The 2012 Annual Meeting will be held on Thursday, February 16th, from 9am to 4pm at the Goldendale Grange Hall. Annual meetings are a chance for you to meet district supervisors and staff, learn more about our programs, hear from other agricultural agencies, enjoy a free lunch, and even earn some pesticide credits. Plan to come early for coffee and donuts.
01/25/2012 – INCUMBENT SUPERVISOR VIC BLANDINE IS AUTOMATICALLY RE-ELECTED TO THE CKCD BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, BY REASON OF BEING THE ONLY PERSON TO FILE FOR THE POSITION. THEREFORE, NO POLL-SITE OR ABSENTEE BALLOTING WILL BE PERFORMED.
The Central Klickitat Conservation District board of supervisors adopted an election resolution at their December 15, 2012 meeting. The following board members’ terms will expire in 2012: Vic Blandine (elected) and Larry Williams (appointed). An election for the position currently held by Mr. Blandine will be held during CKCD’s Annual Meeting on February 16, 2012 from 9 am – 1 pm at the Goldendale Grange Hall, 228 E. Darland in Goldendale. Absentee ballots may be requested any time before 4:00 pm on Thursday, February 2nd. Any person wishing to run for the position of supervisor, or to apply for appointment by the Washington State Conservation Commission, may request an application from Mindy Pomerinke, election supervisor, at the district office at 1107 S. Columbus Ave. in Goldendale, or by calling (509)773-5823 ext. 5. The candidate filing deadline is Thursday, January 19, 2012; the deadline to apply for appointment is Friday, March 30, 2012. There is no filing or application fee.
The latest edition of the Klickitat Conservation Newsletter is now available. Winter 2011-2012 newsletter on-line
Be sure to see our 2012 Plant Sale catalog (it’s big, so be patient while it loads). 2012 Plant Sale Catalog 2012 Order Form
If you would like to be added to our mailing list (post or e-mail) please e-mail your request to Mindy at cdoffice@gorge.net
Do you own and care for farm or forest land? If so, you probably have strong feelings about leaving your land in good condition for the future. Succession Planning—the human side of Estate Planning—focuses on ways to maintain family ties to the land from generation to generation, building awareness of key challenges facing family businesses, and motivating families to address those challenges. Working as a family, you will receive information about legal and economic aspects of transferring forest lands from one generation to the next. This all-day workshop is a mix of presentations and practical exercises to help families develop techniques needed to address tough issues. Registration Fee is $45 per family or ownership. This includes “Ties to the Land” an award-winning curriculum developed by leading estate planning experts at Oregon State University Extension and the Austin Family Business Program. The workbook and companion DVD are designed to help families continue to improve and direct their communications and planning at home. For more information and to view all upcoming events, please visit http://ext.wsu.edu/forestry or contact Andy Perleberg, WSU Extension Forester, (509) 667-6540; andyp@wsu.edu . Dates and locations are still to be determined. Locations of the workshop will likely be in the vicinity of Bremerton, Port Angeles, Chehalis, Vancouver, Olympia, Willapa or Gray’s Harbor, Everett, Mt. Vernon, Deming, Issaquah, Usk, Dayton, Asotin, Leavenworth, Spokane, Kettle Falls, Tonasket, Okanogan, Ellensburg, White Salmon, and Chewelah or Deer Park. The workshops are sponsored by WSU Extension, the DNR Forest Stewardship Program, and the US Forest Service State and Private Programs. Steve Stinson from the Family Forest Foundation is facilitating the event.
Created by the Washington State Legislature in the Local Farms-Healthy Kids Act of 2008, the Washington State Department of Agriculture’s Farm-to-School Program is dedicated to fostering relationships between schools and agricultural producers in the state. Their goal is to support expanding economic opportunities for farmers while educating students about the connections between food, farming, health, and the environment. The program provides information, inspiration, assistance, and policy solutions for those working to supply healthy, Washington-grown food and related education to youth in our state. Partners include the Small Farm & Direct Marketing Program, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, WSU Small Farms Team, and various commodity commissions.
For more information on the Farm-to-School Program, phone (206)256-6151, visit www.agr.wa.gov/farmtoschool, or e-mail FarmtoSchool@agr.wa.gov.
For the latest on Brooks Park, see the Spring 2011 edition of the Klickitat Conservation Quarterly.
Here’s something fun -
Check out the National Tree Benefit Calculator web site to get an estimation of the environmental and economic benefits provided by the trees on your property. Six different values are assessed, including storm water interception, property value, and CO2 reduction.
“USDA Farm Bill: What is in it for Woodland Owners?” can be viewed on the NACD web site, http://www.nacdnet.org/news/publications/forestrynotes/reports/farm_bill_for_woodland_owners.pdf
Backyard Woods provides a guide and tip sheets on how small acreage owners can enhance the scenery in their backyard woods, provide habitat for wildlife, and utilize the land as an extra source of income. This is a joint program of the US Forest Service, National Association of Conservation Districts, and the National Arbor Day Foundation. Click on the link to visit the Backyard Woods web site.