Natural Resources Need Responsible Landowners

 Jennifer Billings, Juners Homestead, Maysville, KY

by: Carrie Taylor, Adult Agriculture Instructor, Maysville Community & Technical College

If anyone has ever taken a plant-based class with me, they understand my passion to achieve the healthiest soil possible. As a MCTC Adult Agriculture Instructor, I assess many natural resources through farm-based visits and educational classes, and soil is one of many critical sources for any successful land-based project.  Soil affects everything; it’s the foundation for our land.  Its connections with other organisms determine what is available for food or grain crops growing in any area, which humans and animals rely. MCTC has been a proud partner with The Natural Resources Conservation Service because both of our institutions have similar goals: to help landowners become better stewards of their fields and woodlands through best practice management.

Jennifer Billings is a local Ferrier; she owns a farm-based business called Juners Homestead and her long-term goals include crop and livestock management. Jennifer states, “Carrie Taylor and I worked together while NRCS offered insight for the natural resources on my farm. One of my primary goals is to transform my hayfields by promoting soil health and through planting grain that will be metabolically better for equine. Carrie knew the best source for seed I’ll use in the future."

I recently sat down with Haley Henderson, conservation technician, and Jeffrey McCall, district conservationist at the Maysville NRCS office, to discuss their very clear desire for people to take advantage of the services they offer. “We love going to visit landowners who need advice on various topics related to land stewardship such as row crop management, forestry, wildlife and field or pasture management. This allows us to map out and provide short and long-term goals for them,” stated Haley and Jeffrey. NRCS conservationists offer their services to help farmers find solutions to all natural resource issues.

Since there are a wide variety of natural resource issues in Mason and the surrounding counties, there are also many different alternative solutions available, too, depending on a landowner’s goals. Jennifer is passionate about caring for the land’s resources. She understands the critical connections between resources such as healthier soil, which will impact her livestock and her crops. She’s interested in learning more about gardening and poultry production, and she’s willing to meet and partner with businesses who have the same respect for their land.

In many scenarios, land managers can use a combination of practical solutions to help improve natural resources. McCall suggests, “They might implement rotational grazing methods for their livestock and include interior fencing, managing livestock water troughs more efficiently, and increase cover crop usage.” These methods can help farmers manage herds in more efficient ways. Reduced or no till practices will increase biodiversity of plants, insects, and animals, which creates a stronger ecological environment, rich in diversity. Plant and animal decay (organic matter), can build layers to provide more diversity and higher nutrient densities within soils. This can ideally lead to farmers purchasing less inputs, for example, they might save on grain if their livestock consumes a higher density and diverse forage in fields, or they might save money on high-cost fertilizers because soils improve and produce higher nutrient rich plant life.  These results may create higher outputs and increase their profits, depending on their planning and management techniques.

Farmers and landowners in Mason, Bracken, and Robertson counties interested in receiving the services of the Natural Resources Conservation Service can reach the Maysville office at 606-759-5570 extension 3. The NRCS has local service centers located throughout the nation.

Questions about farm-based businesses? Please contact Carrie L. Taylor, Maysville Community & Technical College 606.301.6032