By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Nicki Kale has spent more than 30 years teaching the value of healthy water and soil – even using men’s cotton underwear to help illustrate the issue.
Kale, who is retiring as district administrator and education coordinator at the Wood Soil and Water Conservation District in Bowling Green, has spent three decades showing children where food comes from, and landowners how to preserve the health of their soil.
That’s where the underwear comes in, Kale said, explaining the dirt-covered, chewed up pair hanging in the office.
As an experiment, farmers were instructed to bury a pair of cotton undies in their soil. The more the underwear disintegrated, the better the soil health, Kale said.
“We’re here to help the landowners, help the environment, and help them help themselves,” she said.
Children and adults sometimes need reminding about the value of water and soil.
“They’re not renewable. We need to use them wisely,” Kale said.
When Kale started in the office, that often meant the Wood Soil and Water Conservation District would buy new farm equipment meant to help with soil health and prevent erosion. That equipment would then be made available for farmers to rent.
Now most farmers have their own equipment, but the agency still provides valuable information – such as details about the new H2Ohio program, which is seeking farmers to sign up for a variety of best practices to protect water heading to Lake Erie.
“This staff is going to be bombarded,” Kale predicted for the office, which receives funding from the state and county commissioners. “The workload is going to drastically increase.”
The state is hoping at least 100 farmers sign up in the 14 counties that make up the western basin of Lake Erie.
“They’re trying to keep the lake clean, and keep people on their toes,” she said.
For Kale, the best part of her job has been working with children in area schools. She focused on growing those programs over the years.
“That’s been the fun of the job,” she said. “Seeing those little faces, looking at you like you’re going to reveal some magical stories.”
The lessons seem to be even more important now that fewer people participate in the agricultural process, she said. In the past, when she asked students how many had family members in farming, many hands shot up. Not anymore.
“Fewer and fewer hands go up,” Kale said. “It’s important that kids know where food comes from” – before it reaches the grocery store shelves.
“You can trace everything back to the soil,” she teaches children.
“The district has always been willing to go and help teachers,” Kale said. “They are the building blocks of society.”
Educating farmers is also valuable.
“There’s so much we can share with the landowners,” she said, noting that the vast majority of farmers understand the value of soil and water quality. “I think we are all on board.”
Taking over as administrator of the Wood Soil and Water Conservation District will be Jim Carter, who has worked with Kale as co-administrator.
Paul Herringshaw was a member of the Wood Soil and Water Conservation board when Kale was hired more than 30 years ago. It was a great decision, he said.
“She’s always done a great job of keeping things coordinated,” Herringshaw said. “She’s very professional.”
Kale has a long “to-do” list for her retirement.
“I’m going to enjoy friends, family, and travel,” said Kale, who has two children and four grandchildren. And she is planning to take watercolor painting and pottery classes.
“I want to explore my creative side.”
An open house in honor of Kale will be held Friday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Wood Soil and Water Conservation Office in Bowling Green.
