Outreach Message: What is Outreach?

Outreach is a way of conducting business

that ensures underserved individuals and

groups throughout the United States and

its territories are made aware of,

understand, and have a working knowledge

of USDA programs and services. Outreach

will ensure that these programs and services

are equitable and made accessible to all.

Illinois State Conservationist

Bill Gradle

State Conservationist

Vegetable Project Growing

Roscoe Allen, Outreach Team Leader, is

working with a group of Pulaski County

producers to assist them with a developing

a fresh vegetable enterprise. The producers

came to NRCS for assistance when they

decided to collectively produce and market

fresh vegetables in southern Illinois.

The collective effort started in the spring

of 1999, when the group banded together

to produce niche market products that

were sold through established markets in

southern Illinois. The group has since joined

with a similar group of producers from SE

Missouri in a joint production and marketing

effort. The larger group plans to capitalize

on production by purchasing supplies in bulk

quantity, sharing equipment, and

collectively marketing niche products to

large retail outlets.

Producers sorting Mustard greens (Southern IL)

Producers harvesting Turnip greens

(Southern IL)

Dr. Emil Jason, Project Coordinator,

GRAND, has been working with the group to

assist them with the coordination of the

bi-state effort. Dr. Jason has had several

meetings with producers over the past seven

months, providing them training, developing

planting schedules, and refining the

intricate details of the overall operation.

Mike Doherty, Cooperative Specialist, RD

has also contributed to the project by

providing business planning and related

information. RD has expressed interest in

helping the producers acquire needed

equipment for the project.

The group was able to obtain some

equipment for the project through a grant

last year. Their goal now is to work to

establish a sustainable and thriving

business. Future plans include the

construction of a sorting shed, installation

of an irrigation system, and the purchase

of additional processing equipment to

provide more value-added products.

Whats Happening

in Illinois

Boxes of Collard greens (Southern IL)

Greetings!

Hopefully, the last

freeze has reared its

head and we can begin

the busy and gratifying

season all conservationists live for-Spring!

As you dive into your

To Do lists and look for

ways to incorporate

outreach, dont forget to

look for the obvious

clients. There are so many non-traditional

and innovative initiatives going on here in

Illinois-just read this issue of the newsletter!

But dont forget to serve and make available

even our most simple and basic conservation

assistance to the small farmer.

Their needs may be different; the scope

and scale of their problems and solutions may

be small, but they are just as important as

the big farmer, maybe even moreso. Your

creativity and innovation in addressing their

specific needs can be applied to their

circumstances. Sometimes, our knowledge, our

networks and contacts in agriculture and in

our own communities can provide a broader

vision to a situation that requires just that.

Often, an idea or suggestion or an awareness

you bring to a small farmer can be the gentle

nudge that sends them into a new and

profitable direction and a brighter future.

Also, be sure that you capture all your

outreach projects and clients in PRMS.

Whether you enter it as a success story writeup or simply by profiling the client in the

customers assisted category, please take the

time to enter it. We are becoming more and

more accountable as an agency, as a

profession. The stability of our budget is

becoming more and more dependent on

reports like PRMS. I know it feels like were

asking you to be bean counters. Try and

think of it as a way to take credit for all the

conservation strides you make. Thats how I

like to look at it. Youre doing incredible work

out there. Lets tell Congress just what youre

doing so theyll keep giving us money to

continue the job. Lets tell the world.

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service March 2000

Outreach

News, ideas, and information

on NRCS Outreach initiatives

and projects in Illinois Insider Insider

Outreach
Southwest RC&D Receives

Donation for Brooklyn Project

The Southwest Resource Conservation

and Development (RC&D) received a

donation of $15,000 from the Boeing

Employee Community Fund for a tree

beautification plan in Brooklyn, Illinois. Ed

Weilbacher, Coordinator, Southwest RC&D,

took part in a check presentation ceremony

attended by Ruby Cook, Mayor of Brooklyn,

and Ron Reece and Tom Jones, Boeing

Employee Community Fund board members.

The ceremony, which was held at Brooklyns

Lovejoy High School, was part of the second

annual Brooklyn Heritage Week program.

Since receiving the funds, Ed Weilbacher

has coordinated the implementation of the

tree beautification plan with a group of

volunteers. This past fall, several threeinch trees were purchased and planted in

designated locations throughout the town.

The final components of phase I will be

completed this spring with the planting of

scrubs and bulbs around City Hall and a

senior citizen center.

Ed Weilbacher recently met with the

work-group to prepare another proposal for

funding phase II of the beautification plan.

Whats Happening

in Illinois

(Continued)

Planting shrubs near Brooklyns City Hall.

Left: Ed Weilbacher, volunteers Kieron

Beckett and Mr. Ivory Scott.

