(F)all's well that ends well. Let's talk about water! - West Central Region

Fall is in the air and with that brings a sense of gratefulness for the abundance of food coming in from our gardens, but have you ever stopped to think about what is happening beneath the surface of the soil to allow this to happen? Soil health is an absolute wonder and tied directly to that is water quality.

At this event, we will dive into how building healthy soil amidst an increasingly challenging environment remains a high priority for women landowners in Wisconsin and how soil health can directly impact the quality of water from your well.  With water quality a key factor in soil health, we will be conducting a demonstration using a well-water simulator to showcase just how much our water is impacted by the land usage above it.

We will connect with practices and NRCS resources that support you stewarding the long term health of your land, including the positive impacts of an integrated permaculture and agroforestry approach as well as the importance of developing pollinator habitat and usage of cover crops.

Bring a friend along and join fellow women landowners, farmers and conservationists along with local experts, to delve into learning the benefits of maintaining healthy soil, cover crops, no till and the value of keeping that soil covered.  Bring your experiences with, we love hearing your stories!

Wisconsin Women in Conservation Host:  Alanna Koshollek, Renewing the Countryside 

Resource Professionals: 

• Christine Bouzek -  Natural Resources Conservation Service Resource Conservationist |  Trempealeau County
• Brittany Siehr - Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil Conservationist | Onalaska Field Office
• Haillie Passow - Land Conservation Department County Conservationist | Trempealeau County

Location: Weltzien Family Round Barn

The Weltzien Family owns 700+ acres and rents several hundred more.  Since the 1980s they have called this land home.  They crop the land to produce feed for their turkey operation.  With their own feed mill on site they generate a majority of the feed needed to raise about 120,000 turkeys annually with the exception of about 10,000 bushels a month of feed which they purchase. Their son is also involved in the family business and raises another 100,000 turkeys each year. The turkey manure from both operations is in turn made into compost that is sold for natural fertilizer for corn and soybean producers.  In 2009 they built the round barn for their daughter’s wedding in 2010, and it has been used ever since for gatherings.

Event Details:

• Event is free to attend but registration is required and space is limited. 
• Free lunch is provided. Please indicate dietary needs on registration form. A delicious lunch featuring local ingredients and farmers will be prepared by Tansy's Traveling Kitchen from Fountain City.   
• Women, all who identify as such, are welcome to attend – from  landowners to farmers to conservationist enthusiasts –  whatever your background, from beginners to experts! 
• Our WiWiC events follow a Learning Circle model, with ample time and a safe space for story sharing, networking and collaborative learning. We all have something to both share and learn together.
• Photos will be taken at this event and used for educational purposes only by WiWiC and the partner groups.  If you do not wish to have your picture taken, let the on-site WiWiC host know.
• WiWiC is a family-friendly space and you are welcome to bring your children. 

Wisconsin Women in Conservation (WiWiC) is a state-wide collaborative effort led by the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute in partnership with Wisconsin Farmers Union, Renewing the Countryside and Marbleseed (formerly MOSES).  A five-year multi-faceted project funded by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), WiWiC brings together Wisconsin's women landowners, farmers, farm workers, urban growers, and conservation professionals to connect and share about conservation practices, resources, and funding opportunities.