- State Conservationist Garry Lee

The calendar says that spring will begin on March 19, but for much of the state it feels like it already arrived. Here in the Lansing area, a record high temperature of 73 degrees was set on Feb. 27. Further north, a record high minimum temperature of 33 degrees was set in Negaunee on March 3. While most of us enjoy the warmer temperatures and spending more time outdoors, it is a precarious time for producers. Orchard and vineyard growers in particular are anxiously watching for an early bloom and hoping a hard frost does not follow.

So, go out and enjoy the warm weather, but keep your fingers crossed that extreme weather fluctuations won’t adversely affect Michigan producers.

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The Act Now process for obligating funds for conservation program contracts is now up and running. So far, we’ve selected over 500 EQIP applications using the Act Now process, with most set to be obligated over the next couple of months.

This means producers can kickstart implementing conservation practices right when the construction and growing seasons begin.

The funded applications span both between general EQIP funds and Inflation Reduction Act funding. This marks Michigan’s first year for Act Now, where applications were chosen for funding based on their ranking score, on a first-come, first-served fashion while funds were available.

For a detailed breakdown of the funding pools and minimum ranking threshold scores, visit the NRCS-Michigan website.

Planting cover crops doesn’t get much more exciting than seeing a small squadron of planes taking off every 15 minutes loaded with seed to spread on surrounding fields.

“It’s so exciting and so non-stop,” said Airin Beechler, MAEAP technician for the Lenawee Conservation District.

Since 2018, Beechler has helped coordinate a cover crop fly-on project for the district that has grown to nearly 6,500 acres in Lenawee County and a few farms in surrounding counties. The conservation district partners with Jamie Scott of Scott’s Cover Crops LLC of Pierceton, Ind. While Beechler lines up the farmers, Scott lines up the planes and the seed. In 2023, Scott offered annual and cereal rye along with mixes like rye and crimson clover and oats and radish. They shoot for an application date in the first couple of weeks after Labor Day, ideally on a day when rain is in the forecast in the following days.

On Sept. 8, Scott had four planes flying on cover crop seed from the airport near Adrian. It takes the pilots about 5 minutes to spread a load of seed, then they return to reload. Loaded planes were taking off about every 15 minutes, said Beechler. The planes are the same crop dusters used to apply chemicals but have specialized equipment installed to apply seed.

Scott began having cover crops flown on his own farm about 20 years ago, he said. He started using no-till in the 1980s but noticed he still had soil and nutrients moving on his farm. The challenge was how to establish cover crops after harvesting his corn and beans in the fall. Aerial application is the “best method I’ve found to date,” said Scott. Each year he coordinates the aerial application of about 30,000 to 60,000 acres of cover crops, including for producers who participate in the Lenawee Conservation District project and another organized by the Van Buren Conservation District.

“It turned into a business, when some days I’d rather just farm,” Scott said.

Cover crops provide a number of benefits and those benefits improve the longer they are growing, Scott said. Some of the benefits include improving soil fertility, controlling weeds, and disrupting crop diseases. Farmers give up one or two months of cover crop growth by waiting until after harvest, “I can’t give that up.”

The conservation district’s cover crop fly-on project is a real plus, said Lenawee County farmer John Tuckerman. Tuckerman couldn’t find a local person to do an aerial application and pilots from further away didn’t want to come out for just one guy, he said. He has rye seed flown on because “rye will dang near germinate on a wet board.” Tuckerman grows cover crops on all of his farmland but plants his own cover crops on his bean acres. He’s had cover crops flown on to his corn acres for at least four years.

“If you have something growing it’s helpful for soil biology, I want living roots in the ground year-round,” said Tuckerman.

Tuckerman’s 1,300 acres of farmland drains into the Western Lake Erie Basin and he’s very conscious of impacting water quality. He’s been using less fertilizer for 20 years, including only applying phosphorus as a starter when planting. In a wet spring he waits until after planting to terminate his cover crop but will terminate earlier in dry years to prevent losing moisture.

Washtenaw farmer Scott Rouster participated in the Lenawee Conservation District’s cover crop fly-on in 2022 and 2023. He had about 100 acres flown onto fields where he was growing corn. He had a respectable stand of cover crops after the aerial application in 2023, the previous year wasn’t as good due to drier weather, he said. Rouster had rye flown on the first year and went with a barley-triticale mix in 2023. The biggest benefit he noticed was how the cover crop held moisture on his sandy ground. He enrolled in the USDA Conservation Stewardship Program which covered all of the cost for the aerial application.

