Mower Soil & Water Conservation District

06/06/2026

No-till farming is a sustainable ag practice that involves growing crops without disturbing the soil through tillage or turning.

This video linked in the comments features a no-till farmer who talks about his experience with incorporating reduced-tillage practices on his farm.

Crop residue remains on the surface, helping to prevent erosion; improve soil structure by creating pore space for air and water; increase water infiltration into the soil profile; and keep soil cooler during hot, sunny days.

06/04/2026

FREE workshop just west of Austin from 4-6 PM on Tuesday, June 16th, at the Scott & Dawn Lightly farm.
Details are available via the link in the comments below.

See & Discuss:
* Basics of winter camelina agronomy and marketing
* Combine settings and tricks for winter camelina
* Market opportunities for sunflowers
* Financial and agronomic benefits of double-cropping cool- and warm-season crops
* Navigating crop insurance for specialty crops
* Soil-health benefits of interseeded cover crops

This event is sponsored by:
Albert Lea Seed House
Bio Till Cover Crops
Cargill
Sentinel Ag

05/28/2026

Austin's annual 4th Ave Fest returns next Wednesday along the Cedar River at Austin Mill Pond!

05/21/2026

05/02/2026

Congrats to our friends Mower County Historical Society and Tom Trow for receiving an award for the Grand Meadow Chert Quarry!
Mower SWCD has enjoyed partnering with them and others on this special place for Native American history.

Congratulations to the 2026 Minnesota History Awards recipients! 🎉

To learn more about their work, visit the MALHM website: https://www.mnhistoryalliance.org/award-recipients

04/17/2026

Just 475 bareroot trees are left through our annual tree program!

Overall, Mower SWCD has sold 20,090 trees, with all being delivered next week to the Runnings store in Austin. Purchased orders will be loaded into customers' vehicles Thursday and Friday (April 23-24) on Runnings' west side.

Here's what remains (each bundle is 25 trees) as of today (Friday):
* 1 bundle - Sugar Maple
* 3 bundles - Red Oak
* 3 bundles - Eastern Red Cedar
* 4 bundles - Elderberry
* 5 bundles - Bur Oak
* 6 bundles - Red Splendor Crabapple

04/16/2026

Tonight (Thurs., April 16) online. Need to register to receive link to the online presentation by the City of Austin, Minnesota.

04/14/2026

Jumping northern on the Cedar.

04/13/2026

32 rain barrels left ... $50 for Mower County residents and those who have zip codes within the Cedar River watershed in MN.
For Austin Utilities water customers, you get another $10 off.
Order via the link in the comments.

04/11/2026

Thinking about spring planting? Soil temperature is one of the most important signals that it’s time to plant - and it’s changing fast this time of year. MDA’s Six-Inch Soil Temperature Network provides real-time data from locations across Minnesota to help guide your timing. 🚜

Check conditions near you at www.mda.state.mn.us/protecting/soilprotection/soiltemp