It is an opportunity that not many people have taken advantage of.
But for St. Augustine Principal, Cal Theisen, their partnership with Ducks Unlimited will mean money towards a new playground.
Along with donations of equipment, fertilizer, and seed, proceeds from a seeded quarter will go towards new playground equipment for St. Augustine.
The current playground is reaching the end of its useful life, says Theisen, so there is a definite need for a playground makeover.
“A major fundraiser like this is going to put a big dent in that,” says Theisen, who hopes to get $25,000-40,000 from the fundraiser.
Land out by the Carlton Trail Ski Club was donated to Ducks Unlimited from the estate of Alvin Reineke.
Dave Atamanchuk with Ducks Unlimited says the land needed to be seeded and weed controlled before Ducks Unlimited could turn the land back to fenced grazing land.
Canola will be planted on the quarter with about 90-100 acres of land open to seeding.
With the weeds on the land, Atamanchuk says they want to plant a crop, spray for weeds, and then clean it out to put it to grass lands next spring.
The field itself already has a lot of wetland on it with a lot of low spots that already have a lot of water.
Atamanchuk says that is perfect for a conservation area.
“We look at having some native grassland, some bush, especially wetlands. This land is great. Lots of small wetlands that a lot of the breeding pairs of water fowl utilize. With that you need cover.”
With grasslands, you get a lot of nesting cover and a lot of water fowl pairs can utilize the area, says Atamanchuk.
This is a great fundraiser since St. Augustine School is having their needs met and Ducks Unlimited gets to help out in the community, says Atamanchuk.
“It takes a lot people and a lot of organization to come together. It just shows community,” says Atamanchuk.
Within a week of receiving the land for seeding, Craig Yeager and Dennis Zwarych were already out in the field spraying, cultivating, and seeding the land.
“This busy time of year and they’re volunteering their time. You can’t ask for more than that,” says Theisen.
Atamanchuk also wants to turn this into a learning opportunity for the students of St. Augustine by taking them out and showing them the field before they leave for summer break.
“We want to get the classes out here to meet the donors, see who helped out, and to see how agriculture works, how the crops improve, how they grow.”
With a Ducks Unlimited wetland adjacent to the St. Augustine quarter, students will also get to see how marginal agriculture land gets transformed into a thriving grazing system.
JayDee Agtech in Humboldt donated the tractors and the fuel for the spraying, and seeding, while Hergott Farm Equipment donated the harrow and cultivator.
Theisen would like thank Craig and Melissa Yeager, and Dennis Zwarych for the time they have already donated.
