Kennebec County

Soil & Water Conservation District

 

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last edited 06/05/2013

Summer seems to have arrived with a vengence!

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Maine Farm Days 2013  Dates for 2013.

NRCS Page

Merrymeeting Trail Initiative

Maine Farm-A-Syst Program

Hit Counter in 2013

   2,940 in 2012

  2,410 in 2011

   3,210 in 2010

   3,720 in 2009

   3,260 in 2008.

   3,930 in 2007.

   3,200 in 2006.

 

 

The 2013 trout sale was a success. We hope everyone's fish are doing well. The folks who purchased fish to have a a birthday party "fish in" were very excited. We hope their daughter and friends had fun. 

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Our next sale will be a bulb sale with a deadline in August and bulbs delivered in October. We should have sale materials ready by the end of June. Check the website here.

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Contractors now need to be "Certified" for shoreland zone work. A new schedule for training workshops is currently available from Bill Laflamme.  Check www.maine.gov/dep/land/training/    for more information. 

Or call or e-mail Bill Laflamme at  215-9237  or  william.n.laflamme@maine.gov

 

-- --The 2013 Maine Envirothon State competition was on May 23rd at Bowdoin College. The team from Piscataquis High School took first place and will be representing Maine at the International Competition in Bozeman, MT this August. Wish them luck.

 

The members of the team (l to r):  Ben Maines, Rebecca Grant, Emily Northup, and Coach Heather Doherty. 

Absent from photo are Logan Sargent and Jeremy Bell.

 

Congratulations to the team from Mt. Ararat in 2nd place and Spruce Mt. in 3rd place.

 

 

 

 

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The Maine DEP has modified their website. We have posted a list of the modified links on our "Useful Links" page.

If you are looking for gravel/camp road materials, go here.

If you want permit information, including the Permit by Rule [PBR] go here.

The general resource page at the Maine DEP website includes all kinds of reference material. They have an excellent selection of manuals and technical guides.  Select that DEP page here.

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Here at the Kennebec District --

** We continue doing Gravel Road Plans throughout the County for road groups..

**We have started the  Togus Pond 319 watershed grant. A couple road plans are currently being written and we are meeting with both the Togus Pond Association and others later in June..

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Dale's garden update --    see Dale's Garden Page

--- With all of our hot weather and good rain the vegetation has exploded...

--  The compost got to about 165 for a week or two but has cooled to about 110.

--- Lilacs & Fothergilla [see at right] are nearly gone but the late lilac still smell great..

--- The first Tree Peonie has bloomed but the other regular Peonies will not start until later this week.

--  Even a couple early Day Lily are preparing to bloom.  And it is only the first week of June.

--  Three of my four Hawthorn have bloomed.

--  The fruit trees look very good. Perhaps some of that fruit will develop and I'll get some to eat.

--  The Fragrant Abelia just started to bloom. I highly recommend it for a long lasting and fragrant perennial which has very nice flowers.

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For local weather information you may want to check  www.WUnderground.com for very local information and history

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You may purchase from the tree and shrub bank!!!   If you are thinking about planting from the leftovers, take a look at the list from Dale's Garden Page, or take a look at the list here.  There are a number of plants good for buffer planting.

 

It is a good time to focus on your soils for the coming year. A simple list for soil improvement is 1) enhance organic material, 2) prevent soil compaction, 3) avoid excess tillage, 4) manage pests & nutrients EFFICIENTLY, 5) keep the ground covered [cover crops] and 6) diversify your crops.  For a good discussion of soil improvement check out the following.  Click here for the specific article.

 

When planning buffers and other ways to control erosion and stormwater damage on property and along shorefront, check out the Conservation Fact Sheets and other information at the Maine DEP website or the Portland Water District website. Both of these websites have more than just the Fact Sheets for information you may find useful. For permit information.

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Calendar of Events/Workshops and other opportunities.

click here for events to keep on your calendar for the coming months

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Kennebec County Soil & Water Conservation District is a Non-Profit Organization all proceeds from our fundraising efforts are used to promote conservation and the wise use of our natural resources. The Kennebec County SWCD is an equal opportunity provider and employer.