From the Barton County Conservation District...
Hello Barton County!
We’ve received several calls in the last couple of weeks inquiring if there are funds available for various projects from wells to pumps to windbreaks. April 16, we will begin advertising for our initial sign-up period for the Fiscal Year 2024 State Cost Share contracts.
There are some changes this year. The State Conservation Commission earlier this year adjusted the maximum landowner limit for both the Water Resources and Non Point Source programs to $15,000 for each program in FY2024. The maximum project limit was also adjusted up to $10,000 from $5,000 for all project types in Water Resources and Non Point Source except for On Site Waste (septic systems), which is $2,500. So, while the amount of dollars allotted to each county is likely to stay the same, projects will receive more funding. So, there may be fewer contracts issued, but the ones that are will be more valuable.
Another change is a transition from a percentage payout to a payment rate. The amount is aligned closely with what the NRCS contracts for. These changes have been standardized around the state. Also, all project types allowed by the SCC will be offered in each county. However, the Conservation District Supervisors will develop the ranking system in each county based on what the natural resource concerns are in their area. We are working diligently to come up with a system that considers the needs throughout the county so that conservation dollars are spread more equitably throughout the county.
We will be taking applications through May for the first group of contracts. However, we do accept applications year round, and if there are funds available, we will do a subsequent ranking to issue additional contracts at different times throughout the year. We only advertise for this once a year though.
All of our funds for Fiscal Year 2023 have been allocated, so we won’t have any more until July 1, when we issue our first round of contracts. We will be emailing the announcement and a pdf of the application, the projects eligible, and a blank W-9 in mid-April to everyone on our newsletter mailing list.
You can also pick up a packet on Thursday, April 13, when you stop in for FSA’s Producer Appreciation Day! Come meet new staff members of FSA, and treat yourself to lunch from 11 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Sloppy Joes, chips, cookies and drinks are on the menu. We are hoping for good weather and a nice turnout.
Happy Spring!
Veronica Coons
Barton County Conservation District Manager
NRCS is Hiring
NRCS is hiring a Soil Conservation Technician in multiple locations. This is a permanent, full-time position.
This position provides assistance to the Soil and Water Conservation District assigned to the field office within the assigned Natural Resources area working with landowners to apply and maintain a number of conservation practices and review of financial assistance requests under the provision of federal, state, and local agriculture programs.
Here is the direct link to the position with information on how to apply: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/717303400
Applications must be completed through USAJOBs no later than close of business April 19, 2023.
Contact Haley Bond at 620-792-5329 if you have specific questions regarding the position.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender
Barton County FSA Office Is Hiring!!
The Barton County Farm Service Agency (FSA) office in Great Bend, KS is hiring a full time, Program Technician (PT). The deadline to apply is April 20, 2023.
Duties include general office activities supporting FSA programs administered at the field level. Successful applicants must be reliable, have a professional attitude and enjoy working with the public.
Benefits include health and life insurance, retirement, annual leave, and sick leave.
If you are interested or know of someone who might be interested, please share this information with them. Here is the direct link to the position with information on how to apply: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/715804300
Applications must be completed through USAJOBs no later than close of business April 20, 2023.
Contact Amanda Staub, County Executive Director, at 620-792-5329 if you have specific questions regarding the position. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Did you know?
The conservation district sells windbreak planting supplies including fabric mulch rolls and squares, pins, irrigation pipe (3/4-inch and 1/2-inch tubing and components for drip irrigation. These additions to your windbreak planting protect newly planted trees and shrubs from competing weeds and grass, and provide consistent water straight to the root zone to give them the best chance possible of thriving in their new location. We work hard to keep prices low to encourage implementation of sound conservation practices that will ultimately make Barton County an awesome place for people and wildlife to thrive.
Next phase of Victory Garden coming soon
We have finished up our first series of gardening classes, “Spring Gardening Basics,” which enjoyed a great turnout and we feel was a great first step towards building a community of gardeners! Now, we are excited about what’s next coming up in April!
Thanks to a generous donation from COPE (Communities Organizing to Promote Equity), The Victory Garden of Barton County will be able to move up our plan of building raised beds to provide gardening space for individual gardeners alongside our learning garden space at the Barton County Historical Society Museum. A work day has been set to build the beds on April 15. We hope to have them filled and ready for planting in May.
