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Ohio Conservation Customers
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"I'm a rare and endangered species," Mike Altstaetter jokes of
himself when he explained how he, once an urbanite, picked up and moved
to the country to become a farmer. In 1977, thirty years ago, this
migration was an even rarer occurrence than it is today. However,
with his wife's background growing up on a dairy farm, he thought he'd
give farming a try. He decided to purchase 155 acres of pasture in
Logan, County, Ohio.
 Rotational
Grazing Protects the Land
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Steve Jacks loves the outdoors. As he drives around his Logan
County property, he can tell you the history of the wetlands, trees,
grasses, and wildlife seen throughout the years. He speaks from a
place of knowledge, having worked as a wildlife officer in the Ohio
Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division for most of his adult
life. Now retired, Jacks does work part-time planting native
grasses for Pheasants Forever.
Wetlands
and Native Grasses
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Tom Koenig owns a well established farm operation in Madison County,
Ohio, working nearly 5000 acres of row crops. His love of farming
was instilled in his son Will, a young farmer who attended college to
learn more about the farming business. While the Koenigs conduct a
fairly traditional farming operation, their innovation and commitment to
the environment is leading them down some interesting paths.
Innovation
and Conservation on the Farm
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A forty-year history of conservation planning is documented on the
120 acre farm purchased by Carol O'Brien in southeast Logan County in
1964. The first basic conservation plan, to determine soil types
and the best use of the land, was completed by the Logan County SWCD in
1968. Today, approximately 100 of the 120 acres are enrolled in
various conservation programs.
Forty
Years of Conservation
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Dave Schutz is a truck driver who lives with his wife Gaylene in
northern Hardin County. They own a home which lies at the bottom
of a 60 acre watershed that is planted to corn this year. While
plentiful rains were good for the surrounding crops, it became a problem
for the Schutz's because the water runoff traveled across their yard to
reach the drainage ditch, occasionally filling their basement with 6
feet of water.
Simple
Solutions to Water Management Problems
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Before his untimely death in 2007, Mark Simpson visited the Highland
County NRCS office to get help with his grazing operation. The
single pasture used to graze h is 50 red limousine beef cattle had
become depleted. Mark wanted to utilize more of his 300 acres as
pasture but lacked fencing. The Appalachia Special EQIP project
was created for people like Mark and his wife Kim who have limited
financial resources.
Family
Farming Continues With Conservation Assistance
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One look at the idyllic homestead created by the Weller family of
Putnam County, Ohio, gives the visitor an immediate impression of the
Weller's love of the land. Colorful plantings, a stocked pond, and
purple martin houses serve as a haven for wildlife in the foreground,
with lush cropland beyond. A barn and other out buildings complete
the homestead where Arden Weller's family has lived for over 130 years.
Wetlands
and Wildlife
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Contact:
Christina Coulon,
Public Affairs Specialist
Natural Resources Conservation Service
200 N. High Street, Room 522
Columbus, OH 43215
Telephone: (614) 255-2471
FAX: (614) 255-2549
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