Like any business, farmers do a lot of paperwork. This time of year, in addition to caring for our animals and producing milk for the cheese factory down the road, we’re also busy submitting information to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Caring for the land is our priority and we keep careful daily, weekly and quarterly records about how we add nutrients to the soil, transport and store manure and maintain our water lines. We know that keeping close tabs on these important environmental issues ensures that the land, air and water on and near our farm stays pure for everyone to enjoy.
Our record keeping shows how we rotate our crops for the optimal health of the soil and apply manure, nature’s fertilizer, at the proper rate. We also make sure that we protect the soil from erosion to maintain the fertile land that we’ve been blessed with.
Filing paperwork is one thing, but we also develop good relationships with the folks at our regional DNR who help us monitor all of this information and protect the environment. They come through periodically, unannounced, and we’re always there to answer questions and show them the latest on how we’re caring for the land.
It’s tax time for all of us, but this extra load of paperwork comes at the same time of year. It’s a lot of work but we’re glad to do it to help ensure that our land stays healthy for generations to come.