Olmsted County couple honored
By Janet Kubat Willette
jkubat@agrinews.com
Date Modified: 02/02/2012 9:14 AM
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STEWARTVILLE, Minn. — A grassed waterway was the first conservation practice Joe and Jane Himmer ever installed.
Since then, they have installed a smorgasbord of other practices on their Olmsted County land.
"You have to be good stewards," Joe said.
The Stewartville couple were recognized for their conservation ethic as Olmsted County's 2011 Outstanding Conservationists.
"I was pleasantly surprised," Himmer said. "It was a nice honor, a very nice honor."
They and other county winners were honored in early December at the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts annual meeting.
It was fun and interesting to listen to the short presentations on each winner, he said. Some people put a lot of money and planning into a whole farm conservation plan. Cities and other groups were honored for their work as well.
Skip Langer, district technician for the Olmsted County Soil and Water Conservation District, said the Himmers were selected for the honor in recognition of their conservation tradition.
"Joe has a long history of doing conservation," Langer said.
Himmer did some of the original contour buffer strips in the county in 2001. The 15 foot or 30 foot strips of grass are located between Himmer's fields of corn and soybeans, which are also planted on the contour. Contour buffer strips break up the erosive nature of slopes, Langer said.
The practice is cost shared through the Continuous Conservation Reserve Program.
Himmer has several grassed waterways, installed to save the soil, a legacy he learned from his father. He has buffers along streams that are tributaries of the Root River.
Himmer took advantage of the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program to install a 12 foot deep embankment pond in a former pasture. The area has natural springs and was always wet, Himmer said, recalling how cattle would sink when walking through.
Now, the pond attracts wildlife, including pesky muskrats who burrow away at an island about 40 feet from shore. He included the island in the pond plans hoping waterfowl would nest there. Each spring, a pair of geese nest on the island and rear their young on the pond.
In the uplands, the Himmers planted native grasses and wildflowers in 2002 and 2003. Below the pond they planted 500 trees and shrubs. The swamp oak is growing the best, Himmer said.
Deer, wild turkeys and even a few pheasants take refuge in the grasses, shrubs and trees.
He burns the native grasses and wildflowers, which helps regenerate the plants. He keeps in touch with the conservation office for ideas and advice.
"Anytime you have an idea ... they'll help you any way they can," Himmer said.
Langer said Himmer is very willing to do his part to ensure conservation practices succeed. He takes pride and ownership in the practices installed on his land, Langer said.
Himmer said the cost share dollars offered through federal and state conservation programs help get conservation on the ground. If the dollars weren't there and farmers had to pay for entire projects themselves, projects may be delayed or put off entirely.
"Throughout the countryside you wouldn't see all the embankment ponds and wildflowers without it," Himmer said.