Meetings, Workshops & Events

Since 2001, the Snyder County Conservation District has held an annual winter or early spring meeting for farmers. Conservation topics, as well as other agricultural issues are discussed.

2024 Farmers Winter Meeting

The Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD, Conservation District) held another annual Farmers Winter Meeting on February 16 at Christ Community United Methodist Church outside of Selinsgrove. Seventy (70) attended the meeting. Consultants, medical professionals, sales representatives, federal and conservation district staff members, and Penn State Extension staff various presentations. Click here for a brief description.

Attendees paid $5.00 to attend the event. Participants were able to receive pesticide, nutrient management and manure hauler/broker credits through the PA Department of Agriculture (PDA), Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) credits, and NRCS conservation recertification credits. Local businesses advertised their services in a printed program given to attendees.

For more information, reach out to Barry Spangler, SCCD Ag. Conservation Technician, at 570-837-3000 x5.

Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Some of the staffing promoting agricultural environmental compliance during this meeting and throughout this program, including planning for this meeting, was financed by in part by an U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant provided by the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of EPA, DEP, or any of its subagencies. All Conservation District, USDA and Penn State programs and services are offered on a non-discrimination basis. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Penn State is an affirmative action equal opportunity university. Public agencies participating in the meeting do not indicate any endorsement of any business, advice or products mentioned during the meeting.

Farming for the Future Day: November 2023

The Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) held a Farming for the Future Day event at the Middlecreek Valley Antique Association Grounds, along Old Colony Road, Selinsgrove on November 1, 2023. Eighteen (18) farmers, landowners, consultants, and conservationists attended the event.

Speakers before lunch discussed the importance of soil health, soil health causes & preventive measures, and measuring soil health. After lunch, an unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) demonstration was held.

Click here for a more detailed wrap-up and photos. You may also reach out to Barry Spangler, SCCD Ag. Conservation Technician, at 570-837-3000 x5 for additional information.

Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Soil and Water Conservation Society’s Keystone Chapter.  Staffing for this project promoting agricultural environmental compliance was financed by in part by an EPA grant provided by the PA Department of Environmental Protection. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of EPA, DEP, or any of its subagencies. Where trade names appear or are mentioned, no discrimination is intended, and no endorsement by Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, Penn State Extension, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Snyder County Conservation District. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Penn State is an affirmative action equal opportunity university.

June 2023 Ag. BMP-CREP-Buffer Tour

The Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) held a conservation practice tour for farmers on June 28 in which 26 farmers and agency staff attended. The tour visited several farms that had conservation practices, also known as best management practices (BMPs), installed to prevent nutrient and sediment pollution with technical and financial assistance from the SCCD and the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Speakers explained how these programs work and how these practices were installed.  Interested farm operators and landowners can reach out for more information about Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), SCCD streamside conservation programs, SCCD Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP), SCCD County Action Plan (CAP) and other potential funding sources, and USDA-NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). Each participant received a copy of the SCCD’s updated Snyder County Agricultural BMP Guide showcasing practices installed throughout the county.

More details and photos of this Tour can be found here .

For more information about this Tour or BMP Guide, contact Barry Spangler, SCCD Ag. Conservation Technician, at 570-837-3000 x5.

Financial and other support for the CREP Outreach Program Office Mini-grant Program is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a Growing Greener Watershed Protection grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and with additional support from USDA-NRCS. Conservation District staffing for this project promoting agricultural environmental compliance was financed by in part by an EPA grant provided by the DEP. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of EPA, DEP, or any of its subagencies. All Conservation District & USDA programs and services are offered on a non-discrimination basis. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Soil Health Field Days

April 2022

The Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) held a Soil Health Toolbox Field Day event at the Middlecreek Valley Antique Association Grounds, along Old Colony Road, Selinsgrove on April 21. Twenty-eight (28) farmers, landowners, consultants, and conservationists attended this field day.

Farmers learned about:

• How their farm’s “soil herd” can work for them.
• Improved soil health can minimize soil and nutrient losses.
• Increasing the amount of time plants grow on a field improves (i.e.: cover crops) soil health.
• How better soil health can improve soil water infiltration and resistance to erosion.

A rainfall simulator showed farmers how different soil conditions, tillage histories, and cover cropping/crop residue, effect soil runoff and soil infiltration during a very heavy 1 inch per 2-minute rain event.

Participants also viewed a soil pit where they learned about soil formation, compaction, organic matter and earthworm burrows. They also viewed a no-till transplanter that can be used after a killed or crimped cover crop without tillage.

More information and photos can be found on this write-up . For more information on this meeting, contact Barry Spangler, SCCD Ag. Conservation Technician, at 570-837-3000 x5.

November 2021

A similar meeting was held at BDS Farms, 282 Troup Road, Beaver Springs on November 10, 2021.

While we know much about crop production, we are only beginning to understand the interconnectivity between soil, plants and other living things under and above the soil’s surface. Recent research is showing that by:

• Eliminating tillage,
• Increasing the time frames a living plant grows on a crop field (i.e.: cover crops sowed after a harvested crop, permanent pastures), and
• Adding additional plants into a crop rotation to diversify the soil “herd” (i.e.: expanding more than corn and beans, adding additional species to a cover crop),

This will enable the soil to work more with the farmer instead of against the farmer with increased soil organic matter and increased soil water holding capacity.

Also at the field day:

• A rainfall simulator showed farmers how different soil conditions, tillage histories and cover cropping/crop residue, effect soil runoff and soil during a 1”/5 min. rain event.
• Participants were able to view a 7-species cover crop planted on the operation.
• A soil scientist led a discussion on soil formation and showed visual cues indicating improved soil health.
• There was also a presentation about cover crop establishment and management.

For details and photos about soil health and the field day, check out this summary .

The Conservation District has held several no-till informational meetings since 2007. Two no-till meetings were held on February 28 and March 1, 2012. (More details about the 2012 meetings can be found in the “Meetings & Workshops Downloads” section.)

On February 23, 2016, three soil health informational meetings were held for farmers, landowners, gardeners and other interested persons.

These meetings serve as a informative, yet informal, way of exchanging ideas on how to start and maintain a way of management that can improve soils on their farms. Participants picked the topics.

Contact Barry Spangler, Ag. Conservation Technician (570-837-3000, x118) or the NRCS Middleburg Field Office (570-837-0007, x3) regarding no-tilling, cover cropping and improving soil health.

Women have a vital role on today’s agricultural operations, often times being the bookkeeper, communications manager, human resources manager and laborer, all in one!

The Snyder County Conservation District and AgChoice Farm Credit hosted a Farm Girls Rock on October 26, 2019, at the Shade Mountain Winery. Sixty-four (64) people attended.

The Conservation District has held eight Women in Ag Forums in the past. This Farm Girls Rock was its ninth meeting geared toward women in agriculture. Please contact Renee Swineford, SCCD Administrative Assistant at 570-837-3000, x0 for more info.