Right: Mayor Ruby Cook, Darnell Thomson

and Catherine Beckett

Andover Lake Erosion Project

a Success

The Village of Andover, Illinois, has a small

lake that has become a well-known landmark

for the community. A silt retention dam

at the upper end of the lake had experienced

much erosion in recent years due to the

poor quality fill material used in the

construction, coupled with wave action along

the shoreline. A sidewalk on top of the dam,

which connects one side of the lake to the

other, and provides access for residents

Andover, IL  Rock rip-rap installed to

stabilize sections of the lakes dam.

Andover, IL  Dam at initial construction.

Representatives from the three

organizations continuously staffed the

exhibit during the 2-day event, discussing

the Backyard Conservation program and

providing information on establishing

conservation practices on small properties.

More than 21,000 people attended the

show this year. Most visitors were from

urban communities and were interested in

environmental issues.

and visitors alike for recreational activities

had become a danger. The sidewalk had

started to break apart because of the

deteriorating condition of the dam and the

erosion caused by wave action. As a

result, community residents expressed

safety concerns, especially for handicap

visitors and small children who use the lake.

The Mayor of Andover requested

Interstate RC&Ds assistance with

developing alternatives to solve the problem.

Interstate RC&D worked closely with the

Jim Jenson, Engineer, FOD # 4, to develop

a solution for the problem. After an

alternative was accepted by Andover,

Interstate RC&D secured a Community

Outreach Grant from NRCS and partnered

with the Village to complete the dam

rehabilitation project. This outreach project

directly benefited the community of Andover

and the thousands of visitors who use the

lake each year.

Rock Island - Shrub and plant display at Bald

Eagle Days.

Backyard Conservation

Exhibited

NRCS, Rock Island SWCD, and Interstate

RC&D staffs, directors, and council

members recently cooperated in hosting an

exhibit at the Bald Eagle Days

Environmental Show in Rock Island, IL. The

annual event is designed to bring awareness

to the return of Bald eagles to the area.

With the banning of DDT and improved

habitat, the eagle population has made a

noticeable increase in the area.

The exhibit featured the national NRCS

Backyard Conservation nomadic display as

well as a landscaped water garden.

Native Plants Project Taking

Shape

Midwest SOARRINGs (Save Our Ancestor

Remains and Resources) dream has come a

little closer to reality with the recent

completion of the second and final portable

greenhouse. The effort, coordinated by Ivan

Dozier, DC, Carlinville, is designed to assist

Midwest SOARRING with their goal of

repopulating the Illinois landscape with

sacred herbs and other native plants that

have cultural significance.

The first greenhouse (8 X 16) was

erected in Macoupin County this past fall

with the assistance of the NRCS/SWCD

staffs, and volunteers. The base of the

greenhouse consists of 4 x 4 treated

timbers, set on a 6 gravel footing. They

also sunk concrete pilings and really built

a super foundation. The sidewalls are

constructed of lightweight 4 x 4 corrugated

Bill Buchholtz, volunteer, completing initial

slide panel installation of greenhouse in

Westchester, IL (near Wolf Road Prairie)
Outreach

Reporting

Briar Creek. Prior to completion of the

drainage project, flooding affected at least

twenty homes even after minor storm

events.

A resident of the community became

aware of the services that the SCWD/NRCS

provide, and contacted the field office

about the problem in the spring of 1998.

Shortly after the Village made their problem

known, the Council drafted a resolution

requesting technical assistance. After

assessing the concerns, a committee was

assembled and a comprehensive resource

plan was developed through a series of group

meetings with representatives from the

community. The comprehensive plan

identified over 8,000 feet of drainage

ditches that needed dredging along the

right-of-ways, as well as the replacement

of 18 culverts for driveway access.

The Village had managed to raise some

funds for the project, but with a very limited

budget the village again came to NRCS for

help locating sufficient funding to complete

the project. The local staff assisted the

committee with preparing a grant proposal

and submitted the proposal through NRCS

channels for funding. Fortunately, the

proposal was accepted by NRCS and funded.

After locating sufficient funding, Dave

Weber, FOD Engineer, completed a detail

survey of the area and provided design

alternatives. While continuing to work with

the planning committee, the project was

successfully completed this winter.

Marshal-Putnam Host Lady

Landowner Meeting

The Marshal-Putnam SWCD hosted their

first annual Lady Landowners meeting

recently at the fellowship Hall of the Henry

United Methodist church. Thirty-five women

were in attendance, and enjoyed coffee and

tasty sweets made of herbs. The treats

were prepared by Shirley McKee, Director,

Marshal-Putnam SWCD. Shirley gave a very

interesting presentation on various

methods of growing herbs and their use.

