Participants are also eligible for a FREE soil test analysis offered through Texas A&M and AgriLife Extension! In addition, private water well sample analysis is also available for a nominal fee, offered through Texas A&M and AgriLife Extension. Instructions for each are below.
Two General and two Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education credits for pesticide applicators are available.
For more information on the Lone Star Healthy Streams program, contact Leanne Wiley at 979-240-8407 or leanne.wiley@ag.tamu.edu. For more information about the upcoming class, please contact Heather Firn at 817-467-4343 or firnha@trinityra.org or Cassie Mavis, Johnson County AgriLife Extension Agent at 817-556-6370 or cassie.mavis@ag.tamu.edu.
Soil Sampling Instructions:
Soil samples should be from pasture or rangeland areas. Limited 2 per attendee. Samples can be brought to the education meeting on the 24th. No official bag is needed for drop-off, lab bags will be provided at the meeting.
Soil sampling instructions are found on the soil submittal form at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Soil, Water and Forage Testing Laboratory website or ask your AgriLife County agent for guidance.
Water Well Sampling Instructions:
Please use a new bottle of water (12-20 ounces), pour out the contents and fill it with a water sample from your private water well. Take the sample from the spigot/hose bib nearest to the well head. Remove the water hose if there is one and take directly from the spigot/hose bib. If an inside faucet is used, you will need to remove the aerator on faucet before making the collection. Rinse and dry the exterior of the faucet to prevent exterior contamination of your water sample. If possible, wipe off with a Clorox-type towelette or paper towel wetted with a light bleach solution to kill any bacteria present on the faucet. Allow the solution to dry before sampling. Turn on the water full force and let it run at full force for two minutes or until you hear the pump start running. Reduce the water flow to a small stream.
Refrigerate the sample and transport it to the workshop (in an ice chest) as soon after collection as possible. It is best to collect the day of the workshop if that is possible otherwise make sure the sample is kept cool and out of direct sunlight. Sample should be collected within 24 hours before the workshop to ensure accurate results.
We encourage you to bring samples from all wells on your property; many participants that have water treatment equipment take samples before and after treatment to make sure the equipment is functioning properly. Also we need for you to label the sample with your name (if you bring more than one sample you also need to label the sample in some way to make sure you know which well the sample comes from). We will be screening for Nitrates, TDS (salinity) and bacteria (absence or presence of coliform and E. coli) with your sample.
Sample drop-off 8:30—10:30 a.m. March 23 at Shepard's Valley Cowboy Church (8901 US-67, Alvarado,
TX 76009). Screening costs $15 dollars per sample, via Cash or Check, due when samples are turned in. Reach out to Cassie Mavis, Johnson County AgriLife Extension Agent at 817-556-6370 or cassie.mavis@ag.tamu.edu for more information.
