State Conservationist Diane Gray

In this edition of Conservation Notes, there is a story about a third-generation blueberry farm in Van Buren County. Patch of Blue is owned and operated by Kyle Mitchell and his family. 

After taking over the farm, Kyle has transitioned the operation to organic and has incorporated conservation activities utilizing the USDA Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Kyle's efforts have made his farm more profitable while protecting our natural resources. There are many more stories like Kyle's in Michigan and we'd like to here yours. Here's how:

This summer, NRCS wants to highlight how things have changed on your operation over the years in our #ThenAndNow campaign on NRCS and FarmersGov social media.

Here’s how to participate:

• Find a few historical photos of your operation from when it began - Then.
• Using your smartphone or digital camera, take photos of your operation - Now.
• In a few sentences, tell us: how has your operation changed over the years? How has it expanded, modernized equipment and practices, or transformed with conservation?
• Include your name, the location of your operation, and links to any social media accounts you manage to promote your operation.
• Submit the above to  SM.FPAC.NRCS.Facebook@usda.gov by Friday, August 1, 2025.

Happy Fourth of July, enjoy the holiday and be safe!

In May 2020, heavy rains in Mid-Michigan led to the collapse of Edenville Dam and nearly breached the Sanford Dam further down the Tittabawassee River. Although it didn’t receive as much attention, the same rain event threatened the Forest Lake Dam further north in Antrim County.

While the Forest Lake Dam held, the 500-year rain event revealed that the dam’s spillway was not up to the challenge. The vast amount of water overflowing from Forest Lake washed away the concrete spillway chute leading to Wells Creek. Once the chute was washed away, erosion from the water still leaving the lake threatened to undermine the dam from the downstream side. Workers hurriedly dumped rock into the spillway but the damage was done.

Rebuilding the spillway would be a large and costly project for the 1,100 property owners who jointly own the dam. Fortunately, the Forest Lake – Lake Level Assessment District was formed which found public funding to assist with the project. One of those sources of public funding was the NRCS Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP).

Some property owners were hesitant to get the government involved in replacing the spillway, said Ray Daniels. Daniels is a Moffit Township Supervisor and serves on the Lake Level board. Daniels told Forest Lake residents they very much needed to get the government involved with the project. EWP covered the engineering costs of the project along with 75 percent of the construction costs.

“This is probably the biggest public project ever built in Arenac County,” said Daniels.

The new steel-lined concrete spillway went into operation in February 2025. While the spillway was under construction, eight 24-inch siphon hoses carried water over the dam to control the lake level and emptied into a temporary spillway to Wells Creek. The siphon hoses were removed on May 22, 2025, marking the completion of the project. Workers waited until the morning school bus passed over the dam road before the removal began.

The spillway, which contains baffle blocks to help diminish the water’s energy before it enters Wells Creek, has a 100-year lifespan and should require minimal maintenance for its first 50 years, said NRCS Design Engineer Dan Vasher.

“I’ve learned a lot, that engineers are kind of your friends,” said Daniels. “The average guy just doesn’t know this stuff.”

Third-generation blueberry farmer Kyle Mitchell is making some changes to his farm in Van Buren County. Since taking over the family farm in 2019, Mitchell has changed how he grows and markets his berries along with implementing conservation improvements with assistance from the USDA Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

Mitchell’s grandfather bought the property in 1946 and began growing blueberries in 1956. In 2021, Mitchell’s Patch of Blue, which includes 23 acres of blueberries, became USDA Organic Certified. Instead of selling his harvest to area fruit packers, Mitchell sells most of his crop through ValleyHUB, a food hub that is a program of Kalamazoo Valley Community College. ValleyHUB sells his blueberries to area schools, hospitals, and restaurants. Mitchell teaches culinary arts and horticulture at the college so he had a connection with the operation.

The transition to becoming certified organic was made easier by utilizing the nutrient management and integrated pest management practices available for financial assistance through EQIP. The practices helped him develop systems that utilize nonsynthetic herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers, and other methods to control weeds and pests, while maintaining organic standards. Mitchell is experimenting with additional organic pesticide methods like fermenting vinegar from damaged berries to use as an organic weedkiller.

