Margaret Hogan (recently retired) giving a tour of her prairie planted by her students when she was was a science teacher.
The milkweed and other plant species were thriving with butterflies and pollinators.
HOGAN FIELD DAY & FARMER GATHERING
We had a great day at the Hogan Farm in Earlville on Tuesday June 25! It was very hot, yet 28 people attended making it well worth it! Becca Clay with Practical Farmers of Iowa shared the numerous cost share programs available with PFI, we shared our cover crop cost share (link below) for those in the Maquoketa Watershed and our incredible hosts, Margaret and John Hogan, gave us a tour of their conservation farm while answering questions from folks. Margaret was a science teacher for over 20 years and her love for teaching shined bright by providing her enthusiastic stories of how they've embraced conservation on their land with prairie, cover crops and no till. Afterwards, everyone enjoyed pizza lunch with a dessert of soft serve Blue Bunny ice cream donated by the Delaware County Dairy Promoters. Thank you to all who joined us!
As a reminder, our cost share closes on August 1st, 2024. Click on the link below to learn more and access the application.
A locally-led team of 34 county, municipal and lake district members driving financial and social benefits through sustainable water resource conservation for residents in the Maquoketa River Watershed in Eastern Iowa.
Becca Clay with PFI sharing the programs available to attendees at the Hogan Farm on June 25th.
We believe trying cover crops for the first time shouldn't be expensive or risky. And finding the right payment program to help with costs shouldn't take hours or days. That's why we created a comparison guide to help you learn about some of the programs available in Iowa.
It's been a busy summer...
What a day for our Watershed Coordinator! She was honored with the Gazette HER award in June! One of 13 honorees from Eastern Iowa. Thank you to all who came and supported Erin especially Carol Sherman, Miranda Hayes ( DNR) and Kate Giannini (Iowa Flood Center) who nominated Erin in her role with the Maquoketa River WMA!
Erin's daughter also showed her WMA support wearing one of her favorite shirts!
On June 13th, Impact 7G hosted an open house to share their One Water Vision Plan for the city of Dyersville. They led the restoration to Bear Creek completed in 2020. Learn more at the link below.
Heartland Coop hosted a Field Day on July 2 in Mt. Vernon where we saw a no till farm since 1991. Check out other field days and info about Heartland Coop below.
On July 9th, Rodale's Midwest Organic Center hosted a field day showcasing their regenerative equipment, drone demos and the research farm's crop rotation. Learn more below.
The Maquoketa River stream sensor in Jackson County is back online. The data is uploaded to the website every 13 minutes (see link below). The parameters measured will include nitrates, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, turbidity, and temperature.
As we approach the beginning of the new fiscal year, we want to take a moment to remind you that FY25 invoices will be sent out over the next few weeks. We kindly ask that you keep an eye on your inboxes for these important documents and reach out if any issues or discrepancies arise. Your prompt attention to these invoices is greatly appreciated, as it helps us ensure the continued success and maintenance of our watershed management efforts. Thank you for your ongoing support and dedication to preserving the Maquoketa River watershed.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in April approved a watershed plan for Trout Run and Siewers Spring, which supply water for the hatchery. The goal of the plan is to reduce erosion from farms in the Trout Run watershed to keep the stream clear of sediment that can harm fish raised at the hatchery.
Did you know our Watershed Management Plan (WMP) is now online?
You can also access the interactive mapping tool that was created to assist with identification of watershed projects. Check them both out at the link below.
