Stelling Land and Cattle are Farm Conservationists of the Year
by Deja Anton
Todd Soil and Water
Conservation District Manager
What can one say to a man when he tells you there are far more qualified farmers besides his family farm who deserve the Farm Conservationist Award from Todd County Soil and Water Conservation District?
The Stellings didn’t even respond to their award letter at first assuming that we would find someone more worthy.
Yes, there are others out there, Tim, for sure. More deserving, though? We beg to differ.
Each and every member of the Stelling family has made significant contributions to agriculture, and as far as conservationists…they are certainly outliers, promoting soil health, not only in Todd County but across the entire state of Minnesota.
But, experts, they are not; nor do they claim to be.
When it comes to soil health, you need something like an I.E.P., an Individualized Earth Plan, structured for your little pocket of the country and county and for each of your individual fields. This plan needs to factor in the soils (the OM, the pH, the soil biology), the terrain, the wind patterns, the precipitation trends, and the crops and livestock that you grow—not to mention your management style and equipment on hand. . .