Shavano District - Gigshowcase.com

Shavano
District
S P R I N G
S E R V I N G
2 0 1 4
V O L U M E
I S S U E 2
1 8
M O N T R O S E , G U N N I S O N ,
C O U N T I E S
2
Upcoming
2
Education Events
New Farm Bill
Provides
Permanent
Livestock
Disaster
Assistance
Programs
3
Microloan
Program
3
Direct Loan
Changes
4
Become a
SNOW
SURVEYOR
4
Colorado
SNOTEL Report
5
Furry Friends in
Conservation
6
O U R A Y
Whitfield Dairy
Conservationist of the Year
INSIDE
THIS
ISSUE:
Meet the New
Guys
A N D
Rick Whitfield to be
the largest dairy in
western Colorado.
Conservation
practices the Whitfield’s have completed
include installation of
17,000 feet of underground pipe, 450
Rick (middle) and Debbie (left) Whitfield
feet of gated pipe,
receive the Conservationist of the Year
award on behalf of Whitfield Dairy from SCD and 26,866 feet of
Board President, Ken Lipton (right).
concrete ditch.
During the award
ick and Debbie
presentation, Ken Lipton
Whitfield received
praised Whitfield Dairy’s
the Conservationist of the
irrigation improvements,
Year award on behalf of
and other conservation
Whitfield Dairy at the
practices, for the significant
Shavano Conservation
contribution to reducing
District Annual Meeting
salt loading levels that
and Dinner, held on Saturenter into the river system.
day, March 15th, 2014.
The Shavano Conservation
R
Whitfield Dairy was started
in 1958 by JR and Billie
Whitfield. It was one of
150 small dairies in Western Colorado and has since
grown under the partnership of brothers, Ryan and
District also awarded an
Employee of the Year
plaque to Jerry Allen,
Irrigation Water Management Specialist, for his
success in promoting soil
health and for developing an
extensive network of soil
health partnerships on the
West Slope. Among other
activities promoting soil
health, Jerry has been
instrumental in developing
the annual Soil Health
Conference’s held in
January
at Bill Heddles
Recreation Center in Delta.
Each year the Conference
grows and develops.
Jerry Allen (right) receives
Employee of the Year from Ken
Lipton, SCD Board President
(left).
PAGE
2
Shavano Conservation District
“A Partnership in Conservation”
Meet the New Guys
I
f you have stopped in the USDA Service Center recently you may have met the newest
members of our team. Kevin Harvey was hired by SCD as an Engineer Technician in
March, and Bob Sacco joined FSA in February as a Program Technician.
Kevin is a native of western Colorado and is pleased to be home after 20 years away from
the West Slope. Kevin spent most of that time working for engineering firms in the
Denver area. The last 10 years he spent doing oil and gas electrical designs. Kevin is
pleased to be a part of the SCD team and is looking forward to designing 3 dimensional
virtual models for producers and contractors to be able to visualize structures for conservation projects.
Bob Sacco (left) in FSA
and Kevin Harvey
(right) in SCD
Bob Sacco is from Grand Junction, CO and he has been working for FSA in the Grand Valley for the last
3 1/2 years. He has been married for 24 years and has 5 grandchildren (the youngest born just last
week!). Bob loves to travel, especially on road trips. He has visited at least 280 National Parks and
Monuments, seen every state in the Union, and even visited 19 countries.
Gunnison-Dolores
Pioneer Room @ Friendship Hall,
Watershed
Montrose County Fair Grounds.
Annual Meeting
Everyone is invited to attend and learn
and Tour
what is happening in your watershed!
August 27. 2014
10:00am –4:00pm
RSVP at 249-8407x115
Would you like the SCD
News delivered to your
inbox?
Call Mendy Stewart
at 249-8407 x113
or email to
[email protected]
Upcoming Educational Events
April 7th-25th Stewardship Presentations in local Elementary
Schools

Shavano Conservation District will celebrate Stewardship Week by providing “Dig Deeper:
Mysteries in the Soil?” classroom materials to elementary students in Montrose, Olathe,
Ouray, and Ridgway and by giving classroom presentations on natural resource stewardship.


April 27th-May4th Stewardship Week
May 13th 4th Grade Natural Resource Festival
The Festival incorporates life science, physical science, and local and Colorado history to teach the students
the importance of natural resources and conservation. Teacher and homeschool families interested in the
Natural Resource Festival are encouraged to contact Mendy Stewart at 970-249-8407x113 or email
[email protected] for more information.
