Thursday, October 4th,  10:30 am — 1:30 p.m.
Wilson College Science Center
1015 Philadelphia Avenue Chambersburg, PA 17201

If you keep any manure-producing animals—even one horse in your backyard—you are now required to have a manure management plan in Pennsylvania.  But that doesn’t mean it has to be a difficult task. The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay will be hosting a Whine, Cheese and Mud: Horse Owners’ Social on October 4 to help alleviate some fears about the process.

“We’ve organized these workshops to be laid back, social and informal,” said Donna Morelli, Pennsylvania Director for the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, who is also an equine enthusiast. “It’s an overview of the revised law and how you can help protect water quality—but it’s meant to be fun—and informative.”

Join the Alliance, partners and fellow equestrians for the second Whine, Cheese and Mud: Horse Owners’ Socials, on Thursday October 4, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Wilson College’s Science Center in Chambersburg.  We’ll hear from the experts: Franklin County Conservation District and the National Resource Conservation Service about how you can keep horses happy and healthy and protect water quality too. The events are free to attend, but pre-registration is requested.

After lunch we’ll take a tour of Wilson College’s Equestrian Center and the Fulton Farm—both of which operate using “Best Management Practices,” to protect water quality. The tour will help participants to visualize what some of these practices we talk about in morning presentations actually look like and how they might work on their property. Wilson’s Equestrian Center houses up to 70 horses during the school year and is one of Pennsylvania’s few equine “Concentrated Animal Operations” or CAOs.  Because the Equestrian Center is such a large operation, it has been regulated as a CAO for a number of years and has numerous water quality practices because of its proximity to the Conococheague Creek.

These workshops are a great place to talk to conservation professionals about your pasture issues, cost share programs and to get help improving your farm’s manure management system or pastures.

Elizabeth Leary, Wilson’s new barn manager, will be on hand to share her experience managing a large number of horses while protecting water quality. Christine Mayer, with the Fulton Center for Sustainable Living at Wilson will conduct a tour of the farm and equestrian center.

Register for the workshop:

https://www.signup82north.com/beventLive.aspx?EventID=NBI81348670Registration Status: Open
Organization:  Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay,  Capital Area RC&D,  Natural Resources Conservation Service,  Cumberland County Conservation
Cost: Free, registration required
Contact:  Donna Morelli, (717) 737-8622