Conservation District to host annual farm tour.

Hops on Alway’s Shady Lane Farm.

Conservation District to host annual farm tour.

AMBER TOWNSHIP — The Mason-Lake Conservation District will hold its annual farm tour on Thursday, Aug. 30 from 5 to 9 p.m. The tour’s focus is to teach about different land management practices used by local farms.  

Specific topics will include an introduction into programs and cost share opportunities provided by Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP).

The free tour will meet at Alway’s Shady Lane Farm, located at 2144 W. Johnson Road, between Stiles and Amber roads, for welcome and introductions. The tour is open to farmers as well as the public. It will then depart on school buses to the other locations and return to Alway’s farm for a catered dinner by Shandy’s Catering. There is no cost to attend the farm tour. Please RSVP by Friday August 24 by contacting the Mason-Lake Conservation District at (231) 757-3707 ext. 5 or email Jamie VanDerZanden, the Mason-Lake Conservation District MAEAP Technician, at jamie.vanderzanden@macd.org.

A demonstration on how to scout and sweep for pests in an alfalfa field, pest management practices, managing a hop yard, and other activities will be included. The group will also get to view a stream bank restoration on the Pere Marquette River. This tour will be travelling from farm to farm to not only discuss these specific topics but to also show participants what these management practices look like.

This event has been approved for participants to receive credit for a MAEAP Phase One Event and four Restricted Use Pesticide Credits (RUPs) have been approved as well. In addition, Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) credits are pending. This tour is made possible by the MAEAP program (a state -funded grant program through Michigan Department of Ag and Rural Development),  Mason County Farm Bureau and Mason-Lake Conservation District.