Soil Conservation Protects Sludge Applications
BY FREDERICK BUBB
SCS Public Affairs Specialist
HARRISBURG A -North
ampton County (PA) landowner is
managing his farmland differently
from most others. Henry Yeska,
Sr.. Georgetown Road, Nazareth,
quit fanning in 1964 and went into
die cleaning and hauling of waste
from home sewage disposal sys
tems. He uses the farmland as a
disposal area for the waste.
His 170 acres of farmland is
rented to two farmers. Not so
unusual except that Henry, with
help from the Northampton Con
servation District, puts in the soil
and water conservation practices
instead of the renters. He has two
purposes for the practices.
One of his workers said that
Henry would almost cry when he
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saw soil wash off his farm in a hard
storm. In addition, the practices
will keep the sewage sludge from
getting off the farm.
Saving soil is the prime reason
for the conservation practices.
Technical help was obtained from
the USDA Soil Conservation Ser
vice. Terraces and stone and sod
waterways protect over half the
cropland. Additional terraces are
being installed in 1987, reports
Barry Frantz, SCS, District
Conservationist.
Sewage sludge is injected into
com stubble after the ground thaws
in the spring and after small grain
in the fall. When weather and soil
conditions permit, sludge is sur
face applied in the summer and
chiseled into the soil within 24
hours.
Yield
Rate
771*
798*
A one million gallon lagoon has
been built to store the waste until
application time.
Record keeping and soil and
nutrient testing are important parts
of Henry’s management program.
Detailed records are kept of all
sludge applications. All records
are sent to the Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental
Resources (DER) monthly. DER
inspects his operation at least twice
per year.
Based on soil and nutrient tests,
up to 30,000 gallons of sludge can
be applied per acre annually, states
Henry.
He adds that there is consider
able proof that his operation is suc
cessful. The terraces and water
ways survived a nine-inch rain in
September of 1986. An almost
similar rainfall in December
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resulted in only clear water leaving
the farm.
Henry adds that there is now no
soil deposited around the road
culverts and even the amount of
water running off the land has
decreased.
Another sign that Henry is doing
a good job is shown in his proud
declaration that he has had no com
plaints from nearby residents.
Perhaps the best proof is the rec
ognition received from other con
servation farmers. He was named
‘Northampton County Conserva
tion Farmer of the Year’ in 1985 by
the Northampton Conservation
District
Henry Yeska demonstrates that
love of the land and good manage
ment can solve even the more diffi
cult resource management
challenges.
'arming, Saturday, Daoembar 5, IW7-A2S
Henry Yeska demonstrates
love of the land and good
management.
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