In addition to management practices, Mitchell also utilized EQIP for an access road to allow him to move harvest equipment without creating soil erosion. He hopes to begin construction on an agrichemical handling facility this year. The building will allow him to store and mix chemicals safely, currently he mixes his chemicals outdoors without a means to contain spills.

Another planned EQIP project is a 2-acre pollinator planting under the Conservation Cover practice. The planting will provide habitat for native bees to pollinate his blueberries. Native bees, especially miner and bumblebees, are the best pollinators for blueberries, said Mitchell. Domesticated honeybees are not well adapted for the deep flowers on blueberry plants, he said.

Converting his farm to organic and utilizing ValleyHUB benefited his operation, and Mitchell has plans to add more value to his crop. With his culinary background, an onsite store and restaurant could be added in the future, he said.

A team competing for the St. Clair County RESA's Pine River Nature Center was the top finisher at the Michigan Envirothon State Competition held at Western Michigan University on May 16. 

Envirothon is a hands-on competition that tests participants' environmental knowledge and skills in topics including aquatic ecology, renewable energy, soils and geology, agriculture, wildlife, and forestry. The state competition also includes a presentation on each team's community outreach project.

The team included Yale High School junior Natalie Korotko, Port Huron Northern High School senior Sage McCombs, and Algonac High School junior Cooper Machala. The team members all attend the St. Clair County Technical Education Center. The team's coaches were Pine River Nature Center staff members Sarah Nelson and Monique Werner. The team was Sponsored by the Blue Water Area Conservation District.

Unfortunately, the St. Clair team is not available to represent Michigan at the International Envirothon competition to be held in Alberta, Canada. As a result, Michigan will be represented by the second place team from the state competition, a high school team representing the Lenawee ISD. The International Envirothon will be held from July 20 to 26 at Mount Royal University in Calgary.

Congratulations to the Clever Coyotes for their top finish at the Michigan Envirothon State Competition, and good luck to  the Lenawee team in Alberta!

Interested in starting a Michigan Envirothon team?

High school students anywhere in Michigan are welcome to start a team and compete in the Michigan Envirothon. The Michigan Association of Conservation Districts (MACD) is hosting three online informational meetings to provide information and answer questions about forming an Envirothon team. The meetings will be held on Zoom (Zoom links follow for each date) beginning at 11 a.m. on Aug. 5, followed by 4 p.m. on Aug. 14, and 6 p.m. on Aug. 25. For more information about these meetings and Envirothon contact MACD at 517/331-1335.

Michigan DNR’s Project Learning Tree is partnering with the MSU Department of Forestry and MSU Extension to offer a new hybrid workshop this summer aimed at educators and small landowners to improve forest literacy.

Despite Michigan’s abundant and diverse forestlands covering all corners of the state, accessing the forest or effectively covering forestry in the classroom remains problematic for educators lacking the time, resources, and support needed. This
program seeks to minimize these limitations through providing a flexible, modular driven learning experience that equips attendees with the tools necessary to seamlessly insert forest literacy into their classrooms. The online modules are
supported by three unique 2-day field tours connecting attendees with forestry and natural resource professionals from across the state.

State continuing education clock hours (SCECH) 24 credit hours have been applied for and are pending - status will be updated on the website once available. Credits will be available upon completion of the course with no additional fee. Course cost $125 and includes lodging and meals for field trip. To register or learn more about the program please visit canr.msu.edu/for/programs/knowing-mi-forest.

- contributed by the Eaton Conservation District

Baseball wasn’t the only game happening at Jackson Field in Lansing on June 1^st. While the Lansing Lugnuts won 4-1 over Beloit, earning them second place in the Midwest League East, Eaton Conservation District was hosting a Conservation Carnival at the stadium.

