Tama Soil & Water Conservation District

10/27/2026

It's Toolbox 🧰 Tuesday! Here we explore those incredible, indispensable tools your Conservation Toolbox can't do without. This week we spotlight no-till! Save yourself time ⏰ and some of that high-priced diesel! 💲💲💲 The instructions are simple: Keep the fall implements in the shed and DO NOT DISTURB!!! 🚫

Tillage can destroy soil organic matter and structure along with the habitat that soil organisms need. Tillage reduces water infiltration, increases runoff and can make your soil less productive. Tillage disrupts your soil’s natural biological cycles, damages the structure of the soil, and makes soil more susceptible to erosion.
🌱 Soils managed with no-till for several years contain more organic matter and moisture for plant use. Healthy soils cycle crop nutrients, support root growth, absorb water and sequester carbon more efficiently.
📉 Soil that is covered year-round with crops, crop residue, grass or cover crops is much less susceptible to erosion from wind and water. Keeping soil undisturbed and covered also buffers the effects temperature and moisture extremes have on your crop.
💲 You can save money on fuel and labor by decreasing tillage operations. Improving nutrient cycling allows you to potentially reduce the amount of supplemental nutrients required to maintain yields, further reducing input costs.
🦃 Crop residue, grass and cover crops provide food and escape habitat for wildlife.

Interested in adding no-till to your Conservation Toolbox? Give Tama SWCD/NRCS a 📞 at 641-484-4702 ext. 3 or stop by and see our smiling faces 😃🙃🤪🥸🤡🤓 and learn more about how no-till can benefit your conservation goals and strengthen your farm's bottom line. Find us at 102 Business Hwy 30W in Toledo. We're right across from Murph's Creamery & Grill.

10/20/2026

It's Toolbox 🧰 Tuesday! Here we explore those incredible, indispensable tools your Conservation Toolbox can't do without. This week we spotlight NRCS's new-and-improved online soil health resources 🪏 It's as easy as ABC!

Start with your land use to explore soil health practices tailored to your operation and concerns:
🌽 cropland https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/soil/soil-health/soil-health-on-cropland
🌳 forest https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/soil/soil-health/soil-health-on-forestland
🐂 pasture https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/soil/soil-health/soil-health-on-pastureland
🐑 range https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/soil/soil-health/soil-health-on-rangeland

Visit https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/soil/soil-health and
⏳ Learn how to assess soil health and measure progress over time.
🔎 Find training materials and educational resources for professionals, students, and enthusiasts.
👀 Dive into topics of interest to your operation and learn about applying soil health concepts to your land.

Another great soil health resource? Your local SWCD/NRCS office❗️ Give Tama SWCD/NRCS a 📞 at 641-484-4702 ext. 3 or stop by and see our smiling faces 😃🙃🤪🥸 and learn more about how soil health can benefit your conservation goals and strengthen your farm's bottom line. Find us at 102 Business Hwy 30W in Toledo. We're right across from Murph's Creamery & Grill.

📸 Iowa NRCS: Delaware County farmer Wayne Brunsman says soil biology is key to improving soil health and no-till planting conditions.

10/15/2026

10/15/2026

What if the tap ran dry? A day without water is a day without:
🚿 A morning shower to start the day
🥗 Fresh produce that fuels us
🏞️ Parks and green spaces that restore us
🌽 The food, fuel and fiber American agriculture produces

Water is the foundation of public health, economic development, and community well-being and we play an integral role in protecting water’s future.

On October 15, challenges us to rethink the role of water in our personal and professional lives. Tama SWCD is stepping up because we want to help you protect water's future. By investing in resilient infrastructure and sustainable management today, we ensure that no one ever has to experience a day without water. We’re proud to shine a light on why water is invaluable and why it urgently needs investment.

Learn more: https://thevalueofwater.org/imagineaday

10/15/2026

Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with Black Hawk Creek Watershed Improvement Project, will host a bioreactor and strip-till field day field day in Reinbeck on Thursday, Nov. 19 from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. at the Reinbeck Memorial Building Auditorium, 208 Broad Street in Reinbeck. The no-cost event is open to farmers and landowners and includes a complimentary meal. RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED to ensure adequate space and food. For reasonable accommodations and to RSVP, please contact Liz Ripley at 515-294-5429 or [email protected] by Nov. 12. Attendees will be entered in a drawing for ISU Prairie Strips honey and custom roasted coffee.

10/13/2026

It's Toolbox 🧰 Tuesday! Here we explore those incredible, indispensable tools your Conservation Toolbox can't do without. This week we spotlight a perfect tool for fall. Fall means football, pumpkins AND soil sampling. We know. One of those things sounds considerably less exciting than the others. 🏈🎃🪏

If you think about it, soil testing is like an important halftime report for a producer’s field. It helps build understanding to support good management decisions and is useful for tracking changes overtime to evaluate what conservation practices are delivering positive soil health results. Added bonus: good nutrient management helps your bottom line 💲💲💲 Because before you make the next play, it helps to know what you’re working with.

Interested in tips to help you add nutrient management to your Conservation Toolbox? 🧰 Give Tama SWCD/NRCS a 📞 at 641-484-4702 ext. 3 or stop by and see our smiling faces 😃🙃🤪🥸 and learn more about how soil testing can benefit your conservation goals and strengthen your bottom line. Find us at 102 Business Hwy 30W in Toledo. We're right across from Murph's Creamery & Grill.

10/12/2026

Happy National Farmer's Day to the workforce creating our great country's food, fuel and fiber!

10/06/2026

Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins issued a statement on President Trump’s new executive order to provide relief for our farmers and ranchers by lifting taxes on dyed-diesel. Today’s action expected to represent approximately $640 million in combined federal and state savings across about 224.6 million harvested acres.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig has issued the following statement in response to President Trump and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ actions temporarily allowing farmers to use non-taxed, off-road diesel in agricultural and trucking equipment that support on-road harvest activities. The action will provide some federal and state fuel tax relief for farmers facing high diesel prices during harvest.

“Thank you to President Trump and Gov. Reynolds for taking action to provide temporary fuel tax relief for Iowa farmers during the busy harvest season,” said Secretary Naig. “Diesel is a major expense, especially at a time when farmers are facing tight margins, high input costs, and uncertainty in the farm economy. Allowing farmers expanded use of off-road diesel could lead to significant savings this fall, providing financial relief when they need it most.”