Later in May, we are planning some one-off classes at our learning garden at the museum. We will demonstrate how to put together a low-pressure drip irrigation system for the garden, for one. We are also working on a square foot gardening demonstration, and a class on growing tomatoes, one of the most popular vegetables in the home garden!
Registration forms for the garden will be available at the museum and at the Great Bend Senior Center. An organizational meeting will be held on Saturday morning, April 29, where we will go over expectations for participation in the garden. There will not be a charge to participate,
There will be 10 individual raised beds available this year, along with a common herb garden and six mini beds that will be dedicated as common gardens for kids. At the organizational meeting, we will go over the community garden agreement form that all participants will be required to sign. It will include expectations of gardeners, and what gardeners can expect from the Victory Garden.
The Victory Garden of Barton County is a collaboration between the Barton County Conservation District, the Barton County Master Gardeners and the Barton County Historical Society Museum. We benefit from fiscal sponsorship through the Golden Belt Community Foundation. Donations made to the Victory Garden through GBCF are tax deductible.
COPE is a project of the Department of Family Medicine & Community Health, KU School of Medicine.
Did You Know?
The conservation district sells seed for your conservation needs. We maintain relationships with reputable seed dealers that provide customized mixes of native grasses and forbs that comply with prescribed seeding plans for conservation projects administered through the local Farm Service Agency and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. We verify price, receive seed or make arrangements to have large orders delivered to your location, and we ensure documentation is provided in a timely manner to FSA or NRCS. Proceeds raised through conservation seed sales provide additional funds to the district to expand and improve the way we serve the people of Barton County through outreach to producers, schools and the general public.
Kansas Water Plan talk coming up
On Monday, April 10, Barton County Conservation District Manager Veronica Coons will present an overview of the Kansas Water Plan, and the portions of the plan that address resource concerns in the Great Bend Prairie Aquifer Planning area.
The Great Bend Senior Center is co-hosting a program with the local League of Women Voters on Monday, April 10, 2023, at 12:30 pm to help the public understand what the Kansas Water Plan (KWP) means for Barton County.
The public is encouraged to call the GB Senior Center for 12 pm lunch reservations and questions at 620-792-3906. Handouts from the KWP will be available that speak to the Great Prairie Regional Advisory Committee.
Nursery Tree update
Thank you to everyone who took part in the Nursery Tree Sale this year! We have received word that the truck will be coming on Monday, April 17, though we do not yet have a time yet. This year, our order was large enough to warrant a stop here in Barton County, rather than one central drop off in LaCrosse. With that in mind, we will have the trees delivered to an off-site location that has the space to accommodate so many trees.
If you placed an order, you will be hearing from the district soon with details of where and when you can pick up your trees. In the meantime, if you haven’t already determined the planting location for your tree(s), take some time in the next week to do so, and prepare the spot. Generally, you will want to have a hole slightly deeper than the pot the tree is planted in, and about twice as wide. You may add some compost to the soil if you wish, but it is not necessary. Starter fertilizer is not required either. You want your tree to become accustomed to the soil around it so roots are encouraged to grow outward, rather than stay inside the planting hole, so keeping the soil profile consistent with the rest of the yard is recommended.
If you ordered a taller tree, you will want to have stakes available to provide it support until the roots have had a chance to get established. This usually takes about a year. Also, plan to add a weed barrier and mulch up to two feet out from the trunk of the tree so it doesn’t have to compete with weeds and grass for water and nutrients. We will have weed barrier squares available at pick up for $1 each.
Contact us:
The Barton County Conservation District is located at the USDA Service Center located at 926 S. Patton Rd., Great Bend, KS 67530. We are in a cooperative agreement with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and share an office space. The Great Bend Farm Service Agency office is also located in the same building
Our phone number is (620) 792-3346. We are at extension 303.
Barton County Conservation District Manager
Veronica Coons
[email protected]
NRCS Supervisory District Conservationist
Haley Bond
[email protected]
NRCS Soil Technician
Dan Frieb
[email protected]