EARLVILLE – Farming has changed in the last 40 years, and the need conserve topsoil has been pushed to the forefront with ironically groundbreaking techniques that lead to less ground being broke. LaSalle County Soil and Water Conservation District’s Farm Family of the Year was announced last week, and Earlville area farmer Carl Zimmerman and family were honored for their commitment to cover crops and erosion mitigation methods. Zimmerman said there has been a push since the 1970’s for no-till farming for soil conservation, but in the last decade, the emphasis has moved to preventing nitrogen fertilizer run-off from getting into streams and rivers. Seven years ago they began involving a cover crop program with their regular corn and soybean farming operation, planting cereal rye after corn in the fall, and then planting soybeans through the standing rye in the spring.
“It was a surprise to win” Zimmerman said, “We didn’t get into no-till farming and cover crops to try to earn awards, but it is nice to be recognized for putting in the time and the effort to try to change our farming practices to be more environmentally conscience and to do what is right for the soil”
The Zimmerman family have been farming in LaSalle County since 1966. Carl, with his wife Monica and son Clay, farm along side Clay’s father Larry.