June
16th-20th Food, Fiber, & More Summer Teacher’s Institute
The purpose of this five day course is to assist educators in understanding the agriculture industry and its
connection to our environment and society. The class will provide a variety of methods for using agriculture
materials in the classroom, and assist educators in developing curriculum ideas which integrate an understanding of agriculture in various academic subjects. Teachers can receive 2 credits from Colorado State
University. Cost: $250 (Scholarships available to pre-registered educators) For More information go to http://
www.growingyourfuture.com/
SHAVANO
DISTRICT
NEWS
SPRING
2014
PAGE
Farm Service Agency
T
“A Partnership in Conservation”
NEW FARM BILL PROVIDES PERMANENT LIVESTOCK
DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
he 2014 Farm Bill, formally known as
the Agricultural Act of 2014, makes
the Livestock Forage Program (LFP) and
Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP)
permanent programs and provides
retroactive authority to cover eligible
losses back to Oct. 1, 2011.
priority and plans to open program
enrollment by April 15, 2014.
LFP provides compensation to eligible
producers who suffered grazing losses due
to drought and fire. LIP provides compensation to livestock producers who suffered
livestock death losses in excess of normal
mortality due to adverse weather and
attacks by animals reintroduced into the
wild by the Federal Government or
protected by Federal law, including wolves
and avian predators.
•
Documentation of the number and
kind of livestock that have died, supplemented if possible by photographs or video
records of ownership and losses
USDA is determined to make implementing the livestock disaster programs a top
•
Feed purchases if supplies or grazing
pastures are destroyed
T
3
As USDA begins implementing the livestock disaster assistance programs,
producers should record all pertinent
information of natural disaster consequences, including:
•
Dates of death supported by birth
recordings or purchase receipts
•
Costs of transporting livestock to
safer grounds or to move animals to new
pastures
Microloan Program
he Farm Service Agency (FSA)
developed the Microloan (ML)
program to better serve the unique
financial operating needs of beginning,
niche and small family farm operations.
applicants can apply for a regular
operating loan up to the maximum
amount of $300,000 or obtain financing
from a commercial lender under FSA’s
Guaranteed Loan Program.
FSA offers applicants a Microloan
designed to help farmers with credit
needs of $35,000 or less. The loan
features a streamlined application
process built to fit the needs of new and
smaller producers. This loan program
will also be useful to specialty crop
producers and operators of community
supported agriculture (CSA).
Individuals who are interested in applying
for a microloan or would like to discuss
other farm loan programs available
should contact their local FSA office to
set up an appointment with a loan
official.
Eligible applicants can apply for a maximum amount of $35,000 to pay for
initial start-up expenses such as hoop
houses to extend the growing season,
essential tools, irrigation and annual
expenses such as seed, fertilizer, utilities,
land rents, marketing, and distribution
expenses. As financing needs increase,
Guaranteed Loan Eligibility (As per FLP667)
Changes to FSA regulations have
removed Guaranteed Operating term
limits. Previous and current guaranteed
loan borrowers who were not eligible
for further guaranteed loans due to the
previous 15 year eligibility term limit may
now be eligible for further guaranteed
loans through their commercial lender.
•
Crop records, including seed and
fertilizer purchases, planting and production
records
•
Pictures of on-farm storage facilities
that were destroyed by wind or flood
waters
•
Evidence of damaged farm land.
Many producers still have questions. USDA
is in the process of interpreting Farm Bill
program regulations. Additional information
will be provided once the enrollment
period is announced. In the meantime,
producers can review the LIP and LFP Fact
Sheets. Thanks for your patience as USDA
works diligently to put Farm Bill programs
into action to benefit the farmers and
ranchers of rural America.
NEED LANDLEVELING
SERVICES?
SCD offers competitive rates
and quality work
Hourly Rates:
Bull Dozer
$125.00 per hour
John Deere Scraper
$150.00 per hour
Call 249-8407 x115 today to
schedule an on-site visit.
PAGE
4
Natural Resource
Conservation Service
Farm Service Agency
Direct Loan Changes (As per FLP-667)
C
hanges were made to the
interest rate charged on
loans where FSA provides 50
percent or less on jointly
financed purchases of real
estate also called Direct Farm
Ownership Participation Loans.
The interest rate will be the
greater of 2.5 percent or the
current interest rate for direct
Farm Ownership loans minus 2
percent, as a fixed rate for the
duration of the loan.
At
present, the March direct Farm
Ownership rate is 4.25 percent.
Because the 2.5 percent floor is
greater than subtracting 2
percent from the direct farm
ownership loan rate, the rate
for Direct Farm Ownership
Participation Loans in March is
2.5 percent.
evaluations” to support loan
requests of $250,000 or less,
rather than appraisals.
