Join your friends for a special day of fun and thrills at Shawhaven Farm and Support Michigan Envirothon!!

An Envirothon silent auction is planned and special Envirothon activities will be available in addition to all Shawhaven fun and spooky attractions!

Enjoy a day on the farm. Decorate your own pumpkin, enjoy fresh cider and donuts, visit the animals and test your skills in the 8 Acre corn maze! In addition the haunted Samara’s Boarding House awaits and for the brave of heart - the Last Ride is a must! 

Come to Shawhaven Farm on Saturday, October 8 from 4:00 pm - 8:30 pm and Support Michigan Envirothon!

Learn More

Shawhaven Farm website

Shawhaven Haunted Farm website

The Michigan Agricultural Environmental Assurance Program this week reached 1,000 verifications!

Reaching this 1,000 verification milestone tops off a year of significant accomplishments for the program.  We began 2011 with Governor Snyder signing Public Acts 1 and 2 of 2011 to codify MAEAP into law.  That action was followed by a major effort within MDARD and partner organizations to review and update MAEAP standards, ramp up public outreach and marketing and most importantly focus efforts on the local level to educate farmers on the many benefits of MAEAP.  Michigan Conservation Districts took the lead locally, doing what they do best:  working one on one within their communities to provide the education and assistance to move farmers toward the goal of MAEAP verification.

Thank you to everyone who has worked within the MAEAP framework to achieve this 1,000 verification goal.  Over the last decade we have built a solid, well respected program and have moved the program forward to achieve the significant accomplishments that we celebrate today. 

Wow - just think what we will be able to accomplish in the future!   

Kalamazoo County MAEAP Field Event at David Rutten's farm on September 14, 2011, 7pm - 9 pm. A more detailed agenda is provided below. Please contact Linda Jones Zabik with any questions at  269-327-1258 x4.

 

Agenda:

7:00 "Welcome and Introduction to the MAEAP Program" - Linda Zabik, Kalamazoo County MAEAP

7:15 "Pest Updates" Bruce MacKellar and/or Dan Rajzer, MSUE

7:30 "SPCC Plans" Cliff Lipscomb - Crystal Flash Energy

7:45 "NRCS Updates" Jean Gagliardo, Kalamazoo County District Conservationist - NRCS

8:00 "Why MAEAP?" David Rutten - KalamazooCounty Farm Bureau President and Producer of a MAEAP Verified Farm

8:15 "Farm Bureau and the MAEAP Program" Emily Ries - Michigan Farm Bureau Agricultural Ecology Specialist

8:30 "Overview of Michigan Right to Farm and GAAMPs" Kristin (Linderman) Esch, MDARD Right to Farm Program

8:45 "MAEAP and Program Wrap-Up" Josh Appleby - MDA

9:00 adjourn

MAEAP Technician Lorry Klinger Receives Outstanding Service Award

Missaukee County, MI-August 22, 2011- The Missaukee Conservation District is pleased to announce that locally based Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) Technician Lorry Klinger received the Outstanding Service to Agriculture Award on August 2^nd, 2011 from the Missaukee Farm Bureau. This award was given in recognition of the exceptional service that she has provided to farmers regarding land, livestock and water management.

Lorry says, “I’m really flattered that the agricultural community appreciates the programs and services that we (MAEAP and the Missaukee Conservation District) provide.” Lorry has been assisting farmers in Missaukee, Wexford, Osceola-Lake, Kalkaska, Crawford, and Roscommon counties for 2 years, and hopes that farmers will continue to work with the MAEAP program to promote stewardship and environmentally friendly farming practices. 

For further information contact:

Sherry Blaszak, Executive Director  Sherry.blaszak@macd.org

Or

Lorry Klinger, Technician  Lorry.klinger@macd.org   

Missaukee Conservation District
6180 W. Sanborn, Suite 3
Lake City, MI 49651