Countryside in 5
Countryside in 5 is a special program introduced in 2013 with generous support from the Knight Foundation. Each month, we will release a new 5 minute training video on a food and or farm topic. Subscribe to our you tube channel (countrysidechix) for alerts!
January Video - Pruning Blueberry Plants
February Video - Cooking with Kale
March Video - Making Kale Chips
April Video - On Farm Solar Powered Water Pump
GO! -growing opportunities for youth in farming...
GO! was a pilot project for 2012 sponsored by Chipotle Mexican Grill, and in partnership with Positive Education Program (P.E.P.) and Canal Corners Farm and Market. GO! is a hands on farm program for youth
enrolled in P.E.P. More info here
MANURE
M.A.N.U.R.E. (Manure Agreements, Nutrient Utilization, and the Rural Economy) is a collaborative project between Countryside Conservancy, Baughman Township, Wayne Economic Development Council, and Wayne Soil and Water Conservation District. Its purpose is to retain, enhance, and expand the viability of agriculture in Baughman Township, Wayne County, Ohio. The project is in the process of setting up a manure bartering program for producers and consumers within the township (and eventually beyond), educating landowners on proper nutrient utilization, creating model contracts for transaction related to manure and energy, encouraging neighbor and community relationship building, examining tax implication for farmers who barter, marketing the now wasted resource of manure, and most importantly creating a manure management model for wider use throughout Ohio.
M.A.N.U.R.E. Project Final Report
Interested in receiving manure or unloading manure? Contact us.
This project is funded through the generous support of the Center for Farmland Policy Innovation of The Ohio State University and the Rural Rehabilitation Board of the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
News
- Purdue University offers free nutrient management calendar for farmers.
- The Ohio State University has created a short fact sheet about Manure to Energy through Anaerobic Digestion.
- Become a Conservation Crusader in your backyard!
Tips for Composting with Manure and/or Food Scraps
- Check your local zoning. Some municipalities have zoning, health department, or nuisance regulations pertaining to back yard composting.
- Keep a ratio of 1 part "green" to 2 parts "brown"
- "green" waste examples: veggies, food scraps, coffee grounds, manure, grass clippings (free of spray) and animal fur.
- "brown" waste examples: shredded newspaper, shredded junk mail (with plastic windows removed), leaves, hay, and straw.
3. A 3 x 3 x 3 compost pile is ideal. Wooden pallets are normally that size.
4. Active composting needs air (you have to turn the pile) and water (not chlorinated)
5. Passive composting needs no attention, just a lot more time to break down.
Items that should not go in a compost pile:
- meat scraps
- fats and oils
- a LARGE quantity of citrus peels
- cat feces and litter
- black walnut leaves (raspberry and tomato plants don't like them)
Many municipalities, villages, and townships have an excess of leaves and will give them to you if you contact them.
Books on Composting
For More Information: Contact Us