Conservation Coordinator Sarah Cole attended the South East Conservation District Employees Association Mid-Year Planning Meeting in Lexington, Kentucky from April 8 to April 10. The South East Conservation District Employees Association (SECDEA) represents Conservation District Employees in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and the Virginia Islands. This year’s Mid-Year Planning Meeting had twenty members in attendance.

In addition to reviewing necessary documents like by-laws and budgets, the conference served as the main planning meeting for the upcoming Annual SECDEA Conference held in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, in November. Meeting attendees were also able to enjoy an informative tour of the Three Chimneys Farm where winning Thoroughbreds such as Gun Runner (Horse of the Year 2017) and Volatile are standing studs. The group enjoyed a lunch and stroll around Midway, Kentucky, before visiting an animal composting facility and viewing the solar eclipse at 97% totality! The day wrapped up with a tour of the Buffalo Trace Distillery and a brisket dinner at the Evans family farm. Several conservation ideas and techniques unique to Kentucky were shared, including the Bo Renfro Concrete Winter-Feeding Structure.

Sarah currently serves as the Area III Representative for the Virginia Conservation District Employees Association, which is part of the SECDEA. If you have any questions or concerns, or would like to discuss anything, please contact Sarah at sarah.cole@trswcd.org