HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1993-03-17, Page 40A 90s trend
Covered manure storage areas, such as this one at the RR2, Lucknow property of Ken and
Jocelyn de Boer prevent run-off and high fecal coliform counts. With grants available under
the Clean Up Rural Beaches (CURB) program these buildings have become the fad of the
90s, according to a water quality technician from the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority.
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A20. FARMING '93, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 1993.
Covered manure storages popular in 90s
Covering manure storage areas is
a fad of the 1990s for people in the
Maitland Valley Conservation
Authority area says Brent Robin-
son, water quality technician with
the Authority.
"There is so much interest it
seems to be a topic of discussion no
matter where you go," Mr. Robin-
son told the MVCA's Progressive
Farming Workshop at Brussels
March 10.
Spurring the interest are grants
available under the Clean Up Rural
Beaches (CURB) program that will
cover up to 50 per cent of the cost
of such structures. Solid manure
storage areas were found to be one
of the larger sources of pollution in
the Maitland watershed, pollution
that helped close Lake Huron
beaches because of high fecal col-
iform counts in summers past. The
CURB program is designed to help
residents deal with pollution prob-
lems.
With uncovered manure storage
rainwater can get into the manure
and provide liquid run-off, espe-
Spring flowers
bloom in fields
Continued from A19
Like Mr. Lobb, he has moved
from no-till to other conservation
projects. He has grassed waterways
and windbreaks (he planted white
cedar several years ago but would
plant native red cedar or deciduous
trees if he was doing it today). He
plans to retire some non-productive
wet spots and turn them into frog
ponds, trying to provide a home to
the increasingly-rare leopard frog.
Mr. Ainslie has become more
and more interested in things natu-
ral since switching to no-till. He
has introduced growing clover for
seed as part of his rotation and
keeps bees to pollinate the clover,
and as a hobby. This year he is
going to put out nesting boxes for
native bumble bees.
To brighten the dull Essex Coun-
ty landscape he has planted spring-
flowering bulbs in spots throughout
his fields, this year with a total of
more than 3000 bulbs planted. By
the time crop planting time comes
the bulbs have flowers and he can
"Pant right over them. "The flowers
symbolize my change in thinking,"
he says.
are causing pollution problems.
Grants of 50 per cent, up to
$12,000 are available for manure
storage. Only storage facilities with
capacity for 240 days are eligible
and solid storage must also have a
run-off tank.
Grants of 50 per cent to $5000
are available for facilities to deal
with milk house waste waters
whether septic systems or holding
tanks.
Grants of 75 per cent up to
$10,000 are available for fencing
cattle out of creeks and providing "
alternative watering facilities or for
building low-flow or above-grade
crossings over streams for cattle.
Last year MVCA had $1.2 mil-
lion to allocate in grants with more
than 200 projects carried out. This
year the budget isn't known yet. If
there is a shortage of money, the
highest priority will go to the worst
pollution problems and those near-
est Lake Huron where the pollution
is most likely to cause beach prob-
lems.
Response to the program has
been "absolutely amazing" Ms
Loeffler said. Last year's projects
include 60-70 septic systems, a
similar number of manure waste
facilities, 20 projects to fence cattle
out of streams and 20-25 projects to
deal with milk house wastes.
cially if rainwater from nearby barn
roofs drains into the area. Modern
solid manure pads must have a tank
to catch and hold such run off but
older barns often were built on a
slope so the run off would leave the
barnyard.
Covering the storage area keeps
the solid manure solid, keeps the
full nutrients in the manure and out
of drains, streams and rivers. Many
organic farmers use the covered
manure areas to compost their
manure.
Anne Loeffler, rural Water Qual-
ity Technician outlined other
CURB grants available. The most
serious source of pollution has been
found to be faulty septic systems,
she said, systems that have been
hooked up to tile drains or are oth-
erwise not working. There are
grants of 50 per cent, up to $2000
for people who have systems that