The interesting and informative program

also included the following: Jan Stevens,

Resource Conservationist, Stark County

SWCD giving a presentation on Butterfly

Gardens and Using Prairie Plants in the

Landscape. Jan had a picture display of

beautiful prairie flowers (forbs). How your

SWCD/NRCS Can Be of Service To You was

presented by Jill Ketter, Administrative

Coordinator, Marshal-Putnam SWCD. Jill

showed slides with her presentation.

Dorothy Wilson talked about James Hall

Woods, a woodland managed by the District,

and the newly formed organization, MarshalPutnam County Natural Area Guardians.

Gene Vaughn, owner of Farm Care

sheets of polycarbonate, which is attached

to internal aluminum railing for structural

support. The roof has two 2 x 4 vent panels,

which are automatically controlled, for heat

exhaust. Initially, natural light will be used

for the purpose of photosynthesis. Heating

needs will be fulfilled with the use of a small

portable kerosene heater, and potentially

black plastic barrels filled with water, as

well as other experimental means.

The second greenhouse is located at the

Wolf Road Prairie on Constitution Street,

just north of 31st street and Wolf Road

(Westchester, IL). That greenhouse was

erected by Joe Standing Bear Schranz

and a number of SOARRING volunteers with

Doziers supervision. The Wolf Road Prairie

has a large diversity of plantsbetween 300

to 400 varieties. The 80-acre prairie area

also contains a wetland and supports many

different types of birds, small animals, as

well as deer.

With the spring season just a few short

weeks away, Midwest SOARRING is planning,

and anxiously awaiting their first planting

season. Presently, the group has decided

to experiment with three plant species this

spring; Sweetgrass, Native Tobacco, and

Sage.

For more information contact:

Ivan Dozier or Dan McCandless at

(217)854.2626 ext. 3

Native Plants Project Taking

Shape (Continued)

Completed greenhouse (Macoupin Co.)

Gregg Kamen, & Bill Buchholtz volunteers,

installing internal support rods. (Wolf Road

Prairie)

Gallatin County SWCD Honors

Veterans

The Gallatin County SWCD is enjoying

their outreach initiative. Each year, for

the past four years, Gallatin County, along

with Ridgway Womans Club, and Skaggs

Reeder Drugs, have put together treat bags

filled with various items; conservation

reading material, paperback books,

toothpaste, socks, pens, paper, and

toothbrushes. These items, along with candy

and fruit, were delivered to more than sixty

patients at the Veterans Rehabilitation

Center in Marion, IL. Kristi Abell, Phyllis

Mace, and Norbert Rider, an SWCD board

director who plays Santa Claus, visited with

each patient at the center. The veterans

look forward to the event each year.

1st row L-R, Butch Rider, Popcorn, & Phyllis

Mace, 2nd row  Kristi Abell & Jan Roe

Hunting Made More Accessible

The Jefferson County NRCS staff has

been assisting a client with the development

of a hunting area that will cater to hunters

with disabilities. The landowner, who is

partially disabled himself, takes the clients

to an accessible site on the farm. Each

site is specially equipped with a radio so

clients can easily contact the owner if

assistance is needed. Blinds are specially

designed for disabled clients. The local staff

is assisting with technical and financial

assistance. The site was recently featured

in BuckMasters Magazine for their efforts

to assist the hunters.

Drainage Improvements

Completed in Pulaski

The Village of Pulaski, which is a small

community of approximately 500 people in

Pulaski County, recently completed a

drainage project that is designed to

eliminate flooding in the northeast

proportion of the town. The Village had

experienced nuisance flooding in parts of

the community for several years, caused

by a combination local runoff and nearby
 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability,

political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for

communication of program information (Braille, large print, audio-tape etc.) should contact USDAs TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

 To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-

9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity employer.

If you have an outreach related article, story idea,

or success story to share, please send it to:

John Glover, USDA-NRCS

402 North Kays Drive, Bloomington, IL 61761

Email address:

John.Glover@il.usda.gov

Make A Connection!

Get NRCS products and services into

the hands of ALL who need them!

Who Do I Call With

Outreach Questions?

John Glover

State Outreach Coordinator

309-452-0830 Ext. 112

Bruce Bennett

Asst. State Conservationist (FOD 1)

618-993-5396 Ext. 110

Steve Mozley

Asst. State Conservationist (FOD 2)

217-492-5045

Tessa Chadwick

Asst. State Conservationist (FOD 3)

815-937-3233 x114

Bob Dean

Asst. State Conservationist (FOD 4)

309-342-5138 x115

Lue Walters

Asst. State Conservationist

(Community Assistance)

309-452-0830 x111

Jody Rendziak

Community Planner & Sociologist

217-353-6632

Internet Connections

Outreach Website

An Illinois outreach website has been

established to provide resource information.

