Horse & Livestock Services

It's no small task to care for horses and livestock. Whether they're your passion or your business, you no doubt want to keep them happy and healthy, while optimizing the amount of work and time you spend on their care. WICD is available to help you manage your land and the animals on it. Our natural resource planners can work with you on:

• Improved chore efficiency
• Mud management
• Manure management
• Pasture management

Depending on your need, we can provide you with resources via email or phone consultation, site visits, and, in some instances, farm or animal waste management or nutrient management plans. Questions about the farm plan process? Check out this publication here. Request assistance in the form below - and note that since we are a free and voluntary agency, many utilize our services and we often have a waitlist for these services.​

Ready to get started?

Request Assistance

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What to Expect When Requesting Assistance from the Whidbey Island Conservation District

• Our services are free and voluntary, so lots of folks love to work with us, and we look forward to working with you! 
• We have 2 staff who assist with satisfying client requests
• We assist requests in the order that they are received
• Please allow for 2 weeks for an initial reply
• General info requests take approximately 1 month to respond to
• New site visit requests to properties are on a 6-month waitlist currently
• Farm, animal, and waste management plans are on a 1-year waitlist currently​​

Click to be redirected to a real-time opportunity to receive expedited and streamlined planning and financial assistance for your ag land. For eligible Whidbey Island producers only.

Horse & Livestock

​ Resources

Click a Tab Below for More Resources:

All livestock resources

Agriculture in Island County Code
​Note that if your property is located within an Urban Growth Area (UGA), such as a municipality like the City of Oak Harbor, Town of Coupeville, or City of Langley, then you will need to reference the municipal code for that UGA instead of this.

• Island County Zoning (Land Use) Code Chapter 17.03 – Knowing what is and isn't allowed agricultural uses on your property in Island County, and which require permits or not, is an important part of managing your land.
  • Starter references in understanding the code:
  • User Guide, Definitions, Land Use Standards, Critical Areas, Land Use Tables
• Island County - Critical Areas & Agriculture
• ​​Exhibit B - Agricultural Best Management Practices and Exemptions for RA & CA Zoned Properties with Existing & Ongoing Agriculture​

Working with the Conservation District

• ​Six Ways Your District Can Help
• ​​10 Ways Conservation Districts Can Help You
• Farm Planning Overview
• Becoming a Conservation Partner
• ​​Puget Sound Conservation Districts Small Acreage Farm Services

Getting Started on Your Property

• Tips Guide to Puget Sound Rural Living
• Tips for a Successful Horse Farm​
• USDA's NRCS Five Steps to Assistance
• ​​Livestock Management & Water Quality​
• Open Space Taxation Act - Tax Incentives for Ag Land
• Planning the Future of Your Farm
• ​Small Scale Solutions for Your Farm - NRCS

​​
Pasture Management​​

• Grazing Stick Instructions & Video
• ​​Managing Healthy Pastures Guide from Clallam CD
• Pasture & Hayland Renovation
• Haymaking on the Westside
• Common Grasses, Legumes & Forbs of Western WA & OR
• Pasture Calendar for Oregon & Washington
• ​​Pasture for Profit - A Guide to Rotational Grazing
• Common Forage Grass ID (for the NE US, but also applicable here)
• ​Estimating Initial Stocking Rates
• Determining the Grazing Capacity of Your Pasture
• ​​​USDA's Animal Unit Equivalents & Pasture Production Info
• ​Weights & Measures of Common Feed
• Fall Pasture Management
• Late Summer - Fall Pasture Tips
• Designing a Grazing System
• Pasture Fertilizer Guide
• ​Pasture Weed Control
• ​​Liming for Pastures
• The Low-Down on Lime
• ​​​Fence Planning for Horses
• ​Fences for Horses
• ​Fence Planning with Wildlife in Mind

Soil Testing & Soil Building

• Webinar: Soils & Geology of Our Area
• Soil Sampling Basics One-Pager
• The How-To of Soil Sampling - WSU Extension Puyallup​
• ​​Learning About Soil Texture Exercise
• Soil Sample Collection Guide
• Soil Test Interpretation Guide
• ​​Soil Testing & Soil Improvement Resource List
• Soil Testing Labs - Performance Assessment Program Approved Directory
• Sampling Manure & Compost for Nutrient Analysis
• Certified Manure Testing Labs Directory - Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture 
• ​​​​Small Farm Composting Guide
• ​Manure Application Risk Management Tool for WA
• Introduction to Web Soil Survey Resources
• Soil Fertility in Organic Systems 
• ​Home Gardener's Guide to Soils & Fertilizers
• ​Building Soils for Better Crops
• ​The How-To of Soil Sampling - WSU Extension Puyallup​

​
Mud & Manure Management

• ​Small Farm Composting Guide
• Mud & Manure Management Resources for Small Farms
• ​Manure Application Risk Management Tool for WA
• ​Sampling Manure & Compost for Nutrient Analysis
• Certified Manure Testing Labs Directory - Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture ​
• Sacrifice Areas
• ​​Constructing a Heavy Use Area Guide
• ​​​Example Heavy Use Area Design
• Livestock Yards & Manure Storage Areas on Small Acreage

​​
  Livestock Health & Wellness

• Protect Your Horses & Livestock from Toxic Plants
• ​​Livestock Resources for Small Farms - OSU
• ​Matching Hay Quality with Animal Nutrient Requirements
• Integrated Parasite Management for Livestock

​Water Management - Testing, Irrigation, Catchment, etc.

