Halifax Soil and Water Conservation District

08/19/2026

Happy World Photography Day!

This year’s theme is “Home,” so each member of the Halifax SWCD staff shared one of their favorite views from home.

Together, these photos offer a small glimpse of the farms, fields, forests, and landscapes that make our corner of Virginia so special.

Now we’d love to see yours! Share a favorite view from your home in the comments.

08/14/2026

🥞 Help Us Plan Our Next Ag Breakfast Series! 🚜

We’re planning our upcoming Ag Breakfast Series, and we want to hear from YOU!

What agriculture-related topics would you like to learn more about? Is there a speaker, organization, or expert you’d like to hear from?

Whether you’re interested in livestock, crops, forestry, farm finances, equipment, wildlife, conservation, new technology, small farms—or something completely different—we’d love your ideas!

Drop your suggestions in the comments!
Your idea might just become one of our next Ag Breakfast programs. Or feel free to email Melissa at [email protected]

And if you’ve never joined us for an Ag Breakfast before, maybe this will be the year!

08/12/2026

Happy First Day of School, Halifax County!

As a new school year begins, we want to wish all of our students, teachers, administrators, bus drivers, and school staff a wonderful first day and a great year ahead!

We hope this year is filled with new friendships, exciting opportunities, lots of learning, and plenty of reasons to be proud. A special thank you to all of the educators and staff who work so hard to make each school year a success for our students.

And teachers, as you settle into the new year, remember that Halifax Soil & Water Conservation District is here as a resource for you! We offer FREE classroom lessons for every grade level, with programs geared toward each grade's Virginia SOL requirements. Our lessons cover topics like agriculture, soil, water, watersheds, conservation, wildlife, and natural resources — and we love making them hands-on whenever we can!

We look forward to seeing many of you in the classroom this year!

Have a fantastic first day and a wonderful 2026–2027 school year!

08/10/2026

2026 Wildlife Food Plot Judging!

Last week, we hit the road to judge this year’s Youth Wildlife Food Plot Contest entries! After the drought and extremely dry conditions we experienced earlier this summer, we weren’t quite sure what we would find. We were pleasantly surprised! Many of this year’s plots have done remarkably well, and our youth participants, ages 8–18, have a lot to be proud of.

The mixture includes sunflowers, buckwheat, cowpeas, and sorghum. We saw healthy growth and plenty of evidence that local wildlife have been enjoying the plots too.

The Food Plot Contest gives young people an opportunity to get outside, learn about planting and wildlife habitat, and see firsthand how their efforts can benefit wildlife.

We’re proud of the work these young people have put in—especially during a challenging growing season—and thankful to the families who helped make it possible.

Stay tuned—we’ll be recognizing the winners at our banquet in November!

08/03/2026

💧 August is National Water Quality Month! 💧

Water is one of our most valuable natural resources, and protecting it starts right here in Halifax County.

Whether you're a farmer, homeowner, angler, or simply enjoy spending time on our rivers and lakes, clean water benefits us all. Healthy streams and rivers support agriculture, provide drinking water, create wildlife habitat, and offer places for fishing, boating, and making memories with family and friends.

Conservation practices—such as fencing livestock out of streams, planting cover crops, establishing riparian forest buffers, maintaining septic systems, and reducing soil erosion—help keep our waterways clean while protecting the land for future generations.

The photo below was taken during last summer's Watershed Adventure Camp, where local students had the opportunity to canoe the beautiful Staunton River. Experiences like these help young people understand firsthand why protecting our streams and rivers matters. When we invest in conservation today, we're ensuring future generations can enjoy these same opportunities tomorrow.

07/28/2026

🌎 Today is World Conservation Day!

Conservation isn't about locking land away—it's about taking care of the resources that take care of us.

Here in Halifax County, conservation happens every day. It's the farmer planting cover crops, the landowner protecting a stream, the forester managing woodlands responsibly, and the family planting a garden or providing habitat for wildlife.

Healthy soil, clean water, productive farmland, and thriving forests don't happen by accident—they're the result of good stewardship.

At Halifax Soil and Water Conservation District, we're proud to work alongside our community to help conserve our natural resources for future generations.

What conservation practice are you most proud of on your property? We'd love to hear about it in the comments!

07/23/2026

The Halifax Soil and Water Conservation District was proud to recognize our 2026 scholarship recipients during our Board of Directors meeting on July 16.

This year, the District awarded one J.T. Burton Natural Resources Scholarship and three Halifax SWCD Memorial Scholarships, each in the amount of $2,000. Congratulations to Jaden Hudson, John Pointer, Mary Vernon, and Zachary Duplantier, all students at Halifax County High School!

One of this year's Halifax SWCD Memorial Scholarships was awarded in memory of the late Mr. Scott Hudson, a dedicated Halifax SWCD Board member whose commitment to conservation and service to our community continues to make a lasting impact. This scholarship went to Jaden Hudson. Additionally, Jaden was selected as the recipient of one of only five statewide scholarships awarded through the Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts. She received the Wilkie W. Chaffin Area V Scholarship also in the amount of $2,000. Congratulations, Jaden, on this outstanding achievement!

We wish each of these students the very best as they continue their education and pursue their future goals. We are proud to support the next generation of natural resource leaders!

07/21/2026

Producer input is important. Please consider taking this survey.

🌱 Virginia farmers: Your input matters! 🌱

Last December, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) began a review of the Agriculture Best Management Practices Cost Share Program—administered by your local Soil and Water Conservation District. Now, they want to hear directly from you.

This program plays an important role in supporting conservation on working farms, and farmer feedback is critical to its future. JLARC is gathering input to better understand awareness of the program and participation in conservation practices.

✅ This is a different survey than the recent Chesapeake Bay conservation practices survey
⏱ Takes about 15–20 minutes to complete
🔒 Confidential—no personal identifying info collected (only locality)
📅 Deadline: August 3, 2026

If you’ve participated in the program—or even if you haven’t—your perspective is valuable. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and encourage other farmers to do the same.

📢 Survey link is in the comments!

07/20/2026

Water conservation tips from our neighboring district.

A lot of localities and towns within Virginia are asking citizens to conserve water when and where they can. Southside SWCD has compiled this helpful graphic with water conservation suggestions. Every little drop counts!

07/18/2026