Outreach – Taylor County SWCD

Earth Day with the school 2021

To celebrate Earth Day 2021, Bedford elementary welcomed local NRCS/SWCD staff for outdoor soil and water demonstrations. Nikki Schoonover, Ruth Blomquist, and Erin Ogle presented a variety of soil and water topics to Kindergarten through Fifth grade classes on Thursday April 22 and Friday April 23.Throughout those two days, Taylor County Soil and Water Conservation District interacted with approximately 250 students.

The Kindergarten classes had the opportunity to see the importance of taking care of the earth’s soil and water through an apple and water bottle demonstration. It is hard to imagine, but only the skin of 1/32 of an apple is feasible farm ground and 1 teaspoon of fresh water from a 2 Liter bottle is available for us to use. They also toured the Soil Health Tunnel, discussed “soiled undies” to show the importance of life beneath the soil, planted a seed, and learned about the 3 parts of soil: sand, silt, and clay through a sponge and cereal demonstration.

The first and second-grade classes were shown a demonstration called an Enviroscape. This demonstration allowed the students to be hands on and interact with the demonstration. The goal of this demonstration is to show students how everything works together and how we can all impact our watershed with our daily activities, affecting soil and water quality. The Enviroscape presentations were made possible by partnering with the Union County Soil and Water Conservation District as they allowed us to borrow their Enviroscape. The Soil Health Tunnel was toured, and soiled undies were discussed.

Third grade classes walked through the Soil Health Tunnel, viewed the soiled undies, learned the importance of water supply by the water bottle demonstration, and viewed the slake test. This test uses two cylinders filled with water and 2 different soil peds are submerged in each cylinder and we watch what happens to the soil. It’s amazing how different management practices (tillage with no cover crops vs no till with cover crops) play a role in how well soil structure stays together.

Fourth grade classes broke into groups around the soil health tunnel to study different parts of soil health displayed throughout the tunnel. Then they were able to replicate the structure of soil by using beach balls, tennis balls, and marbles and discuss the significance of pore spaces in the soil to allow water to infiltrate for roots to utilize and thrive. A sponge and cereal demonstration were used to help visually see the depth of where water can infiltrate soil types based upon how the land is managed (tilled vs no-tilled). The slake test tied it all together and showed how management practices affect the pore spaces in soils and the ability for water to infiltrate soils.

Fifth grade classes toured the soil health tunnel, discussed the soiled undies, viewed the slake test, and learned the importance of water supply by the water bottle demonstration. They were also broken into small groups to create a splash zone. Using a syringe and a small spoonful of cocoa (soil), they were able to simulate a raindrop’s energy falling from the sky. Observing the distance bare soil will disperse is vastly different from covered soil, even from a single raindrop.

Conservation Day at the Fair 2019

Taylor SWCD sponsored Conservation Day during the 2019 Taylor County Fair. Several activities were held throughout the day focusing on soil health, agriculture, and conservation. Sensory buckets of seed varieties and soil structures, a soil health coloring book table, an inflatable soil health tunnel, rubber cow lasso, milk-the-cow, Till/No-Till Bags game, Stream Trailer, Rainfall Simulator, slake test, and a soiled undies display were provided during the day. An Ag-Talk with Susan Kozak (Iowa Dept of Ag) and David Trowbridge (former Iowa Cattlemen President) was also provided later in the evening.

Soil health discussion after slake test demonstration

No-Till/Till Bags game. The Board with multiple holes represents No-Till (good aggregate stability means more pore space in the soil) and the board with a single hole represents tillage (which destroys aggregate structure and pore space).

These 100% cotton hankies are available at our NRCS/SWCD office. Follow the 3 easy steps and see how much of your hanky disappears!

4 fields in Taylor County were used to bury 100% cotton hankies; each field with a different management practice. (Left to Right) Grazed pasture, conventional till with cover crops and grazed, conventional till with no cover crops, and summer fall grazer (small grains crop followed by a summer cover crop seeding with fall grazing). The more hanky that is gone, the more microbes that were in soil to eat the cotton carbon source; the healthier the soil.

