Benton Ag Plus - September 2, 2017

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Serving rural Benton County, Morrison, Mille Lacs & Kanabec Counties.

BENTON AG Plus

Sauk Rapids Herald

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2017

Sustainability carries into next generation Schlichtings named Benton County Farm Family of the Year BY NATASHA BARBER STAFF WRITER

RICE — When the Schlichting and Wojtanowicz families began planting cover crops in the 1970s, agricultural sustainability was a concept in its infancy. Although the implementation strategies have changed over time, the concept has never wavered. Now, more than 40 years later, Rick and his wife, Marlene, in partnership with his aunt, Diane Wojtanowicz, uphold the same sustainable principals on their 6,300-acre farm that were established long ago. Because of their continued focus on environmentalism, research and education at Prairie Potato Company, the Schlichtings were named 2017 Benton County Farm Family of the year at Farmfest Aug. 3 in Redwood Falls. “It feels great,” Rick said of the award. “It’s good to be recognized. We’ve always tried to do a good job.” The Schlichtings, who were also named the 2016

Outstanding Conservation Cooperators by the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, have participated in many best management practices and trials, both on their own and as part of research executed by the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Benton Soil and Water Conservation District and Helena Chemical Company. “We’re doing a lot of work with [the different agencies] to establish some sort of background of what is good and what is not good,” said Rick, who grows Russet Burbank potatoes, kidney beans, alfalfa, corn and a mixture of cover crops that nurture and secure the soil. The family has also invested land in the national Conservation Reserve Program and has restored some property to the natural prairies that previously surrounded the Rice area. The stewardship efforts the Schlichtings have put forth is commonly found in other agricultural practices, Rick said.

PHOTO BY NATASHA BARBER

Jocelyn Schlichting-Hicks and her parents, Rick and Marlene Schlichting, stand near an edible bean Àeld Aug. 11 in Rice. The Schlichtings were named the 2017 Benton County Farm Family of the Year for their contributions to the ag community.

“The industry itself has changed tremendously in the last 20 years, and I think it is across the board. The technology available makes it much easier to micro manage the land.” Rick said. “I think you would be hard-pressed to Ànd a farmer who does not have sustainability in the back of his or her mind. I

don’t know how you could be a farmer without being a good steward of the land.” In addition to crop farming, the Schlichtings own a substantial hog operation. “I started when I was 16,” Rick said. “I got six sows from my neighbor and had to give him 12 40-pounders back when they farrowed for the

Àrst time.” The Schlichtings now raise nearly 30,000 pigs from farrow to Ànish each year. The sows are bred on a rotational cycle, where approximately one third of the sows are giving birth or tending to their young at any given time. The family raises the animals to roughly 270 pounds before

selling them on contract. The hog operation is only one portion of the business that keeps the Schlichtings busy when the Àelds are dormant during the winter months. From harvest until planting, the family and employees are solidifying future sales contracts, preparing Ànancials, shipping potatoes from storage facilities under the direction of Rick’s brother-in-law Dan Gottwalt and tending to machinery maintenance. “As soon as they put the harvesters away, they pretty much pull the planters out and start working on them,” said Marlene, who administers accounts. Rick and Marlene are also involved with numerous agricultural organizations where they can provide their input and expertise. They both serve as part of the Project Advisory Team for the Department of Natural Resources Little Rock Creek Area Sustainable Groundwater Use Plan; Marlene is the treasurer of the Upper Mississippi Irrigators Association and played a role in converting the paper irrigation checkbook method to a manageable computer application; and Rick is the Benton County representative on Schlichtings: page 4B

A top-notch 4-H weekend

Popp selected as grand champion of Jersey show BY JENNIFER COYNE STAFF WRITER

RICE — As the 2017 Minnesota State Fair nears its end, youth from across the state are ready to return to school and fall activities, eager to share with their friends the memories made during the last few days of summer. While Nathan Popp’s attention has shifted from 4-H projects to football practice, he will not soon forget his time at the state fair when he and his 2-year-old Jersey cow, Gloria, were selected as Grand Champion of the 4-H Jersey Show Aug. 26. “When the judge said he’d go out and pick the champion, reserve champion and honorable mention, I honestly didn’t think I’d get a handshake,” said Popp, recalling the moment he was selected as the overall winner. Popp has grown up on his parents’, Larry and Renee’s, 50-cow dairy near Rice, where the family milks Jerseys and Holsteins. Over the years, Popp

has excelled in the 4-H dairy project. He showed his Àrst calf as a cloverbud and this year marked his Àfth time attending the state fair 4-H livestock encampment weekend with a dairy animal. The 17-year-old was one of the Àrst 4-H dairy exhibitors to enter the coliseum last Saturday. Popp and Gloria were one of eight entrees in the Jersey 2-year-old class. “The 2-year-old class was out Àrst, and within the class I placed Àrst,” Popp said. “It was very close between my cow and the cow in second place … they both looked nice that day.” At the end of the Jersey cow show, Popp and eight other individuals – the top two in each cow class – returned to the show ring for the selection of the overall champion. “The judge pulled out four of us who he thought were the better ones,” Popp said. “He then went through and explained what he liked about each of our cows.” Judge Bob Hagenow

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described Gloria as a stylish cow, with her frame blending nicely with her body and having a good mammary system, Popp said. “And when he came to congratulate me as the grand champion, I was completely shocked,” Popp said. Popp’s success continued as Gloria was named the top net merit animal in the Jersey show, as well as taking title of champion dairy showperson in the senior division. After taking third place at the Benton County Fair, Popp prepared Gloria for the trip to St. Paul by adjusting her diet and giving her time to transition to the move. “I was really careful with her and it showed,” Popp said. “She looked her best last Saturday.” While Popp is savoring in that dairy show and the accolades he received, he knows the 4-H dairy project is more than taking home top honors. “Getting grand champion is great … it means I worked hard and that hard work paid off,” Popp said. “As a farmer, I’m always looking to breed cows that will hopefully get PHOTO BY MARK KLAPHAKE grand champion at the state Nathan Popp and his 2-year-old Jersey cow Gloria were selected as Grand Champion of the fair – that’s the ultimate goal.” 4-H Jersey Show Aug. 26 at the Minnesota State Fair.

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