SASWCD BOARD SUPERVISORS - The Soil and Water Conservation District is seeking people to serve on our board who can help guide District priorities and work in establishing natural resource priorities for USDA-NRCS program funding. If you would like to join us and learn more about the District's work, please contact Angie at 254-4126 or attend an upcoming monthly meeting. Thank you!
GRANT AWARDS 
MOBILE KITCHEN CART PROJECT - The SASWCD has received a USDA-Farm to School grant to teach Houlton elementary children food and nutrition education through hands-on cooking classes. Mrs. Faulkingham's 4th graders were the first students to use the mobile cart, called "The Charlie Cart" and Alexis Smith tries out the resulting carrot and beet salad with citrus vinaigrette. The Charlie Cart will be housed alternately at Houlton's Elementary and Southside Schools. An official training session with the Charlie Cart's project team will take place in Spring, 2020. Until then, we will have fun teaching kids how to cook simple, healthy foods! For more information about the grant, please contact the SASWCD via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
MEDUXNEKEAG RIVER WATERSHED RESTORATION, PHASE II PROJECT - The SASWCD has also received preliminary funding approval for a Dept of Environmental Protection grant to target specific agricultural practices in the Meduxnekeag Watershed, as well as cover cropping and winter cover work. The grant project will begin 2020. Any farmers in the watershed who are interested in participating should contact the District at 254-4126 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to discuss.
OTHER PROJECTS and EDUCATION
2019 "SoilYourUndies" soil health experiment. Check out SASWCD's Facebook page as we begin digging up the "planted" underwear and posting the results. We were all surprised at the level of decomposition (yay farmers!). It's been a fun diversion for us and a good way to get the soil health message out through social media and some good local press. The SASWCD has also been able to use the decomposed undies to teach kids about soil health, as happened in October with 5th graders who attended a day-long ag workshop at the Southern Aroostook Agriculture Museum in Littleton.
In this "SoilYourUndies" August 28 photo, potato farmer Jimmy Fitzpatrick of Houlton digs up what's left of "his" underwear after 9 weeks in the potato field, i.e., not much!
WINTER AG SCHOOL 2020 - We are already beginning to plan classes for our annual series of classes that cover a wide range of topics. If you have a class subject idea, please let us know!
LAST CALL FOR THE BIG TREE CONTEST! - The SASWCD and Maine Forest Service are continuing to encourage people of all ages to appreciate the value of trees and
forest with a fun competition, "Big Tree Contest". It is easy to participate. If you know of a tree that fits the "Big Tree" criteria, simply fill out a nomination form and submit it to the SASWCD. District Forester Dan Jacobs will follow up and measure the tree, recording its dimensions based on a formula. Competition will be held from January until October, with a complete list of nominated trees and measurements available at that time. It's a good excuse to get outside! You may download a Tree Nomination Form here. A list of native Maine trees can be found on the Maine Forest Service website at Forest Trees of Maine. It's a great resource as it includes photos of our native tree species.