FSA Allows Lenders to Use
Evaluations Instead of Appraisals
for Loans of $250,000 or Less
A description of the method of
establishing the real estate value
– whether appraisal or
evaluation – needs to be described to FSA in their credit
presentation.
Lenders that originate Farm
Service Agency (FSA)
guaranteed loans may now use
internal real estate “collateral
This policy change will allow
lenders more flexibility and a
faster underwriting process, and
is consistent with industry
standards.
Lenders must follow their
regulator’s “Interagency
Appraisal and Evaluation Guidelines” and apply these same
policies to FSA guaranteed loans
as non-guaranteed loans.
In
addition, lenders should request
an appraisal when they would
do so for unguaranteed loans
even if the loan is under the
threshold, such as when the
expected loan-to-value is above
their established standards.
the Colorado Snow
J oin
Network as a volunteer!
Survey Cooperative
-Work outside in beautiful mountain locations throughout the
state
-Help to gather the data used in water forecasting for water
management throughout the Western United States
-Survey one or more of the 100+ snow courses in Colorado
What you will do:
-Once a month (February to May) surveyors will travel to snow
courses to measure snow depth and snow water equivalent
(SWE) along a transect of 5 – 20 points
-Each course takes 1 – 2 hours to sample, with the use of snow
shoes, skis, and/or snowmobiles (not provided by NRCS)
Advertise with the
Shavano District News
If you have a business that you would like to advertise in
the SCD News, contact Mendy Stewart at 249-8407,
ext. 113 for more information and rates.
Commercial
Office Units for
Lease
T
Become a SNOW
SURVEYOR
Training:
-Prospective cooperators can shadow surveyors through the end
of April 2014
-1-on-1 training with the Colorado snow survey staff located in
Denver
-Annual NRCS Snow School for those interested in travelling to
Lake Tahoe in January 2015
Interested? Please email [email protected]
or call 720-544-2855
he Shavano Building, located at 101 N. Uncompahgre in Montrose, has multi-room office suites available
for lease. The size of the suites ranges from 143 square feet to 1,031 square feet.
Contact Bert Earle at 970-249-8407 x 115 to schedule a walk-thru and request rates.
SHAVANO
DISTRICT
NEWS
SPRING
2014
PAGE
Natural Resource Conservation Service
5
“A Partnership in Conservation”
Based on Mountain Data from NRCS SNOTEL Sites as of MONDAY: April
21, 2014
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GUNNISON RIVER BASIN
ELEV.
SNOW WATER EQUIVALENT
WATER YEAR-TO-DATE PRECIPITATION
(Ft)
Current Median Median %
Current Average Average %
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BUTTE
COCHETOPA PASS
COLUMBINE PASS
IDARADO
MC CLURE PASS
MESA LAKES
OVERLAND RES.
PARK CONE
PARK RESERVOIR
PORPHYRY CREEK
RED MTN PASS
SARGENTS MESA
SCHOFIELD PASS
SLUMGULLION
UPPER TAYLOR
WAGER GULCH
10160
10020
9400
9800
9500
10000
9840
9600
9960
10760
11200
11530
10700
11440
10640
11100
Basin wide percent
13.1
0.7
3.3
11.5
10.7
13.0
7.4
12.7
24.9
17.4
23.7
11.2
39.5
13.5
13.0
8.3
12.4
0.3R
11.0
13.1
16.2
17.7
9.6
8.5
26.4
14.5
23.4
N/A
32.6
14.5
N/A
N/A
106
233*
31
105
82
73
77
149
94
120
98
*
121
93
*
*
----98
17.8
8.6
-M
19.7
20.0
18.6
15.0
14.6
24.3
17.8
26.6
13.6
-M
14.6
20.9
14.3
17.2
8.3R
24.9
20.4
22.4
23.0
17.9
13.0
29.4
16.9
28.3
N/A
34.4
14.8
N/A
N/A
103
104
*
97
89
81
84
112
83
105
94
*
*
99
*
*
----93
-M = Missing data
Units = inches for the Current and Normal Snow Water Equivalent and Total Precipitation values
* = Data may not provide a valid measure of conditions
R = Rough, less than 10 years of data available
PAGE
6
Natural Resource Conservation Service
“A Partnership in Conservation”
Furry Friends in Conservation - “Cheyenne”
By Lars Santana
C
Cheyenne is an integral
part of the Coury
Ranch that has
implemented a large
variety of conservation
practices through the
years.
