4-12-11

Because of my schedule this quarter, I am coming in a lot later in the day than I previously have. This meant I am missing out on some of the field appointments I originally would have gotten to go on. The reason this was a problem today was that Rich was out on a field visit when I got to the office. And because its a federal office, I don't have access to the computers when Rich isn't there, meaning there was very little I could do until he arrived. I tried to organize the folders a bit, but the real work didn't start till he got there. At least I got some of my homework done for my other class right?

So basically we did all the things we have been avoiding or haven't gotten done today. The letters I had organized last week, which I thought had been completed and mailed out, were not done. So I had Rich send me everything that might be relevant so I could personalize it to the client and include it in their mailing package. This led to an idea for something I could do when Rich wasn't in the office. We decided that we should create a packet for each type of land use we face that is already prepared to send to clients. These would be Streams/Stream bank erosion, landslides, roads, fire, livestock and drainage control. Rich was talking about how he often feels like he is repeating himself to clients who continue to have similar problems. Once he sent me previous letters he sent to people following up a field visit, I went through and made them more generic. I specifically worked on a horse visit, roads, and hillside farms letters to create spaces where the clients name, dates, details about the property etc. should go. This way, it would make the turnover rate to the clients much quicker. I also worked on a generic summary of most of the problems one sees in Santa Cruz. Rich had previously used it for a presentation four years back so I just organized it and updated it a bit.

I also got to learn about another fun system I could use. Just like the Web Soil Survey, there is a program to help you pick the best seed mix for your property. You can choose based on your location (to know what species are there) and a series of influencing factors such as soil pH, wetness, dryness, salinity, as well as a section based on native vs. non native, irrigated or not, and a few more options. This would then let you choose the percentage of each species. However, I did learn that most people will get upset if you choose perennial grasses. They are known to be expensive and on occasion wont even sprout. So knowing what is best for the client is very important. Also knowing what the property is going to be used for. I noticed fescue being an option. From working on the toxic weeds for horses poster, I remembered that this was a threat to pregnant horses. It would be terrible to recommend someone a pasture mix that would result in killing their horse.

Lastly, we discussed a bit about my senior project. I had originally chosen a client who was at the very beginning of the AWEP stage. Unfortunately, that meant they hadn't registered with the Farm Bureau yet which meant they didn't have a farm number or parcel number. Basically, I wasn't going to be able to map their property or create a Conservation Plan until they did so. So that left me without a particular client. Rich then suggested another one, which I had gone to last quarter. She had various land practices that would allow for a complicated conservation plan and had many elements contributing to their land use. It was also great because I had been to the property and could distinctly remember the issues we had. There had also been no follow up since our field visit except to confirm her interest in the EQIP. So I am now super excited to get started on this senior project. Not only because it means this client is moving forward in her process for funding, but because I know it will be a challenge. I was dreading doing the senior project because I work on the 6 part folders almost everyday. They have a tendency to become bureaucratic and tedious so knowing that I have a complicated, large acreage property to use, I get excited to make the maps.