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Modern Homesteading Conference 

The annual Modern Homesteading Conference brings together the art of simple living and traditional skills, educating and inspiring participants from all over the country. 

Kootenai-Shoshone Soil & Water Conservation District has held a booth for the last 3 years with help from our partners at Bonner SWCD, Benewah SWCD, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Idaho Soil & Water Conservation Commission (ISWCC). We spend two full days talking with eager participants and providing ample free literature from different agencies and organizations. Articles and brochures focused on important topics like soil health, water quality, and forest management. We have a trivia wheel for families to test their knowledge of natural resources. Those who dare to spin and answer a question successfully are rewarded with a prize and entrance into our raffle for a gift card.

An educational booth with displays on soil health, a prize wheel, and informational brochures under a white tent.

KSSWCD Supervisors lead a full-scale rainfall demonstration on both days. This tool effectively introduces people to the 5 Principles of Soil Health and encourages participants to adopt those practices on their own farms. These demonstrations showcase the importance of soil health for the observed differences in runoff and infiltration across the diverse set of soil samples. This generates a lot of interest, and our expert team of Supervisors are always enthusiastic to answer questions and engage in follow-up conversations. We also have a no-till drill on site for viewers to examine and better visualize the difference between direct seeding and conventional tillage.

Outdoor event with people and a booth about soil health by the USDA NRCS, featuring information and exhibits.

 

2024

Four people pose in front of a vehicle with NRCS logo, near an educational soil display with grass samples and clear containers.
NRCS Partnership
A booth with educational posters, a prize wheel, and a person seated at a table with brochures, under a tent.
Bonner Soil & Water Conservation District
Two people near agricultural equipment and an NRCS (USDA) banner with soil samples displayed.
Supervisors Wes Evans and John Mobbs next to the no-till drill
People at an outdoor stall under a white tent with educational displays and a spinning wheel game.
Active booth participation
An outdoor event with people gathered around tents and informational displays, possibly a fair or exhibition.
Attendees watching the rainfall demonstrations
Four people pose in front of a vehicle with NRCS logo, near an educational soil display with grass samples and clear containers.
A booth with educational posters, a prize wheel, and a person seated at a table with brochures, under a tent.
Two people near agricultural equipment and an NRCS (USDA) banner with soil samples displayed.
People at an outdoor stall under a white tent with educational displays and a spinning wheel game.
An outdoor event with people gathered around tents and informational displays, possibly a fair or exhibition.

 

2025

People listening to a presentation about soil health at an outdoor exhibit with informational posters and a small model display.
Supervisors Paul Mahlow and John Mobbs talking about the principles of soil health
A group of people outdoors near a red building, watching a demonstration with farming equipment and a tent in the background.
Supervisor Wes Evans demonstrating how rainfall affects different types of managed soil
A group of men at an agricultural booth with soil and plant display, discussing soil health and conservation practices.
Supervisors Joel Noland and Richard Meyer advocating for a healthy soil!
A group of people listen to a man in a cowboy hat speaking outdoors near a red building labeled "Jeep Findlay Arena."
Rainfall demonstration
Outdoor booth with informative flyers, a spinning wheel, and a banner for Kootenai Shoshone Soil and Water Conservation District.
Julie Lakatos with the Bonner Soil & Water Conservation District
Outdoor booth with a spinning wheel game. People interacting, brochures available on drinking water protection.
Allie Rauch with the Benewah Soil & Water Conservation District
People listening to a presentation about soil health at an outdoor exhibit with informational posters and a small model display.
A group of people outdoors near a red building, watching a demonstration with farming equipment and a tent in the background.
A group of men at an agricultural booth with soil and plant display, discussing soil health and conservation practices.
A group of people listen to a man in a cowboy hat speaking outdoors near a red building labeled "Jeep Findlay Arena."
Outdoor booth with informative flyers, a spinning wheel, and a banner for Kootenai Shoshone Soil and Water Conservation District.
Outdoor booth with a spinning wheel game. People interacting, brochures available on drinking water protection.