The Van Buren Conservation District started its own cover crop fly-on program after district employee Colleen Forestieri saw Scott speak at the annual Center for Excellence Field Day in Lenawee County. She invited Scott to speak to producers in Van Buren County and in 2014 the district held its first cover crop fly-on, “we call it a co-op,” said Forestieri. You need at least 1,000 acres to attract pilots and bring down the cost of seed, according to Forestieri. The first year they just squeaked by the 1,000-acre goal and are now up to about 5,500 acres.

Growing conditions were not ideal following the Van Buren Conservation District’s 2023 cover crop fly-on. “We get a lot of worried phone calls,” said Forestieri. Farmers want to edge to edge coverage but there will always be areas where you miss. “By the end of April it looks a lot better.”

by Rachel Cuschieri-Murray, Executive Director – Eaton Conservation District

A newly identified invasive species is spreading like wildfire through mid-Michigan floodplains. Over 30 local organizations from Ingham County, west to Ottawa County, have responded by forming a coalition to meet the challenge. Lesser Celandine, (ficaria verna) was introduced somewhere along the Red Cedar River near Williamston and it has conveniently hitched a ride on the river, spreading itself into floodplains along the Grand River all the way to Lake Michigan. Due to unseasonably warm weather this year, the plant is already obvious in areas where it has established itself.

What is Lesser Celandine?

Lesser Celandine, (ficaria verna) is a low-growing, mat-forming, flowering plant with dark green, heart-shaped leaves and bright yellow, glossy flowers. It emerges from tubers in late winter and flowers appear in late March through April, depending on weather conditions. It is native to Europe and Western Asia. Lesser Celandine is extremely aggressive as it spreads and crowds out delicate native spring ephemerals that are essential to supporting local ecosystems. While lesser celandine is a terrestrial species, it spreads very quickly near rivers and streams. The bulblets float downriver and deposit themselves on soil where they grow and are spread by wildlife, hikers, and mowers.

Why is Lesser Celandine So Challenging?

Because of its habit of forming thick mats and dropping tiny “bulblets”, similar to seeds, Lesser Celandine cannot be removed mechanically once it has been established. It cannot be smothered or burned because of the tubers and seed bank, plus the risk to the native spring ephemerals it surrounds.

Glyphosate is the chemical most commonly used to treat lesser celandine, although this comes with its own challenges. The plant starts growing in late winter and Glyphosate isn’t effective unless applied when there are multiple days of 45-50 degree temperatures in a row. The blooms appear around this time and bulblets form within a couple of weeks after. Additionally, any remaining native ephemerals are popping up by this time and are at risk of being sprayed by the Glyphosate. Therefore, there is a window of approximately 2-3 weeks when weather conditions are conducive to treatment, before new seeds have formed, and native ephemerals emerge.

What is the Response?

Led by core partners at Eaton Conservation District, Mid-Michigan Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (MM CISMA), Michigan State University, and Delta Township Parks, a coalition of over 30 partner organizations is forming to address the spread of Lesser Celandine. Partners are planning on surveying the extent of the infestation with a goal to plan for counter measures. The survey will involve a cooperative effort of volunteers on foot, in boats, and using drones to locate, identify, and map the presence of the plant along the waterway. Volunteers and certified pesticide applicators will treat as much priority area as possible with Glyphosate. Partners will host educational campaigns where visitors can learn how to identify lesser celandine, how to report it, and what to do to prevent its spread.

Organizations, property owners, and volunteers who would like to join the coalition can contact Eaton Conservation District at eatoncd@macd.org or 517-543-1512x5 and get technical help from MM CISMA at cisma@inghamconservation.com or 517-676-2290.

Michigan Envirothon is back for a 2024 competition following a 5-year hiatus. Regional competitions are being finalized and teams are still forming while the state competition is set to be held at Michigan State University on May 8,9, and 10. 

Envirothon is an annual environmentally themed competition for high school aged students. Michigan hosts regional competitions across the state and a state level competition that rotates every year to a new region of Michigan. The winning team of the Michigan Envirothon state competition is invited to participate in the NCF-Envirothon. This year’s NCF-Envirothon is to be held in Geneva, NY where the winning team will be awarded scholarships and prizes. Last year's NCF-competition saw 49 teams from across the United States, Canada and even teams from China and Singapore

Now is the time of year to plan your spring plantings. If you're thinking of planting any trees, shrubs, native plants, or fruit trees, check with your local conservation district.

