FCD Bulletin
OCTOBER 2024
FCD Awarded 2025 Grant for Library Garden
Fremont Conservation District has been awarded a $2,000 grant from the Colorado State Conservation Board! In partnership with the Canon City Library, Canon City Parks Department, and Green Thumb Initiative, FCD will utilize grant funds to install an edible garden at the Canon City Library.
This project will create a community space which allows for hands-on education about the agriculture cycle, local food sourcing, garden conservation, and healthy eating. The plan is for local families to participate in educational programming based around the garden. Our partners at the Canon City Library will offer programming that focuses on literacy and the garden. Our partners at the Green Thumb Initiative will offer programming focused on therapeutic horticulture, mental health, and nutrition. Fremont Conservation District will offer programming focused on the basics of agriculture and garden conservation practices.
Fremont County has higher rates of food insecurity and childhood poverty than the state average. The goal of this project is to increase community interest in home gardening, nutrition, mental health, and conservation, while also helping to fill an educational need concerning high rates of food insecurity and childhood poverty in our community.
FCD Supervisor Appointed to Colorado Association of Conservation Districts Board of Directors
The autumn meeting of the Upper Arkansas Watershed was held on September 19th in Pueblo West. Twelve Conservation Districts convened to discuss business relevant to the region. Fremont Conservation District Supervisor, Tim Morse, was nominated by the group to represent the Upper Arkansas Watershed by serving on the Colorado Association of Conservation Districts (CACD) Board of Directors. The watershed voted unanimously to appoint Mr. Morse. Tim will also serve on the CACD resource committee for energy, reviewing relevant policy resolutions and applications for funding.
Another Fremont Conservation District Supervisor, Trevor Aronson, was nominated and unanimously voted in as the new Treasurer for the Upper Arkansas Watershed. The filling of these positions is an exciting step in the continuing development of relations between the Fremont Conservation District and our statewide neighbors in conservation. Congratulations to both Tim and Trevor!
FCD and CSU-Extenstion Awarded Grant for 2025 Soil Health Workshop
Fremont Conservation District, in partnership with Bonface Manono of CSU Extension, has been awarded a $4,000 Western SARE grant. The grant funds will be utilized to host a soil health workshop in the fall of 2025. The workshop will be split into two days. The first day will cover classroom topics including soil health basics, cover crop strategies, erosion mitigation, livestock integration, and much more. The second day will be dedicated to field demonstrations including a no-till-drill demonstration, a soil pit talk, slake tests, automated technology demonstrations, and cost-shared prices on laboratory-grade soil samples. More information will be available in 2025.
SAVE THE DATE! UACWMA Annual Meeting 2/11/2025
The Upper Arkansas Cooperative Weed Management Area has worked for the past two decades to implement coordinated noxious weed management in Chaffee, Custer, El Paso, Fremont, Huerfano, Lake, Las Animas, Park, Pueblo, and Teller counties. This collaborative effort includes weed inventory mapping, targeted weed management, and education.
As part of our ongoing collaborative effort, the Upper Arkansas Cooperative Weed Management Area will be hosting our annual conference on Thursday February 11th, 2025, at the Pueblo Convention Center from 8am to 4pm. Registered attendees will enjoy refreshments, lunch, materials, and continuing education credits for pesticide applicators. Anyone with weed management responsibilities should consider attending, including weed board members, advisors and managers; county commissioners, representatives of town or city governments; state and federal land managers; road department managers; conservation district board members, and interested private landowners.
Registration and itinerary will be available in the coming months. Please contact the Fremont Conservation District office with any questions.
Notice of Budget
Notice is hereby given that: a proposed budget will be submitted to the Board of Supervisors of the FREMONT CONSERVATION DISTRICT at their October 2, 2024 regular meeting for the ensuing year of 2025; a copy of such proposed budget has been posted and filed in the office of the Fremont Conservation District located in the USDA Service Center, 248 Dozier Avenue, Canon City, Colorado. Such proposed budget will be considered at the regular meeting of the FREMONT CONSERVATION DISTRICT Board at the USDA Service Center, 248 Dozier Avenue, Canon City, CO on November 6, 2024. MEETING WILL BEGIN AT 6:00 PM.
Any interested elector of such Fremont Conservation District may inspect the proposed budget, Monday through Thursday 8:00 am – 4:30 pm, and file or register any objections thereto at any time prior to the final adoption of the budget. If there are no objections, the final adoption of the budget will be at the December 5, 2024 meeting, USDA Service Center, 248 Dozier Avenue, Canon City, CO. MEETING WILL BEGIN AT 6:00 P.M.
Ditch Company Surveys
Fremont Conservation District has compiled a voluntary survey for ditch companies in Fremont County. The survey only takes a few minutes to complete. Submitted answers will help us better understand the challenges and needs of irrigation ditches in Fremont County, identify areas for improvement, and come up with potential solutions. To take the survey, follow this link: Fremont County Irrigation Ditch Survey - Fremont Conservation District (fremontcd.org)
Colorado Women in Ag Conference
Colorado Women in Ag is hosting their 2nd Annual Conference Friday October 18th and Saturday October 19th at Pueblo Community College. The event will touch on topics such as self-care for busy women, building community resilience in agriculture, and even a special session on how to make and take your own chile ristras!
For more information, or to register, please follow this link: Registration – Weld County.
CSU Extention to host Direct Marketing for Farmers Workshop
Join Fremont County CSU Extention on November 1st from 9a.m.-3p.m. for a marketing workshop. This direct marketing workshop for agricultural business owners will touch on aspects of daily farm operations and expanding businesses. Individual tickets start at $55.20.
Join us at this workshop to connect with these business owners about your organization or business goods and services. Booth fee is $50, but we also have the option to sponsor the event for $200 with free advertising, free lunch, and a free booth. Just select this option with your ticket purchase! Event will be held at Pathfinder Park Event Center in Florence.
To register, please follow this link: Direct Marketing on Your Farm - Booth Registration Tickets, Fri, Nov 1, 2024 at 9:00 AM | Eventbrite
To find our more information, please contact Fremont County CSU Extension at 719-276-7390.
Fremont Conservation District Awards
Fremont Conservation District is proud to announce our new Conservation Awards Program! There are two Award Categories:
The STEWARDSHIP AWARD is open to any group or individual landowner within the Fremont Conservation District boundaries. The purpose of the award is to recognize and celebrate excellence in private-land natural resource conservation.
The CULTIVATION AWARD is open to any group or individual working or residing in Fremont County. The purpose of the award is to recognize and celebrate excellence in conservation education, advocation, and collaboration.
Nominations for the current year are due by December 31st. Awards will be presented the following spring at the Fremont Conservation District Annual Banquet.
Nomination forms can be filled out and submitted on our website. 2024 Awards - Fremont Conservation District (fremontcd.org).
Upcoming Events
- Columbus Day. Monday October 14. District office will be closed.
- Colorado Women in Ag Conference. October 18th & 19th, Pueblo Community College.
- CSU Extension Direct Marketing for Farmers. Friday November 1st, 9:00 a.m. Pathfinder Park. Florence, CO.
- Fremont Conservation District Monthly Meeting. Wednesday November 6th, 6:00 p.m. USDA Service Center. 248 Dozier Ave. Canon City, CO.
- UACWMA Annual Meeting. Tuesday February 11th. Pueblo Convention Center.
Do you have an upcoming event or other news that you'd like the Fremont County community to know about? Contact our District office to inquire about getting your article published in our monthly newsletter!
Contact Us:
719-315-3417
USDA Service Center
248 Dozier Ave
Canon City, CO 81212
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8-4