This field had fall cover crops and a pair of 100% cotton underwear buried to show the microbial activity in his soil. As you can see, not much is left after just a few weeks!

NRCS Rainfall Simulator Demonstration. Trays are filled with various surfaces that rainfall would come in contact with: grazed pasture, shingles from rooftop, tilled field without cover crops, and no-till field with cover crops.

NRCS Rainfall Simulator Demonstration. The front buckets show surface runoff collected during rainfall. The back buckets represent infiltration and what is stored in the soil.

After the rainfall simulator demonstration, the trays of soil were flipped upside down to show how well water infiltrated the soil. This is a tilled soil and still dry after the demonstration. Tillage creates compaction and prevents water from infiltrating the soil profile. The kids were able to feel how dry the soil remained.

After the rainfall simulator demonstration, the trays of soil were flipped upside down to show how well water infiltrated the soil. Left to Right: grazed pasture, conventional tillage with no cover crops, no till with cover crops. The tray in the middle is still dry on the bottom showing poor water infiltration.

A stream trailer demonstration was provided to show the impact of water erosion on a stream bank. The audience was divided into 2 teams; one created a natural meandering stream and the other created a straightened stream.

Teams are hard at work creating their stream in hopes to keep their stream banks stabilized.

Dave Trowbridge (former Iowa Cattlemen President) speaks during the Ag Talk discussion provided in the evening.

Taylor County Soil and Water Conservation District Goes to School

Each spring the National Association of Conservation Districts promotes a Soil Stewardship week. The theme for the NACD 2019 Soil Stewardship Week was “Life in the soil: Dig Deeper.” The Taylor County Soil and Water Conservation District was afforded the opportunity to deliver multiple presentations to the Bedford Community School District elementary classes during the week of May 6-May 10, 2019.

Throughout the week, the Taylor County Soil and Water Conservation District presented to grades Kindergarten through Fifth. Through seven presentations over the course of five days, field office staff interacted with approximately 250 students.

The kindergarten classes had the opportunity to see the variety machines necessary to raise a crop. The equipment displayed ranged from planters, tractors, grain carts, augers, and combines much more. Through this presentation, the classes learned the importance of each piece of equipment in a farm operation, big or small, and the need for everything to work together. Staff also talked about the importance of taking care of the earth. To do this, an apple was used as demonstration. Its hard to imagine, but only the skin of 1/32 of an apple is feasible farm ground. Finally, the kindergarten class learned and performed a song about soil.

The first and third grade classes were shown a demonstration called an Enviroscape. This demonstration allowed the students to be hands on and interact with the demonstration. The goal of this demonstration is to show students how everything works together and begin to plant a seed of conservation and water quality. The Enviroscape presentations were made possible by partnering with the Union County Soil and Water Conservation District as they allowed us to borrow their Enviroscape.

Second and Fifth grade classes were shown the National Resource Conservation Service’s rainfall trailer. The rainfall trailer demonstrates how soil reacts to rainfall under different management practices. The soils that were compared to the second and fifth grade classes were no-till, no-till with a cover crop, and tilled soil. Through this demonstration, students learned the difference of management practices both past and present as well.

The fourth-grade classes were able to replicate the structure of soil by using beach balls, tennis balls, and marbles. From this the students were able to view sand, silt, and clay particles through the Taylor County Soil and Water Conservation District’s microscope. Students also broke into groups and had time to ask staff questions about agriculture and soil microorganisms.

Presentations to young minds such as those in the Bedford Elementary are important to our community near and far. A vast majority of the students either live on a farm or know someone who does. Many of these students will either go on to have a career in agriculture or one day be a landowner themselves. Beginning conservation partnerships at an early age with the NRCS and Taylor County Soil and Water Conservation District provides and opportunity to cultivate successful long-lasting relationships. As was pointed out to all 250 students, there are currently approximately 7 billion people on earth. By the year 2050, that number is expected to grow to more than 9 billion. To be successful, everyone will need to work together and help one another. We would like to thank the Bedford Community School District administration and staff for opening their classrooms and making time in very busy schedules for the Taylor County Soil and Water Conservation District to present to the elementary school. Partnerships such as these will give opportunity to position Taylor County for success now and into the future.