At the April 17, 2025 General Membership Meeting, Eric Oppermann and David Wetenkamp of Manitowoc County Soil and Water presented “A Look at Sustainable Agriculture in Our County.”
Download a PDF of their presentation here.
A look at the Between the Lakes Demonstration Farms Network.
The Between the Lakes Demonstration Farm Network promotes sustainable farming practices to protect water resources. They are a network of farmers testing and demonstrating the best conservation practices to reduce phosphorus, nitrates, and sediment entering the Great Lakes Basin. Learn about the farmers and their practices including no-till farming, cover crops, and low-disturbance manure applications, which reduce erosion, improve soil health, and cut back on fertilizer and herbicide use. The network, spanning across four counties, relies on collaboration and education, hosting field days and farmer-to-farmer meetings to share best practices. See BLTdemofarm.org for more information.
- They are doing what they can to keep manure on the fields and not in the water.
- Cover crops and no-till practices are very common.
- Grass waterways are another common practice. When they are completed they should last at least 15 years. 6 have recently been done by Carstens Lake and another by Hartlaub Lake
- Harvestable Buffer is a new practice. A buffer was installed on Silver Creek.
Wetland restoration and prairie strips are being done. One was done by the Pine Creek watershed. Two were done on CTH Q and they are looking at completing one by the Cedar Lake boat landing area.
Lakes phosphorus monitoring and charting is continuing. It was a little higher in 2024 due to the wet conditions in June of 2024.
Healthy Lakes and Rivers has a great program for private buffer strips. Check the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource’s website. Cost sharing of up to $1,000 may be available.
