Farming is a way of life in Lewis County, and the Lewis Conservation District is looking to help make sustainable farming easier for county residents, according to Veterans Conservation Corps intern Chris Volmert.
A U.S. Army veteran, he currently works with the district to help coordinate its no-till drill seeder rental program, which it has now managed for three years, Volmert said.
No-till farming is growing in popularity as it has multiple benefits for farmers who engage in the practice, Volmert said. Originally, the conservation district only had a 10-foot no-till seed drill, but, due to its size, it required farmers to have a big enough tractor to tow it, limiting who could use it.
Now, a 6-foot no-till seed drill is also available for farmers with smaller tractors and smaller plots of land.
“The 6-footer was acquired to help increase accessibility, and it’s also more maneuverable allowing farmers to get into tighter areas,” Volmert said.
Both no-till drills are available to rent through The Farm Store in Chehalis, located at 561 W. Main St. The cost to rent the 10-foot no-till drill is $12.50 per acre with a minimum charge of $125 and a $50 cleaning deposit.
“We are running a special for the lease price for (the 6-foot no-till drill) for the first year it’s in use. It’s only $5 an acre,” Volmert said.
As for the benefits, the biggest one is time saved for farmers as well as reduced soil erosion. It also reduces the amount of fuel farmers need to buy for their tractors as it’s less time driving in the fields, which in turn also reduces carbon emissions.
Carbon emission reduction is a big benefit, Volmert said, especially with the new emissions laws passed in Washington in 2021.
Leaving the soil untilled also helps create a healthier field ecology, making for better soil for farmers to plant their crops in.
“It can also be beneficial for people trying to grow wildlife food plots,” Volmert said.
For more information on the Lewis Conservation District’s no-till drills, visit https://tinyurl.com/2fy53zbb.