The site provides general outreach

information on developing an outreach

strategy and it has links to other agencies,

possible funding sources, and other valuable

information. The Illinois NRCS outreach

website can be accessed at:

www.il.nrcs.usda.gov/outreach/Outreach.html

Grant Info On-Line

Grant News, a grant listing newsletter

produced by the Illinois State University

Applied Social Research Unit is now available

on-line. The newsletter lists grant

opportunities available from various private

and public sources. Grant News can be

accessed at:

www.socialresearch.ilstu.edu/asru/publications.htm

Management & Appraisal, Elmwood, talked

on Working with Your Tenant and Farm

Leases. Randy Edwards, District

Conservationist, NRCS talked on federal and

state programs. Rob Grant, CED, FSA, and

Mona Liable, Chief Program Technician, MP County FSA, talked on Loan Deficiency

Payments (LDP) and the CRP program. Kim

St John, Coordinator of Prairie Rivers RC&D

presented What is a Resource Conservation

& Development Office? Closing the program

was a presentation on the Community

Response and Awareness Task Force, which

is a new program developed by Extension

Service and community leaders dealing with

farm and family stress.

The meeting was adjourned with the

drawing of door prizes. Each participant

was also presented with an informational

packet and was able to review a display

and materials table. Dorothy Wilson,

Associate Director, M-P SWCD, planned the

event. The event was most successful and

the District wishes to thank the M-P River

Conservancy for helping the District in

sponsoring this program.

Early Morning Meetings Going

Well

Randy Edwards, D.C., Henry and Tom

Miller, R.C., Marshall-Putnam SWCD, met

with producers this fall at coffee shops

throughout Marshall and Putnam Counties

to bring conservation information to them.

Informal coffee chats were held at 6:00a.m.

with coffee and donuts provided by the

Marshall-Putnam SWCD. Randy & Tom

visited with the producers and answered

questions regarding CREP, CRP, permits,

filter strips, hunting regulations, prairie

plants, forestry questions, T By 2000, and

cost-share programs.

Producers enjoyed having the staff there

to visit with them on their own time. Talking

with producers one-on-one allowed them to

open up about conservation concerns, and

helped everyone to know each other better.

The program will continue this spring at

other locations. Two hours of meeting with

producers provided success beyond measure

and the staff is looking forward to

continuing this program in 2000!

Fish Co-op Hoping to Provide

Opportunities for Producers

With the recent approval of legislation

that will provide $12 million over the next

ten years for the development of a fish

industry, a number of producers throughout

Illinois are weighing their options. Several

producers, particularly in southern Illinois,

have requested meetings with NRCS, FSA,

and the Illinois Fish Co-op in an effort to

obtain more information about the new

initiative.

Steve Killian, Director, Illinois Fish Coop, is working with potential producers

throughout the state to educate them on

the opportunities that are available in

Illinois. The co-op, which will be based in

Pinckneyville, Illinois, will assist producers

with all facets of the fish industry including

production, promotion, and marketing. The

co-op will also construct a processing

facility to package fish for distribution

throughout the country.

Statistics show that Illinoisans consume

more than 170 million pounds of seafood

annually, which makes Illinois the largest

inland seafood market in the United States.

However, less than one percent of fish/

seafood is harvest is harvested from Illinois

waters.

There are currently 80 individuals in

Illinois licensed to farm fish. Only nine

permit holders derive 50% or more of their

family income from fish farming. Most

aquaculture permit holders raise fish as a

hobby or as a small income supplement. The

overall value of Illinois aquaculture industry

is estimated to be $2 - $3 million annually.

The majority of the fish being farmed are

for bait or stocking purposes; farming fish

for human consumption is very limited.

Clearly the potential of Illinois aquaculture

is not being realized.

For more information on the Illinois

aquaculture initiative contact:

Steve Killian

Illinois Fish Co-op

P. O. Box 235, Pinckneyville, IL 62274

(618) 357-FISH (3474)

Email: skillian@midwest.net

Reading Recommendations

 Citizens who are taking on new

leadership roles in their communities may

be interested in: Finding Your Voice:

Learning to Lead Anywhere You Want to Make a

Difference, by Larraine R. Matusak. The book

focuses on how ordinary citizens can learn

leadership skills. This paperback is $17.95

from Jossey-Bass publishers at 1-800-956-

7739. One copy is available for loan,

contact John Glover.

 Need help with grant writing? Another

book from Jossey-Bass details how to

create successful grant proposals.

Winning Grants Step by Step: Support Centers

of Americas Complete Workbook for Planning,

Developing, and Writing Successful Proposals,

by Mim Carlson can help groups transform

ideas into funded projects. Call 1-800-956-

7739 for this $25.95 paperback.