2022 Spring Equinox Edition

A Quarterly Newsletter from
KCD’s Farm Conservation Planning Team

KCD Farm Planners’ Almanac

Welcome to the 2022 Spring Equinox Edition of the Farm Planners’ Almanac!

Spring is upon us! This year March roared in like a lion with atmospheric rivers bringing us heavy rain, flooding and landslides. Rainwater can create some of the biggest challenges on a farm. Managing roof runoff may be a key solution if you have been struggling with mud, too much water, and flooding.

Take a look at the roofs on your barns, loafing sheds, and the buildings around your farm. Do they have functional gutters? Where is that water going? Is it running through the area where animals are kept? Even a small 1,000 square foot roof can generate 31,000 gallons of water runoff in a year! Don’t overlook small structures. Redirecting water can help make big on-farm improvements, and ensures clean water stays clean, as it makes its way into our streams and rivers.

Are you in need of roof runoff help? The good news is KCD is here to help. Farm planners can help cooperators find solutions for improving gutter systems, drainage and optimal locations for animal confinement. Contact the farm team for assistance.

Your KCD Farm Conservation Planning Team,
Carrie, Jay, Liz, Megan, and Matt

Major Update to Soil Nutrient Testing

Due to unexpected changes by A&L Labs, all soil samples must now be THREE POUNDS. Each resident in our service area* is eligible for a total of five free basic soil nutrient tests for properties they either own or rent. If you have used up your five free tests, additional soil tests can be ordered for $25 each.

Be sure that:

Each sample has at least THREE POUNDS of material
The form is properly filled out
The sample bags are labels on the outside of the bag

Our office is currently closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic in order to keep KCD staff and the public safe. Soil samples can be mailed to the KCD office Monday through Thursday or put in our drop box outside the KCD office door located inside the building at 800 SW 39th St, Suite 150, Renton, WA 98057 during the hours of 8am to 5pm, Monday through Friday.

* Our soil testing service is available to all residents within King Conservation District boundaries, which includes 34 cities and all of unincorporated King County. The cities of Enumclaw, Federal Way, Skykomish, Milton, and Pacific are outside the District boundaries. However, residents of those cities can have samples processed for a fee of $25 per soil test.

Download the UPDATED Soil Testing Fact Sheet

Download the UPDATED Soil Sample Submittal Form

Visit the Soil Testing Page

Spring Reminders

Protect your pastures by waiting for them to dry up a bit before letting animals out to graze. Are you struggling with mud, weeds, and a lack of forage grass in your fields? If so, contact a KCD farm planner for assistance. We can help you develop a grazing plan that makes sense for you and your livestock.

It is almost time to spread the manure that you have been composting all winter.

Take soil samples to submit for soil nutrient testing to determine nutrient needs before applying compost (or other amendments).
Don’t over-apply! A good rule of thumb is to apply up to 10-20 yards per acre. Spread less if the area has limited vegetation to absorb nutrients. Don’t spread on bare fields.
Don’t apply compost before it rains. This way you won’t lose nutrients and you will prevent water pollution.
Consider renting KCD’s manure spreader to spread your compost. See our equipment rental section below.

Manure Spreader Loan Program Details

Manure Match

Through Manure Match, landowners who have more manure or compost than they can use on their own property can connect with other landowners seeking a source of nutrients and organic matter for their gardens, pastures and crops.

If you are a livestock owners in King county with surplus manure, submit a request to be added by using the form on the Manure Match page. For those wishing to share their manure or compost more quickly, consider contacting the folks that have listed themselves in the “Manure Wanted” section of this sheet.

Manure Match Program

Understanding Soil Health Webinar Recording

Podcasts of Interest

Listen to these podcast while doing barn chores, prepping your spring pastures and crop fields, weeding, etc. And if you have a favorite that we haven’t shared, let us know!

Farm Together Investing Podcast

From AcresUSA

The FarmTogether Investing Podcast, a partnership between FarmTogether and Acres U.S.A. helps you understand how farmland can be an investment tool, and how it can help support sustainability and the regenerative farming movement.

Listen Now

FarmWalks Podcast

from WSU/Tilth Alliance FarmWalks

This collaborative effort has multiple seasons of podcast available for your listening pleasure.

Listen Now

Real Food Real People Podcast

From Dillon Honcoop

Real Food Real People is a brand new effort to create community and awareness by connecting farmers and eaters, rural and urban dwellers, and everyone in between. We believe who our food comes from is as important as where it comes from, and now more than ever it’s vital to hear from the people who grow our food.

Listen Now

TractorTime Podcast

Also from AcresUSA

This podcast is published at least monthly and features in-depth interviews with newsmakers and trendsetters in the ecology and agriculture industries.

Listen Now

WFB Update Podcast

From Washington State Farm Bureau

This podcast is published at least monthly and features in-depth interviews with newsmakers and trendsetters in the ecology and agriculture industries.

Listen Now

Let Us Know What You Think

Did you know that you can rent a no-till drill from KCD?

We would love more feedback from our valued community to help us make it more accessible.

Please take a few minutes to complete this short survey to help us improve our services.

Take the Survey

Visit the EcoDrill Page

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.

Scheduling and processes are still adjust for COVID-19 guidelines as KCD’s office is still currently closed to the public.

Equipment Share Program Page

Please watch our website and social media outlets for information about other events and visit kingcd.org/events to register for future KCD-organized Workshops, Farm Tours and Volunteer Events.

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