Chances are your local conservation district is taking orders for trees and plants now, with plants available for pick up in the spring. Purchasing from your conservation district assures you that you are getting quality plants from a reliable source. Proceeds from conservation district plant sales are used to fund conservation efforts in your county.

Rebecca Aguilar - Soil Conservationist, Grand Haven

Hometown: Romeo
Education: M.S., Biology with emphasis in Natural Resources Management, B.A., Natural Resources Management- Grand Valley State University
Family & Pets: Husband Deni and two dogs
Hobbies & Interests: Hiking with my family and playing soccer

Erika Eloff - Soil Conservationist, Flint

Hometown: Northville
Education - B.S. Horticulture - Michigan State University
Family: Husband George and 3 kids, Claire, Hudson and Henry
Hobbies & Interests: Spending time with my family, going to soccer, baseball and basketball games, gardening and being outdoors

Lucy Gregersen - Soil Scientist, Portage

Hometown: Pullman, Wash.
Education: B.S in Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management and a minor in Soil Science - University of Minnesota
Family: Twin brother
Hobbies & Interests: Love music, hiking,  and climbing

Arthur Mack - Soil Conservationist, Bay City

Last Position: Soil Con Tech, Lancaster, Wisc.
Education: B.S. Natural Resource Management, Concentration in Forestry – Michigan Technological University
Hobbies & Interests: Fishing, skiing, mountain biking, playing the drums, billiards

Paige Rehard - Soil Conservation Technician, Monroe

Last Position: Pre-analytic Lab Technician, Toledo, Ohio
Hometown: Perrysburg, Ohio
Education: B.S. Environmental Science, Biology concentration - University of Toledo
Family & Pets: I have a girlfriend and 2 dogs
Hobbies & Interests: Rock collecting, painting native plants/birds, hiking, going to the Toledo Zoo, watching movies, and playing videogames.

March

8 - Michigan Soil & Water Conservation Society Seminar, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., AgroLiquid Conference Center - St. Johns, for more information go to www.miglswcs.org/events-and-archives

8 - Women Owning and Appreciating Woodlands, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Boardman River Nature Center - Traverse City, for more information go to natureiscalling.org/events

13 - Farming for the Future, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Van Buren Conference Center - Lawrence, for more information go to vanburencd.org

13 - Wild Turkey Hunting 101 Clinic, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Shiawassee River State Game Area - St. Charles, for more information contact Logan Banning at logan.banning@macd.org or 586/854-2945

14 - Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., The Country Mill - Charlotte, for more information go to eatoncd.org/events

15 - How to Prune Young Apple Trees, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., 18900 14 Mile Rd. - Big Rapids, for more information contact the Mecosta Conservation District at 989/309-9229 or email brook.baumann@macd.org

16 - Spring Equinox Celebration, 10 a.m. to noon, Boardman River Nature Center - Traverse City, for more information go to natureiscalling.org/events

16 - Conservation Day hosted by Cass and Berrien Conservation Districts, 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Niles District Library - Niles, for more information go to casscdistrict.org

16&17 - Wilderness First Aid Training, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Barry County Tyden Center - Hastings, for more information go to eventbrite.com

19 - Wild Turkey Hunting 101 Clinic, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Gratiot Isabella RESD - Ithaca, for more information contact Logan Banning at logan.banning@macd.org or 586/854-2945

21 - Pollinator Habitat Workshop - Trees for Pollinators, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., MSU Extension - Charlotte, for more information go to eatoncd.org/events

21 - Michigan Natural Features Inventory Open House, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., MSU Food Safety and Toxicology Building, Room 62 - East Lansing, for more information go to canr.msu.edu/events

23 - Adopt a Stream in Eaton County, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., MSU Extension - Charlotte, for more information go to eatoncd.org/events

23 - Spring into Gardening, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Red School House - Rapid City, for more information go to kalkaskaconservation.org/events

27 - Produce Safety Coffee Chat, 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., Pour-D - Rockford, for more information contact the Ottawa Conservation District at 616/842-5852 ext. 5 or email at ottawacd@macd.org