Welcome

Submitted by Tokina McHarry, James River SCD District Business/Education Manager

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May seems to be the month where spring officially sets in and by the end, summer has begun! Our office is busy with trees and ordering seed for cover crops and grass plantings. April was consumed with lots of youth education – with approximately 221 learners participating in a variety of educational programming.

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The National Association of Conservation Districts’ annual Stewardship Week is also celebrated in the beginning of May. This provides opportunities throughout the nation to reinforce their yearly theme. The 2026 theme is “Soil. Where It All Begins.”

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This celebrates the incredible power of soil to support life in all its forms. Soil is not just the ground we walk on. It is the starting point for healthy food, clean water, thriving habitats, and resilient communities. From backyard gardens to forests and city parks, everything begins with what is beneath our feet.

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Soil does a lot more than grow plants. It holds water, cycles nutrients, and provides homes for billions of living organisms that help keep nature in balance. It keeps roots in place, helps prevent flooding, and supports wildlife and people alike. The trees in our neighborhoods, the food on our tables, and the natural places we love all depend on healthy soils.

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When we take care of soil, we are taking care of everything it supports. That is why soil is where it all begins. The James River Soil Conservation has a wide range of soil education materials available, free of charge. Please reach out to Tokina for more information.

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Our trees for 2026 will be rolling in and rolling out fast this year! We get many requests this time of year for leftover trees. If trees were not preordered, your name will be placed on a waitlist. We do not know what we will have leftover until all our machine plantings are completed. At that point, we will call and see if you are still interested and can pick the trees up as soon as possible. If they are still in the cooler by the time our tree surplus sale rolls around, then they may be sold.

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We will be reaching out to customers once preordered handplants are bagged and ready for pickup. We kindly request these to be picked up asap as well to free up cooler space. This also makes survivability of your order increase.

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Here’s to a beautiful May! Until next month…

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Upcoming Dates:

May 13, 2026 - SCD Board Meeting, 9 am, Ellendale Service Center

May 25, 2026 – Office Closed, Memorial Day

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For more information contact the James River Soil Conservation District and Ellendale NRCS office at 349-3653, ext. 3. Our field office is in Ellendale at 51 N. 1st Street. Also, remember to visit the James River Soil Conservation District Facebook page and our websites for more information –http://www.jamesriverscd.org/ and http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/nd/home/. The NRCS is an equal opportunity employer, provider and lender.