• Analytical Laboratories Directory for Water Quality Testing​
• ​Cisterns for Rainwater Catchment
• ​Rainwater Collection Rules & Calculators - WA Dept. of Ecology
• Irrigation Management Basics
• Drip Irrigation for Your Yard & Garden
• Determining Your Irrigation Schedule
• ​AgWeatherNet Irrigation Scheduler Mobile
• Irrigation Management Online Tool
• ​Troy Peters contact - WSU Extension Irrigation Specialist
• Micro Irrigation System Maintenance

​Water Rights​

• Washington Water Rights Introduction
• Landowners Guide to Washington Water Rights
• Washington Water Rights Map
• Presentation on Island County Water Rights & Hydrogeology 2019
• New Water Right Application & Permits
• Request for Info on Existing Water Right

Livestock Disposal

• WSDA Livestock Disposal Manual

Livestock Resources by Animal

• WSU Extension Livestock Advisor Program

• Sheep & Goats Resources
• ​Poultry & Rabbits Resources
• Beef Cattle Resources
• ​Dairy Resources
• Pigs/​Swine Resources
• Commercial Fishing, Crabbing & Clamming Resources

For financial assistance resources, look on our Farm & Ag page.

• ​

horse specific resources

Agriculture in Island County Code
​Note that if your property is located within an Urban Growth Area (UGA), such as a municipality like the City of Oak Harbor, Town of Coupeville, or City of Langley, then you will need to reference the municipal code for that UGA instead of this.

• Island County Zoning (Land Use) Code Chapter 17.03 – Knowing what is and isn't allowed agricultural uses on your property in Island County, and which require permits or not, is an important part of managing your land.
  • Starter references in understanding the code:
  • User Guide, Definitions, Land Use Standards, Critical Areas, Land Use Tables
• Island County - Critical Areas & Agriculture
• ​​Exhibit B - Agricultural Best Management Practices and Exemptions for RA & CA Zoned Properties with Existing & Ongoing Agriculture​

Working with the Conservation District

• Six Ways Your District Can Help
• ​​10 Ways Conservation Districts Can Help You
• Farm Planning Overview
• Becoming a Conservation Partner
• ​​Puget Sound Conservation Districts Small Acreage Farm Services

Getting Started​ on Your Property

• Tips Guide to Puget Sound Rural Living
• ​​USDA's NRCS Five Steps to Assistance
• Healthy Horses, Clean Water - A Comprehensive Guide
• Managing Small Acreage Horse Farms
• Tips for a Successful Horse Farm​
• Six Steps to Improve Your Farm
• ​​Livestock Management & Water Quality​​
• ​Horse Resources for Small Farms - OSU

Pasture Management

• ​​Grazing Stick Instructions & Video
• Basic Pasture Management for the Equine Owner​
• Managing Healthy Pastures Guide from Clallam CD
• Pasture Management Guide for Horses
• ​​Pasture & Hayland Renovation
• ​Haymaking on the Westside
• ​​​​​Nutrient Management for Pastures - Western OR & WA
• Pasture & Livestock Essentials
• Pasture for Profit - A Guide to Rotational Grazing
• Common Forage Grass ID (for the NE US, but also applicable here)
• ​Estimating Initial Stocking Rates
• Determining the Grazing Capacity of Your Pasture
• ​Weights & Measures of Common Feed
• Five Tips for Spring Pastures
• Pasture Calendar for Oregon & Washington
• Fall Pasture Management
• Late Summer - Fall Pasture Tips
• Designing a Grazing System
• ​​Grazing Plan Workbook & Manual
• ​Fence Planning for Horses
• ​Fences for Horses
• ​​​​Liming for Pastures
• The Low-Down on Lime

Soil Testing & Soil Building

• Soil Sampling Basics One-Pager
• The How-To of Soil Sampling - WSU Extension Puyallup​
• Building Soils for Better Crops
• Soil Sample Collection Guide
• Soil Test Interpretation Guide
• Introduction to Web Soil Survey Resources
• Soil Fertility in Organic Systems 
• ​Home Gardener's Guide to Soils & Fertilizers
• ​​Soil Testing & Soil Improvement Resource List

Mud & Manure Management

• ​Small Farm Composting Guide
• Sacrifice Areas
• Track Paddocks
• ​Constructing a Heavy Use Area Guide
• ​Example Heavy Use Area Design
• Mud & Manure Management Resources for Small Farms
• Bedding and Manure Management

Livestock Health & Wellness

• Protect Your Horses & Livestock from Toxic Plants
• ​​Livestock Resources for Small Farms - OSU
• ​Matching Hay Quality with Animal Nutrient Requirements
• Integrated Parasite Management for Livestock

​Water Rights​

• Washington Water Rights Introduction
• Landowners Guide to Washington Water Rights
• Washington Water Rights Map
• Presentation on Island County Water Rights & Hydrogeology 2019
• New Water Right Application & Permits
• Request for Info on Existing Water Right

​Livestock Disposal

• WSDA Livestock Disposal Manual

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Farm & Agriculture Starter Series

Are you fresh to the field of agriculture or ranching? Or are you wishing to get back in touch with some skills or resources you haven't seen for years? Not sure where to start? Look no further than our Starter Series - these three will get you started on learning about our conservation planning services, and our roles and yours in the planning process.

Learn more here.

Learn more here.

Learn more here.

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Learn About Farm Planning on Video 

Learn about our Farm Planning services from Natural Resource Planner Kelsi Mottet and landowner Jessica Aws.

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Sound Horsekeeping Videos

Horse Health

Composting Manure Basics

Pasture Management

Winter Paddocks

Composting Manure

Soil Testing

Pasture Management

Pasture Liming Video

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