Fall 2021 KCD Farm Tour Highlights

Farm community members joined King Conservation District (KCD) for a farm tour on a brisk, and surprisingly dry, Saturday morning, October 23rd at the Baum and Tingdale Property in Enumclaw to learn innovative and effective ways to manage manure, pastures, and muddy conditions.

KCD Board of Supervisors Election

Four candidates are running for Seat #2 on KCD’s Board of Supervisors. Read the candidate statements and find out more information on our website.

Are you interested in contributing soils data to the WaSHI State of the Soils Assessment? Are you a grower, an agricultural professional, a graduate student, or a conservation district staff member who wants to soil sample?

Beginning in March of 2022, WSDA will pay for a laboratory soil health analysis for eligible projects, in exchange for support in collecting soil samples and grower management surveys. WSDA will also provide training and individualized soil health reports for participating growers.

Soils data will be used to measure soil health across different regions and crops in Washington. This information will help WSDA protect grower livelihoods, environmental sustainability, and food security in Washington.

Application deadline is 5pm PT on Tuesday, January 25, 2022.

USDA FSA Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program

Are you a producer or handler of agricultural commodities that are certified organic? Or, are you transitioning your operation to certified organic? You may be eligible for financial assistance to cover expenses paid during the 2020, 2021, and 2022 fiscal years through USDA’s Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program (OTECP). This new program is part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative.

You may apply directly to one of over 2,100 FSA offices. Applicants must submit an FSA-883, Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program form, and certify to eligible expenses, which may be subject to spot check.

If you already participate in their other organic program (OCCSP) or WSDA’s version of OCCSP, you can also participate in this program as well. For more information, contact your local FSA office.

Deadline Extended to Apply for Pandemic Support for Certified Organic and Transitioning Operations

12/21/2021 11:30 AM EST

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21, 2021— The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has extended the deadline for agricultural producers who are certified organic, or transitioning to organic, to apply for the Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program (OTECP). This program provides pandemic assistance to cover certification and education expenses. The deadline to apply for 2020 and 2021 eligible expenses is now Feb. 4, 2022, rather than the original deadline of Jan. 7, 2022.

Equipment Share Program

Reservations are being accepted for KCD Farm Equipment. Visit each page to find out more and to get signed up now for the 2022 season.

• H&N 50 Manure Spreader - for spreading composted animal waste and other compost (only from April 1 through September 30)
• Rhino Limer Drop Spreader - for seed, fertilizer lime application
• Kasco Eco-Drill No-Till Seeder - for reseeding pasture and seeding cover crops
• Featherman Poultry Processing Equipment - for harvesting and processing poultry

And these tools are available for use for free:

• Hay Probe (currently not available) - for testing animal forage nutritional levels
• Weed Wrenches - for removing invasive weeds such as Scotch Broom
• Soil Sampling Probes - for sampling your soil to submit to KCD’s Soil Nutrient Testing Program

Visit Equipment Share Program to check availability and rent or borrow any of the equipment.

Please keep in mind that scheduling and processes will be adjusted for current COVID-19 guidelines and orders by state and local health agencies.

Growing Groceries Education Series

October 2021 - March 2022
Wednesdays, 7pm-9pm
Online via Zoom

You can grow fresh food in a healthier, more environmentally friendly way. The Growing Groceries Education Series classes are continuing through March 2022 and are designed to help you learn how to grow your own food.

Have to miss one? No problem! A link to an online recording will be sent to everyone registered along with links to resources and more! Take only the classes you want ($5 per class).

With an overall focus on limited space, resources, and challenges of western Washington weather and soils, the series of speakers and topics will help beginners and long time gardeners learn more about growing food using healthy and sustainable practices.

Find out more information at https://extension.wsu.edu/snohomish/garden/growinggroceries/ or https://mgfkc.org/education/growinggroceries

KCD Native Plant Sale - Order NOW and Pick-up in March

KCD’s Plant Sale preorders opened November 15 with many species selling out very quickly! See the remaining species available and get your order in before Febuary 28 or before all products sell out.

To help improve the pickup process at the Tukwila Community Center in March, we ask that customers select a one-hour pickup time slot before checking out. This will help minimize customer waiting times.

Country Living Expo and Cattlemen’s Winterschool

Presented by the Livestock Master Foundation, WSU Skagit and Snohomish County Extension Livestock Advisor Program and the Cattlemen’s Association

The 2022 Expo will be Online with 3 Days: Of Zoom Classes
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
January 28, 29 and 30, 2022

Registration: Register here after reading class descriptions.

Registration Costs: $10 for Students and $55 for Adults

Scholarships are available for active-duty military, veterans, and anyone for whom the course fee is a barrier. Please contact countrylivingexpo@gmail.com if requesting a scholarship.

Contact the WSU Skagit County Extension Office at 360-428-4270 or countrylivingexpo@gmail.com