Barton County Conservation District

10/15/2026

Sharing for our community Sunshine Community Gardens GBKS

10/14/2026

The new website update is complete. Check out all you need to know about soil health at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/soil/soil-health?utm_campaign=101326soilhealth&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

10/13/2026

10/08/2026

Concerned about your well water?
Thanks to everyone who joined us for the Uncovering Risks in Rural Well Water workshop! We had a great turnout and lots of thoughtful questions.
Residents learned:
• How nitrates, chloride, and bacteria can get into well water
• How to safely collect and test a water sample
• What nitrate levels mean and when to take action
• Where to find free or low cost testing options
Big thanks to our speakers — Barton County Environmental Manager Judy Goreham, Dr. Matthew Kirk, Professor of Geology at KSU, and Big Bend GMD #5 Manager Orrin Feril — for sharing clear, helpful information and hands on demonstrations.
Participants left with confidence, resources, and sample bottles to start testing their own wells. If you missed this workshop, don’t worry — we plan to hold it again in 2027!
Protect your water. Protect your family.
Watch our page for upcoming updates and testing resources.

09/30/2026

Concerned about your well water? We’re here to help.
Join us Tuesday, October 6 at 5 p.m. at the Barton County 4‑H Building for an easy, come‑as‑you‑are workshop where local experts will walk you through how to test your well water and what your results really mean.
Whether you’ve lived rural your whole life or you’ve just moved to the country, this is a great chance to get answers and build confidence in your water quality.
And yes—there will be a nacho bar!
Please RSVP so we can plan for food.

07/28/2026

Happy 80th Anniversary, NACD!

It was on this day in 1946 that 19 conservation district leaders met in Chicago and formed the National Association of Soil Conservation District Governing Officials. The name was shortened to NACD in 1962.

What E.C. McArthur, the association's first president, said in 1946 about the purpose of districts and NACD still rings true in our work today.

07/28/2026

We have a cover crop growing at the community garden in Great Bend!

In June we planted a cover crop mix from Green Cover over half of the vegetable garden. It's a summer pollinator mix, designed to build soil health and provide habitat for pollinators. There are over 20 different varieties of plant in the mix! If you have a moment, stop and take a look and note we have signage that explains what each variety provides in ecological service to the garden.

07/27/2026

Heading to Hays on Wednesday to share how Barton County is helping to raise awareness about water quality in our county.

Kansas State Research and Extension image Office of GovernorTOPEKA&nbs

07/22/2026

🌻 We're Looking for Education Partners! 🌻

The Prairie Garden Festival is seeking individuals and organizations to host educational booths on topics such as native plants, pollinators, wildlife habitat, prairie ecology, and conservation-focused garden design.

You don't need a business or products to sell, just a passion for sharing knowledge! Interested? Send us a message for details.
Please share and tag anyone who might be interested! 🌿

07/08/2026

Today, the reading of the Declaration of Independence is happening from coast to coast in observance of the 250th Anniversary of its first public reading.

Sharing the Spirit of America – Please Join USAll Americans are i...