Conservation Agriculture
Local Farmers Taking Action
Agriculture accounts for 76% of land use in our watershed. That means local farmers are critical partners in protecting our water from pollution!
Through our Soil Health Initiative, TWF provides experienced conservationists, technical assistance, and cost-sharing opportunities to help farmers improve soil health, increase profit and sustainability, and protect water quality through practices that keep our land green and our lakes clean.
HEALTHY SOILS, CLEAN WATER
Our Soil Health Initiative focuses on a complete conservation farming system, including core practices like no-till planting, cover crops, nutrient and pest management, buffers, and permanent projects such as sediment control basins. These practices increase productivity, decrease production costs, and keep nutrients where they belong – on the land, not in the water.
Our Watershed Conservationists offer technical assistance and support to help farmers adopt and implement these practices. A Conservationist can evaluate soil health, assess natural resources, and discuss concerns and project opportunities. These visits are informal, free of charge, and require no commitment from the landowner.
TWF also offers funding assistance – up to 80% cost-share! To be eligible for technical assistance and cost-sharing, land must be located in the Upper Tippecanoe River Watershed.
LEARN MORE
- Explore our interactive project map to see conservation farming at work across the watershed.
- Hear from Sherm Bryant, Matt Roberts, and other farmers taking action for our land and lakes.
- Are you a farmer? We offer seasonal opportunities to learn and connect with other ag professionals. Read about our annual Farmer Breakfast here, and stay tuned for upcoming events!
TWF Watershed Conservationists
To discuss project opportunities on your land, contact a TWF Watershed Conservationist or call 574-834-3242.
Scott Zeigler (left)
(260) 894-0560
Brad Clayton (right)
(574) 528-0968
Success Stories
Since 1997, The Watershed Foundation has supported hundreds of conservation projects on farms throughout the Upper Tippecanoe River Watershed. Take a look at some successful projects below, and learn more about the farmers protecting local land and water for future generations.
The Wilcoxsons' Story
Dale and Nedra Wilcoxson run a small beef cattle operation in Kosciusko County. Their 70-acre property includes grazing and hay pastures as well as protected forest, prairie, and wetland habitat. The Wilcoxsons worked with TWF and IDEM to plant more pasture and hay land, implement rotational grazing, and keep the cows out of nearby Deed’s Creek with strategic fencing.
“The better the farmer takes care of the land, the better the land takes care of the farmer,” Dale says.
The Rhoades' Story
Dean Rhoades and his family manage 450 acres of row crops, 80 acres of hay, and a small beef herd in Kosciusko County. Rhoades Farm, LLC carries a proud family legacy of conservation ethics. Through a combination of no-till planting, cover crops, grassed waterways, and water and sediment control basins, Dean and his family build soil health and keep nutrients on their fields and out of local waterways.
Dean says cover crops and other practices have “been in the theme of our operation through the generations.”
Jim Argerbright's Story
Jim Argerbright owns 175 acres of farm land in Whitley County, managing the land with other farmers and basing his decisions on what’s good for the land and for the bottom line. Jim uses a comprehensive conservation farming approach, including cover crops, no-till planting, water and sediment control basins, nutrient and pest management, and wetland creation and restoration.
“We’ve got to have grain fields and we’ve got to have [wetlands],” Jim says.
Steve Western's Story
Steve Western manages 300 acres of row crops, 200 acres of hay and pasture, and a herd of 35-50 beef cattle in Whitley County. To protect soil from compaction and erosion and nearby waterways from pollution, Steve worked with TWF and other partners to implement a comprehensive conservation plan. Projects included livestock fencing, streambank stabilization, a stream crossing, cover crops, and more.
While these projects and practices have been “a learning experience,” Steve says, “it has worked out really well.”
To see conservation farming at work across the watershed, check out our project map at healthysoilscleanwater.org.
