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Adams Soil and Water Conservation District
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Adams SWCD and the World Plowing Match

The Adams Soil and Water Conservation District was formed in 1944.  Today, as then, our mission is to provide leadership and services that enable Ohioans to conserve, protect and enhance soil, water and land resources.

In 1954, ten years after its formation, the Adams SWCD began making plans to help the county host the 1957 World Plowing Match. So
the fifth annual World’s Plowing Match and Conservation Exposition was held on 2,500 acres north of the village. Fourteen nations, representing twenty countries, participated.

Three years of intensive planning were required to prepare the surrounding area for the event. Sixteen farms had to be “redesigned” to allow for the
successful completion of the project. The monumental task of organizing the event took place before the internet was developed, before efficient phone service was in place, and before email, cell phones, and texting was available. Most communication was facilitated by postal mail, and there were twenty countries to communicate with! When put in proper perspective, one can understand the length of time needed to make it all happen.

CONSERVATION PRACTICES INSTALLED

TYPE                                      UNIT                 TOTAL

Contour Strips                      acres                  253

Contouring                            acres                  158

Crop Rotation                       acres                  953

Cover Crops                          acres                     4

Pasture Seeding                   acres                 227

Pasture Improvement          acres                 163   

Grassland Farming                 acres                130    

Woodland Protection            acres                  90  

Woodland Improvement       acres                  21
   
Tree Planting                         acres                   8

Wildlife Improvement            acres                  17   

Fish Pond Management         qty                       3        
Hedgerow
Planting               rods                    890

Farm Drainage                       acres                  824

Closed Drains                        rods                    600

Waterway
Construction       acres                    19
  
Spring
Development             qty                         3
 
Ponds                                    qty                         7

Open Drains
(ditch)              miles                      1

Land Clearing                        acres                    35

Diversion
Terraces               miles                      6  

Drop Inlets                            qty                        4

Sod Chute                              qty                        1
FARMS THAT WERE INVOLVED

Charles Bihl & Clifton Riley

Guy Lieurance (John Reynolds)

Otis Reynolds

P.M. Butt

Sam Butt

Russell Webb

James Wolfe

George McCoy

Margaret Wickerham

Noel Lindamood

Orva Thompson

Steve Green

Treber Bennington

Richard Reynolds

Mrs. Thomas Kite Estate

E & E Simmons
FACTS AND FIGURES

1267 plane landings (not counting the 400 or more landings made by the planes shuttling 1200 passengers on the Air Tour)

1000 passengers took the helicopter tour of inspection

OVER 250,000 people attended the 4 day event

$10,000,000.00 farm machinery exhibit on display (the world’s largest exhibit ever shown)

75,000 people took the Wagon Tours

50th Anniversary Celebration (1957-2007) Photos
           Adams Soil & Water Conservation District     807 NE Main St., #B  West Union, OH 45693     Phone: 937-544-1010