Tommy Farmer has been a member of the local soil and water conservation district for 30 years – he was recently recognized for his decades of service at the annual statewide meeting in Durham.
“Time has really flown by fast,” Farmer said on Monday’s segment of The Local Skinny!
As the name implies, a local conservation district helps county residents conserve soil and water – whether that’s by helping to create management plans or helping defray costs of practices that are good for land and water.
“Farmland is disappearing,” Farmer said, which has a direct impact on crop and food production. “Without the soil, we don’t eat,” he said.
The conservation district supports local farmers who may want to plant cover crops – to help keep the soil in place between food crops, create field borders and even pond development or cleanouts.
Farmer, who is the group’s vice-chair, said the conservation district is interested in making sure the soil is in good shape for future crop production and make sure the water supply is suitable for use by farms as well as for drinking.
Vance County is one of 11 counties that comprise District 4 of the statewide conservation group. Franklin and Wake counties also are in District 4, and Farmer said all it takes is a drive along Capital Boulevard to see the burgeoning commercial and residential growth happening there, and you can’t help but think about the additional demands placed on the local water supply.
District 4 doesn’t usually have to deal with issues that other districts face – flooding, for example. “We’re in a good situation here,” he said.
There’s an opening on the local district board, and Farmer said they’ve got their eye on one individual who may be appointed to fill an unexpired term.
Visit www.vancecounty.org and click on Departments to learn more about the programs and services of the soil and water conservation district.
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