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Information on the Farm Projects
There is an active agricultural community existing in the
watershed consisting of six farms with cows, horses, sheep,
as well as other animal breeds and birds. These animals have
been found, through testing, to be direct contributors to
the bacterial loads in the pond.
After rain events, the bacteria levels in the pond rise due
to storm water runoff picking up animal waste and depositing
it into the pond and the brooks that feed into the pond. On
many of the farms the livestock in the watershed have had
open access to the water bodies as a drinking water source
or as a crossing route to additional pastureland. One farm
also has large cornfields, planted for silage, bordered by
one of the brooks feeding into the pond. Storm events can
cause material from these fields to run off into the brook
and eventually into the pond as it does at each farm location.
"Differ" the horse in her pasture behind the pond
Five of these farms were visited by a team of people from
NH DES, Natural Resource Conservation Service and the Department
of Agriculture and suggestions were made for improved practices
in the watershed. A sixth farm has joined the project, subsequently.
These individual farms will receive continued assistance from
these knowledgeable agencies to design and implement BMP's
and for their building projects. There is a high level of
motivation and cooperation with all the farms that will contribute
to the project's success.
Eccardt Farm
picture by Bob Hofstetter
This part of the project addresses these six farms in the
watershed.The farms sought grant money to implement improved
livestock management practices in the watershed by installing
additional fencing, alternative watering systems, planting
vegetated buffers, and building bridges for safe water crossings.
Installing these components as needed on each farm will curtail
the open access to water bodies and help filter the storm
water runoff. The participating farms are: Eccardt Farm -
Eccard (cows, birds, horses, goats and other livestock), Thayer
Farm - Thayer (horses), Crow Farm - Robinson and France (cows,
birds), BiFrost Farm - Cook (horses, goats and birds), Purling
Beck Farm - Cummings (steer), and Creamery Farm - Schwartz
(horse and sheep). Through these efforts and others we hope
to see improvements in the pond water quality.
Map of farm projects
View larger Map
We feel it is vitally important to keep our farms functioning
in the watershed, as they are an important part of what makes
East Washington a very special place. We value their contribution
to a way of life that needs to be preserved now and for the
future.
Check back here for more information as it becomes available.
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