In the photo are Amy Hocking, President of Houlton Rotary Club and Angie Wotton, Director of Southern Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District. Angie began her talk with some history of the “Worst Hard Time” in 1935 when the dust storms took over Oklahoma and Hugh Bennet influence federal policy. It was determined that the government could not rule over the entire nation on soil and water conservation so each state was allowed to set up districts and govern usage that way. Maine has 16 districts. Aroostook County has 3 because of the size of the county and variations. The Southern Aroostook District was organized in 1942. The organization has a local board of directors comprised of different kinds of farmers, i.e. potato, dairy, hay or beef farmers. SASWCD partners well with the local University of Maine Extention Agency and the local Native American Band the Maliseets which has a department that focuses on water health. Soil health and soil erosion and rebuilding the soils are areas of focus for SASWCD. Currently some local farmers are interplanting nitrogen fixing crops with their potato planting. Angie’s work includes conservation education, a winter agriculture school, field days, and other workshops such as gravel roads with DEP and logging workshops. The district also has student education ongoing and an Envirothon and and other education in the classrooms such as worm boxes and composting classes. Angie answered questions from the audience about the financial support of the organization, soil banks, watershed projects and pesticide use. Angie can be reached at 207-532-2204 or at email angela.wotton@me.nacdnet.net.