 2nd | Allie Patrick - St. Vincent | 2nd | 2nd | Mollie Dobbelare - St. Vincent | 5th |
| 3rd | Isabel Brown - Immanuel Lutheran | 2nd | 3rd | Natalie Ernst - St. Vincent | 5th |
Women In Agriculture Tour
The Perry County SWCD has been supporting a Women in Agriculture Tour since 2004. The 1st seven events were joint tours with Cape Girardeau County Soil and Water Conservation District. The tours were such a success that in 2011, the 2 Districts had to hold independent events. Perry County's biennial Women in Ag Tour averages 80 attending women. Area businesses help support the event by donating attendance prizes, monetary donations, or promotional material for goodie bags. The following pictures are of the 2014 tour.
Cover Crop and Soil Health Field Day
The Perry County NRCS and SWCD had farm field day at Todd and Cindy Lohmann's farm on March 11, 2014. Doug Peterson, NRCS soil health conservationist, explained the benefits of soil health and how cover crops contribute to soil health. Jerry Kaiser, NRCS plant materials specialist, explained the benefits of cover crops and the cover crop strip trials planted on the Lohmann farm. Dave Skaer, NRCS soil scientist, discussing how cover crops improve soil structure and soil health. More photos....
Mid America Grassland Contest
The Perry County NRCS and SWCD has continuously sponsored the Mid America Grassland Contest in the Southeast District every October since 1992. High schools in the Southeast District send student teams to compete in 4 categories: soils, plant identification, wildlife habitat, and grassland condition. The top 4 Southeast District teams go on to compete at the state level held in the Columbia/Jefferson City area. The top 4 state teams then go on to compete at the national level.
| 2015 Southeast District Grassland Teams | |
|---|---|
| 1st Place | Jackson R-2 High School |
| 2nd Place | Woodland High School |
| 3rd Place | St. Genevieve R-2 High School |
| 4th Place | Fredricktown High School |
| 2014 Southeast District Grassland Teams | |
|---|---|
| 1st Place | Fredricktown High School |
| 2nd Place | Jackson R-2 High School |
| 3rd Place | Farmington High School |
| 4th Place | St. Genevieve R-2 High School |
| 2013 Southeast District Grassland Teams | |
|---|---|
| 1st Place | Farmington High School |
| 2nd Place | Woodland High School |
| 3rd Place | St. Genevieve R-2 High School |
| 4th Place | Couch High School |
Envirothon
The Perry County SWCD has been supporting the annual Southeast Regional Envirothon for several years. High schools in the Southeast region send student teams to compete in aquatics, wildlife, forestry, soils, current issues and are required to give an oral presentation. The top 3 teams from the regional competiton will travel to to compete in the Missouri Envirothon. The top team from the state will advance to the Cannon North American Envirothon to compete against other US states and Canadian providences for scholarships.