The Pulaski County Soil and Water Conservation District held it's annual conservation tour on Tuesday, June 23, 1998. Approximately 50 residents of the county braved the warm temperatures to see timely conservation practices used throughout the county.
The first stop on the tour was Helen Bonnell's farm in Harrison Township to watch a demonstration of plugging an abandoned water well. The well had not been used for many years and posed a threat of groundwater contamination. The well was properly plugged during the demonstration to allow farming over the site without the possibility of future contamination.
After this stop, the tour group traveled to the farm of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Huber in Tippecanoe Township to view a "dry hydrant" installation. A "dry hydrant" is a pipe structure that is installed in a lake or pond. This structure allows fire departments to draw water out of the lake or pond to use in fighting nearby fires. This greatly enhances the fire department's ability to control fires in remote areas of the county that are too far from municipal water sources.
Many members of the Monterey Volunteer Fire Department were on hand for a demonstration of the first-time use of this dry hydrant. A large fire truck connected to the dry hydrant pumped the water through several different nozzles. The tour group saw quite a show as the fire truck sprayed great streams of water from the hydrant. The residents of Tippecanoe Township will enjoy a greater degree of safety from fires thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Huber and the Monterey Volunteer Fire Department.
After leaving this stop, the tour traveled to a field in the Winamac Fish and Wildlife Area in Franklin Township. At this stop, the group viewed a field seeded to warm season grasses. These grasses, sometimes called prairie grasses, once covered a large part of the Midwest prior to settlement. The grasses are being "rediscovered" for their ability to control erosion and benefit a great number of wildlife species. Many Pulaski County landowners will be planting these grasses on their farms next spring for participation in the Conservation Reserve Program.
Members of the Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil Survey Team also at this site demonstrated the principles used in updating the Pulaski County Soil Survey. Franklin Furr and Shane McBurnett explained the value of understanding the different soil properties that are documented in the published soil surveys.
The final tour stop was in Monroe Township to take a look at a new corn herbicide that is expected to be available for the 1999 crop year. The herbicide utilizes a new chemistry for controlling problem weeds. The herbicide is made by BASF and will be called "Distinct."
The tour concluded with a picnic lunch in the Winamac Town Park. The Pulaski County Soil and Water Conservation district wishes to thank Helen Bonnell, Mr. and Mrs. Huber, the Monterey Volunteer Fire Department and the staff of the Winamac Fish and wildlife Area for their assistance with the tour. The District also extend a thank-you to Dan Voglund and BASF for sponsoring the tour.