This innovative event was the creation of district staff and is unique to Mid-Michigan. It brings conservation education to the general public in the form of carnival games by 25 conservation partners. Among the carnival gamers were “Pheasant Hunt” by Eaton County Pheasants Forever, “Shoot the Invader” by Mid Michigan Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area, “Wetland Jeopardy” by Ducks Unlimited, “Match the Scat” by Bengel Wildlife Conservancy, and “Clear the River Race” by Michigan Waterways Stewards. Every game taught a conservation principle and gave the participant an opportunity to win a carnival prize. Real maple sugar cotton candy was available, with maple sugar sourced locally from Sugar Bush Supplies in Mason, MI. Smokey Bear and Wade Water Drop joined Big Lug for a celebrity mascot moment.

The event was also an opportunity to uplift and recognize members of the local community. Sunny Sparks, Charlotte High School Sophomore sang the National Anthem. Three local farmer producers threw out ceremonial first pitches: Nicole and Shane Hickey of Hickey Farms in Vermontville, Donna Averill and Jeff Bergen of Willowcreek Farm in Webberville, and Rebekah and Louis Faivor of Faivor Fresh Produce in St. Johns. All three of these conservation district cooperators were chosen because they are great examples of conservation-oriented producers in their counties.

Ten local businesses and organizations sponsored the event including Liberty Tax of Lansing, DNR- Nature Awaits, Greater Lansing Regional Committee for Stormwater Management, Hickey Farms, Crandall Bros. Trucking, Bendy Stem Farm, Morgan Composting/Dairy Doo, GFWC Charlotte, Michigan Association of Conservation Districts, and Fluff n Stuff.

MIFarmLink is proud to celebrate the one-year anniversary of its statewide website launch, which has quickly become a vital resource for farmland access and transition across Michigan. Since going live, the platform has drawn over 167,000 visits and helped connect 281 acres of farmland to new stewards through eight successful property matches.

With 44 active property listings, 90 farmer profiles, and over 217 farm seekers assisted, the program continues to grow its impact. Outreach efforts have extended statewide through five Regional Representatives and over 3,000 in-person interactions. MIFarmLink has also reached more than 200,000 households through media coverage and now connects with 9,000+ subscribers through its monthly newsletter.

The team has proudly shared these efforts at major industry gatherings including GLEXPO, Crop Summit, and MSU’s Ag Ideas to Grow. Learn more at www.mifarmlink.org.

July

9 - All About Oak Wilt, 6 p.m., Torch Lake Township Hall - Kewadin, for more information go to antrimcd.com

9 - Native Garden Planting at Courthouse, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Eaton CD - Charlotte, for more information go to eatoncd.org/events

11&12 - Veteran Farmer Conference, Farmstead Inn & Conference Center, 370 S Van Buren St, Shipshewana, Ind., for more information go to canr.msu.edu/events

13 - Composting Workshop, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wheatland Township Park Pavilion - Remus, for more information and to register go to mecostacd.org/events

18 - Regenerative Pasture Management - Pasture Walk, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Mitchell Cat Creek Farms - Hersey, for more information and to RSVP call 231/465-8005 or email brandi.mitchell@macd.org

18- MM-CISMA Public Boat Wash, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sessions Lake Boat Launch - Ionia State Recreation Area, mobile boat wash information

19 - Clean Boats Clean Waters - Mobile Boat Wash, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Lake Alliance Park - Potterville, for more information go to eatoncd.org/events

21 - Mecosta CD Conservation Bus Tour, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., departs from Wheatland Township Park Pavilion - Remus, for more information and to RSVP go to mecostacd.org/events 

23 - Sun & Soil: Renewable Energy and Land Stewardship, 5:30 to 7 p.m., Home & Gather - Montague, for more information and to register go to muskegoncd.org

24 - Kent CD Farmer Field Day, 9:30 a.m. to noon, Frozen Creek Floral & Produce - Belmont, for more information and to RSVP call 616/222-5841 or email michael.ewing@macd.org

25 - Lake Leaders, 10 a.m., Antrim CD Office - Bellaire, for more information go to antrimcd.com

29 - Vegetables, Livestock, Markets and More! Field Day, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Providence Organic Farm - Central Lake, for more information go to canr.msu.edu/events