Cheyenne (right) stops
for a photo-op with
best friends Fred
Ferganchick (owner)
and Maggie (left)
Cheyenne
Maggie
heyenne is a 7-yearold Border Collie
that works at the Coury
Ranch near Cedaredge,
Colorado. The Coury
Ranch is located at the
base of the Grand Mesa
and extends from salt
desert at the bottom, up
to the aspen and spruce forest.
Cheyenne’s favorite place is on
the ATV next to her owner, Fred
Ferganchick. Fred is the manager
at the Coury Ranch, which is a
beef cattle operation. Cheyenne
originally was Fred’s daughter’s
dog.
When
Cheyenne was
young she was
brought to the
ranch to see if
she could help
out with the
livestock herding. At first she
didn’t
really
bond with Fred.
She kind of kept her distance and
was a little skeptical of the work
going on at the ranch. One time,
Fred was working near the upper
end of the ranch where he
crossed a creek that was flowing
high during spring runoff. As Fred
crossed, Cheyenne jumped in the
water to follow him and was
swept away with the current.
Cheyenne struggled to climb
onto a rock in the middle of the
creek. Cold, exhausted, and scared
Cheyenne remained
shivering on the rock
in the middle of the
swift current. Fred
jumped in the frigid water and
rescued Cheyenne from the rock
SHAVANO
DISTRICT
NEWS
and in a soaking wet freezing moment they bonded for life! Ever
since the creek incident Cheyenne was right next to Fred all
the time. Cheyenne has become a
fantastic cattle herder and helps
Fred achieve his rotational grazing
strategy. Cheyenne has had many
close encounters with bears and
other predators. She has been
known to get into fights with
bears, keeping Fred and cattle
safe.
Fred has been in the Cedaredge
area all his life. His father started
working with the Soil
Conservation Service (now the
Natural Resources Conservation
Service) over 40 years ago
installing concrete pipe for water
conservation. Fred and the Coury
Ranch are very active with the
USDA-NRCS. Some of the
conservation practices they have
achieved are: cross fencing for
grazing management, underground to gated pipe to improve
irrigation water efficiency,
prescribed burning and brush
management to improve rangeland conditions, herbaceous weed
control to manage invasive plants,
and prescribed grazing. The ranch
has a multi-pasture rotational
grazing strategy. Using all of the
cross fencing allows them to
manage their grazing so they are
not in the same pasture at the
same time year after year. This
allows for optimal plant species
diversity and production, which
lends itself to great wildlife
habitat conditions, ideal vegetation ground cover to reduce
erosion, and this also increases
the soil’s water infiltration. The
ranch is also fish conscience,
installing a very large fish screen
head-gate to reduce negative
impacts on fish when they are using
irrigation water. Recently the ranch
has focused on improving forest
health. Working in conjunction
with the Colorado State Forest
Service and the Natural Resources
Conservation Service, they have
developed and intensive forest
management plan. The ranch is
actively implementing the forest
management plan reducing fire risk,
improving diversity, and optimizing
forest health. In addition to all of
these projects Fred is active with
his Conservation Stewardship
Program with the USDA. He
monitors his livestock and range
conditions with photo points,
utilization measurements, and
alternates supplements in a manner
to rotate his cattle around the
ranch.
Recently Cheyenne has had a
partner. Maggie, named after Fred’s
daughter Meghan, is in training and
learning from the best dog around,
her grandmother Cheyenne.
Maggie, who is about 12 months
old, is preparing for her first livestock grazing season and couldn’t
be more excited. Cheyenne is an
integral part of the Coury Ranch
team who has implemented a large
variety of conservation practices
through the years.
If you know of a furry friend that
helps achieve conservation on the
land, feel free to contact Lars
Santana, Rangeland Management
Specialist. Lars covers 7 counties
that include the Montrose, Delta,
Norwood, and Gunnison Field
Offices for the NRCS.
