By Zech Sindt When Preston native Morgan Malley married Quinn Frisell on June 8, 2024, it wasn’t just a beautiful wedding; it was a celebration of their love story and a testament to the small-town community that shaped Morgan’s upbringing. Surrounded by family, friends, and the charm of local businesses, the couple created a day to remember – one rooted in love, … [Read more...]
How to Allocate Funds When Planning a Wedding
Whether it’s a lavish, black-tie affair or a laid back gathering in the backyard, a couple’s wedding day is a momentous, and often costly, occasion. According to the online wedding planning resource Zola, the average cost of a wedding in 2023 was $33,000. That’s a significant sum for couples to spend, and it’s understandable if couples aren’t sure how to allocate funds for … [Read more...]
Stormwater Runoff
By Jean Meiners Technician, Root River SWCD Stormwater has an enormous impact on water quality, whether it’s runoff from farm fields or from urban hardscapes. Rain and snow melt can carry many types of pollutants into storm drains and surface waters. The MPCA regulates stormwater from municipalities, construction sites, and businesses that store material outside, to limit … [Read more...]
Supervisors and Staff
Conservation Through the Years: Three Generations of Innovation
By Jacob Gustin, NRCS Minnesota Public Affairs Specialist In Houston County, Minn., Connor McCormick continues a tradition of agricultural innovation started by his grandfather. Working with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), McCormick utilizes financial and technical assistance from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program to experiment … [Read more...]
Houston County Farm Bill Biologist: Zachary Glaunert
Growing up in the La Crosse area, Zack developed a love for the outdoors. All outdoor activities, ranging from kayaking to hunting to helping on a farm of a family friend. This love drove him in the pursuit of a degree in ecology from Winona State University. After school Zack moved northwest of the Twin Cities where he spent five years working in the ecological restoration … [Read more...]
Tap-in Safe Drinking Water in Your Home
By Jean Meiners, Technician, Root River SWCD To protect those most vulnerable to nitrate in drinking water, the State of Minnesota is offering limited private well testing for eligible private well households in Houston County, on a first come, first served basis. This funding prioritizes private well households with a baby under 1-year-old or a pregnant person living in … [Read more...]
Driftless Area Climate Change Projections for Tree Species
The Driftless Area’s forests will be affected by climate change and other stressors during this century. An assessment put together by a team of researchers describes the vulnerability of forests in the Driftless Area. It includes information on observed and future climate trends and summarizes key vulnerabilities. The Landscape Change Research Group recently updated the … [Read more...]
Erosion
By Christina Papenfuss, Soil Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Do you have a problem with a gully or washout in your field? A grassed waterway or grade stabilization structure can help. These practices can stop a gully and provide a place for water to move from your field as to not cause erosion. Grassed waterways are usually paired … [Read more...]
Buckthorn: A Hated Plant Across the Country
By TJ Boettcher Former Pheasants Forever Field Biologist Many landowners are familiar with the scourge that is buckthorn. Once open forests have turned into nearly impenetrable green walls that line the hillsides from top to bottom. For those that aren’t familiar with it or are unsure of what it looks like, now is the perfect time of year to see the full extent of … [Read more...]