Growing up, Mother’s Day always meant gardening to me. The only thing my mother wanted to do on Mother’s Day was plant her flowers and start the garden. So, first thing in the morning we would drive to the local nursery center and fill the back of the van with brightly colored flowers.

The rest of the day was spent digging in the dirt. As you start your own gardens this year, think about incorporating vegetable plants to create an edible landscape. Bright red tomatoes will look just as nice as geraniums in your yard, and leafy green lettuce would be a great alternative to ground cover.

Also, pick plants that are native to the region. Native plants can be more drought-tolerant and require less watering. To all of the mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and sisters, I hope that you have a great Mother’s Day.

• By Kimberly Kolner, Associate Planner for the McHenry County Department of Planning and Development.

Currently, between 60 and 70 percent of the county is used for agriculture. McHenry County has some of the finest and richest farmland in the world. However, some projections show that farmland within the county will decrease approximately 46,000 acres, or the equivalent of approximately two townships, over the next 20 years.

While development pressures have declined due to the economic slowdown, McHenry County farms are still at risk.

It's more than just farmland being lost.

The county is at risk of losing its irreplaceable farmland forever. Agricultural land has been taken out of service in favor of development at a higher rate than population growth. Once an area has been developed, it cannot be returned to agriculture, due to cost and soil compaction. Farmland is a resource that provides a valuable service to the region. When farmland is lost, there is actually much more at stake. 

• Farmland is our food source. There are 215,584 acres of farmland in McHenry County with corn and soybeans as the top crops produced. However, there are 1,896 acres used for vegetable production, with 145 acres of that used for organic production.  Protecting farmland in McHenry County will help ensure the security and sustainability of our food source.

• Farming contributes to the high quality of rivers and streams, such as the Nippersink, Piscasaw and Kishwaukee Rivers. According to a study by the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission, water quality is typically higher in rivers and streams that run through agricultural areas as compared to those that run through developed areas. 

• Farmland facilitates groundwater recharge, increasing the assurance of our continued drinking water supplies. 

• Farmland provides wildlife habitats and corridors for migrating birds.

• Farming is our history. McHenry County has 28 Centennial Farms (100 years within the same family) and 8 Sesquicentennial Farms (150 years within the same family) within McHenry County.  Several of the McHenry County landmarks plaqued by the McHenry County Historical Preservation Commission are located within old farmsteads or in areas that are currently used for agriculture.

What's being done to preserve farmland

In 2006, the McHenry County Board created the Agricultural Conservation Easement and Farmland Protection (ACE) Commission to administer a program for the permanent protection of farmland. The program provides an opportunity for farmers to donate or sell their development rights to the county by establishing an agricultural easement.  In doing so, this ensures that the farm will remain in agricultural use forever.  However, due to the lack of funding this program has not yet been administered.

The ACE commission has been busy over the years with projects which includes creating the qualifying criteria for the program. Last year they created a Taskforce to conduct a Local Food and Farmland Assessment of McHenry County, to research the supply and demand for locally grown food in the area. The Commission believes that agricultural viability will translate into agricultural protection. (More information about the food assessment will be posted the week of May 27)

• By Kimberly Kolner, Associate Planner for the McHenry County Department of Planning and Development.

Many of us know about the nation’s history and about some history of our hometown, but I’m sure not all of you know about the rich history of McHenry County. This history has physically shaped the landscape and impacted much of the agricultural activities that take place in the county today.

In a time long, long ago, approximately 18,000 years in the past, in a place now known as McHenry County, glaciers that were 2,000 feet thick were slowly receding from the landscape, leaving behind rolling hills and plains that were carved by the large ice sheets. Lush wetlands, kames, kettles, end moraines and outwash plains created one of the most varied and visually diverse parts of Illinois.  Centuries of periodic droughts caused frequent wildfires, and created an environment for fire tolerant grassland prairies and strong hardwood forests to take over the landscape. These fires deposited nitrogen-rich nutrients into the soils.

A few thousand years later, various Native American Indian tribes roamed the areas of northern Illinois surviving on its abundant resources. They were able to drink and fish from the Fox River and the areas lakes, hunt in the open prairies, and camp in the valleys. Shortly after the Blackhawk War, the area was settled. Trees were cleared and used to build houses. Wetlands were drained and turned into tiled farm fields. Wells were dug for drinking water. Once again people were surviving from the areas abundant resources, but this time it was the soil’s richness that helped produce the bounty of crops needed for consumption and trade, and the clean water that helped their plants grow and filled their drinking glasses at the dinner table. 

It is that same rich soil and clean water that helps feed us today. In 2007, crops and livestock accounted for $156 million in sales. The land on which we call McHenry County is one of our most valuable resources. It took thousands of years for the soils to develop to how they are today. Due to the value of these resources, the county has outlined goals to preserve the most productive farmland and make wise land use development decisions that preserve and enhance its soil and water resources.

For more information about the history of McHenry County, please review the following sources:

The Oaks of McHenry County, McHenry County Conservation District.

Geologic Mapping for Environmental Planning, McHenry County, Illinois State Geological Survey Department of Natural Resources.

Encyclopedia of Chicago, Chicago History Museum, the Newberry Library, and Northwestern University.

Note to readers: While Cassandra McKinney is away on maternity leave, Kimberly Kolner will temporarily take over writing for this blog. Her bio is below.

Kimberly Kolner is the Associate Planner for the McHenry County Department of Planning and Development.  She serves as the staff liaison for the Agricultural Conservation Easement and Farmland Protection (ACE) Commission and to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA).  For the past year, Kim has coordinated the development of the Taskforce which is conducting the McHenry County Local Food and Farmland Assessment. Kim is a lifelong resident of McHenry County besides the one year she lived in Brussels, Belgium as a Rotary Youth Exchange student before attending college. Kimberly holds Bachelor of Arts in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Illinois.
 

Join the McHenry County Department of Planning and Development’s Divisions of Water Resources, Stormwater, and Planning at the McHenry County Conservation District’s annual Earth Day celebration!

Saturday, April 21, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Prairieview Education Center, Crystal Lake

• Puppet shows at 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

• Join in a guided nature hike at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

• Live music: Ongoing, includes Square Drum Circle and Joe Reilly “Let’s Go Outside” environmental songs for all ages from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m.

• Help out on a restoration service project.

• Get your Earth Day 2012 Patch. Youth group members can do activities and earn the patch at a reduced cost.

• Enjoy hands-on games, crafts and storytelling

• More than 20 Environmental Exhibitors

• Food and Beverage Vendors or bring your own No Waste picnic lunch.

HOUSEHOLD RECYCLING DROP OFF: A variety of items will be accepted for recycling including athletic shoes, batteries, fluorescent tubes and polystyrene foam.

The event is held both indoors and out and will go on rain or shine!

On Friday, April 13, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., McHenry County will be hosting a workshop on Natural Lawn Care and Sustainable Landscapes.

This workshop will be held at the McHenry County Government Administration Building in Conference Rooms A, B and C.

Workshop Overview:

A workshop for landscape companies, grounds keepers, homeowner associations, municipalities, park districts, and residents. 

This workshop will include sessions on:

• Implementing a natural lawn care program

• What to look for in lawn care contracts

• Greening your ordinances

• Creating a sustainable landscape

• New fertilizer and pesticide regulations
 

Cost: $25.00* Continental breakfast and parking provided

Registration is highly encouraged and has been extended until Friday, April 6.

For registration materials or more information, visit www.mchenryh2o.com, e-mail plandev@co.mchenry.il.us or call 815-334-4560.