In this issue:

• Native Tree Sale
• Saharan Dust: Good for Soils, Bad for Oceans
• Donate your Garden Vegetables
• Rain on Main Returns for Year Six
• SWCD Staff Hello's and Goodbye's
• COVID-19 and the Environment
• Developing a Animal Manure Management Plan
• Sulfur Application
• Foraging: Using Daylilies as a Food Source

Saharan Dust: Good for Soils, Bad for Oceans

You may have heard about the Saharan dust storms that blew across the country in the last few weeks. This is a common phenomenon that happens every year. These dust storms can look like haze, loss of long distant visibility, milky skies, or a fine dust covering cars and homes especially after it rains.   
​These yearly dust storms are a part of a natural phenomenon that connects two polar opposite ecosystems: the Saharan desert to the Amazon rainforest. Saharan soil is full of phosphorus and iron which are deposited into North and South America's soil and water resources.

Donate Your Garden Vegetables to a Local Food Pantry

Are you beginning to wonder what to do with your surplus garden vegetables? Wonder no more. Donate them to your local food pantry! In partnership with the Hamilton County Harvest Food Bank, the Hamilton County Soil & Water Conservation District has updated its popular “Donate Your Vegetables” map including the most recent information for gardeners to donate produce safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rain on Main Returns for Year Six

Rain on Main is returning for its sixth year this August!  Rain on Main is a painted rain barrel art competition and silent auction held each year by the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), City of Carmel Utilities Department, and Carmel Stormwater Department. 

The barrels will make their debut on the Rain on Main Facebook page and along Main Street in Carmel on Friday August 7th-15th. There are many ways to take part in Rain on Main, including purchasing a barrel!

COVID-19 and the Environment

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced a new routine and outlook on our lives and daily activities. For some, the changes have come as a welcome relief from some stressors of life. For others, this situation has increased their uncertainties and burdens. Likewise, the human response to COVID-19 has had some surprising benefits as well as drawbacks toward the natural environment.

Developing a Manure Management Plan for the Hobby Farmer

Manure handling is viewed as a necessary evil of stall management. Recreational horse owners in Hamilton County increasingly find themselves in the middle of rapidly growing suburban areas, where they receive more scrutiny from their neighbors than their counterparts in rural areas. To maintain good relationships, it is critical to know and practice proper manure and pasture management.  Developing a horse manure management plan doesn’t necessarily need to be a daunting task. Most plans can be developed and implemented using an integrated holistic approach.

Sulfur Products, Timing, and Rate

Over application of fertilizer can have negative affects on soil and water. Over the last few years many growers and crop advisors have concluded that they must supply sulfur for their crops to thrive. However, there remains confusion about which product to use, when to apply, and how much to use. The good news is that there are numerous products available that are affordable, but it is critical to pick the right product, or products, to best fit a grower’s application options.

Foraging: Using Daylilies as a Food Source