SPRING
PAGE
2014
FARM SERVICE AGENCY
970-249-8407
Phone Extension
CHRISTINE MERGELMAN, PT
BOB SACCO, PT
JOHN DOMANN, DD Dist. #4
101
124
123
MONTROSE-GUNNISON-OURAY COUNTY
COMMITTEE
WAYNE BREW, Chairperson (North Montrose)
PATTY BENNETT, Vice Chairperson (West end)
JOHN FIELD, Regular Member (Montrose)
STEVE COLLIN, Regular Member (Ouray)
DALE IRBY, Regular Member (Gunnison)
7
SHAVANO CONSERVATION DISTRICT
KEN LIPTION, President
RICHARD ST. JEAN, Vice President
BRUCE LEBEN, Secretary/Treasurer
JUSTIN GERMANN
RON GERMANN
CHARLES MCMURDY
JASON MERKLEY
BERT EARLE, Manager
MENDY STEWART, Education Coordinator
626-3951
874-9856
249-6393
812-7752
250-1201
323-5214
626-3515
249-8407x115
249-8407x113
Website: www.shavanocd.org
NATURAL RESOURCES
CONSERVATION SERVICE
970-249-8407
Phone Extension
BILL HEAD, Civil Engineering Technician
116
BRANDON NITTLER, Engineering Technician
135
CHRIS SCHOTTEL, Soil Conservation Technician
129
DALE WOODBURY, District Conservationist
104
DAVE DEARSTYNE, Soil Scientist Project Leader
119
DEBBIE STEWART, Planning Technician
105
DENNIS WAGGONER, Soil Conservationist
107
DAVID DREWRY, Ag Engineer Project Leader
117
HAL CHAPMAN, Soil Conservationist
126
JERRY ALLEN, Irrigation Water Management Specialist
106
KATHY BOYCE, Soil Conservationist
109
KATIE ALEXANDER, Soil Conservationist
111
KEVIN HARVEY, Engineering Technician
114
JO TRICE, Farm Bill Clerk
100
LARS SANTANA, Range Conservationist
134
STEVE WOODIS, Wildlife Biologist
108
HOW TO CONTACT US
Montrose USDA Service Center
102 Par Place – Montrose, CO 81401
FAX (970) 249-5718
PHONE (970) 249-8407
Phone Extension
Farm Service Agency..................................................2
Natural Resources Conservation Service.................3
State Forest Service................................................150
Shavano Conservation District..............................115
Website: www.shavanocd.org
C OL OR A D O S TAT E FOR ES T S ER VIC E
Web Site: csfs.colostate.edu
MONTROSE DISTRICT—970-249-9051
(Montrose, Ouray and San Miguel Counties)
Phone Extension
JODI RIST, District Forester
132
AUSTIN SHELBY, Forester II
133
CASEY HARRISON, Inventory Forester
127
TERI HARPER, Administrative Assistant
102
GUNNISON DISTRICT – 970-641-6852
(Gunnison and Hinsdale Counties)
TIM CUDMORE, District Forester
SAM PANKRATZ, Forester
ANN WOOD, Administrative Assistant
Colorado State Forest Service
P.O. Box 1390
Gunnison, Colorado 81230-1390
WEST REGION WILDFIRE COUNCIL
LILIA FALK, Coordinator
Phone 249-8407 ext. 125
Dates to Remember
April 27-May 4, 2014
Stewardship Week
May 6, 2014
Shavano CD Board Meeting 7:00 pm
May 13, 2014
4th Grade Natural Resource Festival
May 30, 2014
Approved EQIP/WHIP/CSP Contracts Obligated/Signed
May 26, 2014
Memorial Day—Office Closed
June 10, 2014
Shavano CD Board Meeting 7:00 pm
June 15, 2014
Acreage Reporting Deadline for Onions
July 1, 2014
Deadline to sign up for DCP
July 4, 2014
Independence Day—Office Closed
July 6-12, 2014
Camp Rocky
July 8, 2014
Shavano CD Board Meeting 7:00pm
July 15, 2014
Acreage Reporting Deadline for Spring Barley, Corn, Dry
Beans, Fresh Market Sweet Corn, Grain Sorghum, Millet,
Spring Oats, Popcorn, Potatoes, Silage Sorghum, Soybeans,
Sugar Beets, Sunflowers, Spring Wheat and all other crops
August 27, 2014
Gunnison-Delores Watershed Annual Meeting and Tour, 10am-4pm
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its program and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and
where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or
part of an individuals’ income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice
and TDD). To file a complaint of Discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410, or
call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Reasonable accommodations will be made, upon request, for individuals with disabilities, vision impairment, or hearing impairment to attend or participate in meetings or events sponsored by the Farm Service Agency. If you require special accommodations to attend or participate in one of our meetings/events/functions, please call the FSA county office and we will be happy to make any needed arrangements.
Camp Rocky
Outdoor Environmental
Adventures for Youth!
Divide, CO
July 6-12, 2014
$300 (all inclusive)
Activities include:
 Trap shooting
 Archery
 Arts and crafts
 Fly fishing
 Fly tying




Ages 14-19
Hiking
Volleyball
Guest speakers
Special presentations
Camp dance




Campfire night
Challenge course
Quiz bowl
Much, much more!
Choose from one of four disciplines:
 Soil and Water Conservation
 Rangeland Science

 Forest Management
For registration information go to: http://coloradoacd.org/camprocky
 Fish and Wildlife Management
Shavano Conservation District will award one camp scholarship for $300! (contact us for info)