PAGE 1B
Serving rural Benton County, Morrison, Mille Lacs & Kanabec counties.
BENTON AG Plus
Sauk Rapids Herald
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016
Schlichtings named Benton County Outstanding Conservation Cooperators of the Year Farm management practices preserve land by JENNIFER COYNE STAFF WRITER
RICE – When Rick Schlichting’s grandmother emigrated from Poland and cultivated the land near Rice, it was the beginning of a longstanding family farm that puts passion and purpose at the forefront – passion for the food produced and purpose to live sustainably. On Dec. 6, the Benton County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) will honor Rick and his wife, Marlene, as the 2016 Outstanding Conservation Cooperators of the Year for their soil and water conservation efforts at Schlichting Farms. “It’s nice to be recognized,” Rick said. “We’ve always done practices on our own [to preserve the land], but have been under the radar.” Rick and Marlene farm 6,300 acres of land, growing, PHOTO BY JENNIFER COYNE potatoes, corn, kidney beans Rick and Marlene Schlichting are the 2016 Benton County Outstanding Conservation Cooperators of the Year for their efforts and alfalfa, and also raise to conserve water and soil on their farm near Rice. The Schlichtings plant several cover crops including turnips, radishes, nearly 20,000 hogs in a farclover and rye.
row-to-Ànish operation. Additionally, Rick manages Prairie Farm Company with his aunt, Diane Wojtanowicz. The Schlichtings Àrst implemented conservation practices on their farm in the early ‘70s to reduce erosion and retain nutrients commonly found in the sandy soils of central Minnesota. “The soil in our area is very conducive for bean production and potatoes,” Rick said. “But when we Àrst started, we could hardly grow anything and had to Ànd a way to salvage the land.” With Àeld hedges of pine, chokecherry, crab apple, pin cherry trees and also high bush cranberries, the Schlichtings created natural buffer strips and wind breaks. Within the Àelds, themselves, the Schlichtings incorporated cover cropping into their farming practices, which has not only helped with soil erosion but also improved organic matter. “We found we could do just as good or better with cover crops,” Rick said. “We’ve been able to produce more off the soil in 30 years than we could if we didn’t use cover crops.” After each potato and edible bean harvest, Rick plants winter rye as a cover crop. Schlichtings continued on pg. 2B
Farming hunters Steve and Tim Scapanski balance time on farm, in woods by ANNA SALDANA STAFF WRITER
SAUK RAPIDS – Packing the guns, gear and essentials can take time. After all, you wouldn’t want to forget something for a weekend in the woods. Many people travel to their favorite hunting spot on opening weekend, climbing into the deer stand before dawn in hopes of shooting a big buck. Hunting season for Tim and Steve Scapanski is different, because they also need to take care of their dairy farm. “We’ve never hunted up Scapanski continued on pg. 3B
PHOTO BY ANNA SALDANA
(Front, from left)Adam Scapanski and Anthony Scapanski; (back, from left) Michael Lentner, Daniel Scapanski, Patrick Scapanski, Eric Scapanski, Steve Scapanski and Tim Scapanski all hunt together in the woods near Steve and Tim’s farm.