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MCP file photo
SCOTTVILLE — Mason-Lake Conservation District is hosting its annual Farm Field Day on Thursday, September 11, 2025, from 5 to 8 p.m. Attendees will meet at the Western Michigan Old Engine Club grounds at Scottville Riverside Park, 700 S. Scottville Rd. The grounds can be accessed through the park’s main drive and follow directional signs.
The event is open to the public but its target audience is the agricultural community. The event will include a bus tour of two Mason County farms and a catered dinner afterwards provided by Ludington Meat Company. There is no cost to attend the tour, but a donation is encouraged to help cover dinner costs. An RSVP is requested by Monday, September 8 by contacting the Mason-Lake Conservation District at 231-613-4507 or email agriculture technician Pete Rustad at pete.rustad@macd.org.
This event is an excellent opportunity to learn about various farming practices with focuses on effective cover crop management using drone technology (a practice of planting a field with non-cash crops between growing seasons to manage soil erosion).
The event will also feature presentations demonstrating the utility of native pollinator plantings and the application of agroforestry principles to promote wildlife habitat, reduce erosion, and supplement income.
The tour will also visit a Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) funded agri-chemical handling facility and conclude with an overview about NRCS programs that are available for developing safer, more effective facilities for storing and mixing chemicals.
There will be an in-field walk and talk along with testimonies from local farmers who have implemented the practices. The program will require some walking across fields and extended periods of standing. Participants should dress accordingly and plan to bring a portable folding chair if there is a need to sit.
Also of importance will be a discussion on programs offered by the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and how they can benefit local producers. The goal of the field day is to increase landowner awareness of these topics, programs, and emerging research.
Field day is possible, in part, by a grant from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, held by the Conservation District. The grant supports the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) which is a voluntary program that serves as a guide to farmers and landowners looking to prevent environmental risk and implement conservation activities on their land.
The event has been approved for participants to receive credit for a MAEAP Phase One Event and has been approved as well for three Restricted Use Pesticide Credits (RUPs), which will be given out for completion of the tour at the end of the night
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