6 minute read
How to Steward the Farm
IBA Environmental Steward of the Year award winners, Aaron McManaway and his family, use resources of both family and land to prepare for the next generation.
by Olivia Hoots
Those making their living as stewards of land and livestock have often been asked one specific question. When did you know you wanted to do what you are doing today? For IBA Environmental Steward of the Year Winner, Aaron McManaway, who won the award alongside his family, only his mother, Rhonda McManaway, can give the most honest answer. She remembers her father buying Aaron a little pedal tractor – you know the one – similar enough in looks to a real tractor, but small enough to make little ones believe they are really making a big difference because it is “just their size.”
“He would go out and try to farm in the ground dad was farming on, he would have something behind him, peddling through the dirt,” Rhonda says. “We have pictures of him out hauling manure and trying to shovel. He has always loved the farm.”
The beginning of Aaron and his family’s journey to how they raise cattle today is like many in Illinois. He had his first cow-calf pair just out of high school, but it took a little while to start his own operation. The farm where they are today has always been a family operation, dating back to the 1920s when their family bought a farm across from the land they own now.
Rhonda remembers a variety of breeds the operation cared for throughout its history, from red cattle in 1945 to Angus, and now finally Sim-Angus today.
Aaron’s aunt and uncle, Marty and Butch Poynter-Barnes joined the farm about forty years ago.
Marty spoke with her father year’s ago about the future of the farm. “Aaron is looking to buy some land; why don’t we sell him the pasture?” she said in speaking with her dad.
Now, the operation manages 50-80 cows, 750 acres for row crop and 150 acres which Marty and Butch bale, plus 150 acres of pasture land. Aaron and Marty own and take care of the land together.
“It needed to stay in the family, and that is what dad wanted more than anything,” Marty says.
The transition toward Aaron having a more prominent role in the operation brought with it changes in land and grass management.
Fence upgrades and rotational grazing came when Aaron “took over.” He desired to pursue some environmental stewardship programs and manage his cattle while also managing the grass, such as with the USDA Environmental Quality Incentives Program.
He started their breeding program in 2012 bringing in Simmental genetics and some specific electric fencing projects. They worked with Bonner Fence Company to install high tensile fencing on the environmental stewardship side of the operation.
There are also a few practices they have used to help conserve the quality of the land. They currently take soil samples of all the pasture and hay ground, have a fertilizer program to give a kick start to the grass and manage manure to utilize in the row crop operation. Another program allowed them to keep animals out of highly erodible areas.
“If the generational passing of the torch does not continue to conserve their land to be able to take care of the land, watch for erosion, add waterways where they are needed and take cattle out of highly erodible areas as needed, I do worry about what it will look like a generation or two past me,” Aaron says. “I think that was the inspiration for using the rotational grazing.”
Rotational grazing has improved their overall efficiency. Benefits include a decreased number of flies and the ability to clip and treat areas when cattle are grazing another area.
“I firmly believe that rotational grazing, the clipping and manicuring of the pastures has helped with a lot of other issues we would historically have in our cattle, especially in the heat of the summer,” he says.
In terms of genetics, Aaron credits the Alwardts’ Diamond A genetics. He says brothers, Justin and Tyler have guided him when choosing replacement heifers.
Aaron knew the Alwardts from being a part of the same community and attending church together, but their relationship in the cattle business started when Aaron was looking for advice. They would help him make culling decisions and help him choose replacement females.
“We always knew what he was looking for and tried to steer him in the right direction,” Tyler Alwardt says. “Every year they get better and better.”
According to Tyler, Aaron’s herd is almost to the point of problem free in terms of utter and hoof quality, giving Aaron a really strong herd.
In managing the day-to-day operation, Marty and Butch look over the crops, tillage and grass, while Aaron’s mom and dad, Rhonda and Cleo, Aaron’s dad, help feed heifers and move cows from pasture to pasture in the summertime. Aaron also has a full-time job with Winfield United, so he is very appreciative of the work his family member’s give. Even so, work on the farm is his favorite escape.
“Aaron does a lot of telling us what needs to be done,” Marty says. She’s happy living this life doing what she has always wanted to do.
Everyone is pleased Aaron was willing to succeed his family, and even more pleased with the improvements to prepare the farm for the next generation.
“I am glad to see my kids all close and interested in farm life,” Rhonda says. “They thanked us for bringing them back to the farm.”
Aaron acknowledges and contributes his own success to each of them. The opportunities they gave him make him think of his own family – his wife of 25 years, Mindie, and their three kids, Ellie(19), Aiden(17) and Cooper(13), who also works with the Alwardts – each of which give him a strong outlook for the future.
“We are watching the small family farms disappear, but in the county where I live there is still a passion to keep the family farms alive,” Aaron says. “Knowing my father and mother, and aunts and uncles, grew up on farms, I have made it my passion to keep this going and to have the same opportunities for my own children, nieces and nephews.”
