BUTLER COUNTY, Ohio – Alan and Rachel Mehl were recognized by the Ohio Department of Agriculture as a 2023 Conservation Farm Family. They, along with four other families, received their award at the Farm Science Review.

Alan Mehl has been farming “since I was old enough to be in my dad’s shadow,” he said.

“By second grade I was driving tractors,” he said. “My first experience of plowing was, dad had two tractors. He put me on a little 8N Ford with a two-bottom plow and he told me to follow him. He was always right there if I got in trouble.”

Mehl went into dairy farming with his brother when he left the Army in 1968 after serving in the Vietnam War. He soon decided that wasn’t the life for him. He and Rachel moved to their current farm, 125 tillable acres, about 38 years ago. Rachel grew up on a farm just down the road.

“She is my partner; we work together,” Mehl said.

Right out of the service, Mehl started reading about no-till. Everybody was still using moldboard plows but no-till appealed to him, he said.

“I just hate to see the soil erosion,” he said. “The creeks, the rivers, the lakes, they’re all brown after storms, and that’s our soil. Then, I guess since we’ve been here, I started experimenting with cover crops. Since 2012 we cover crop the whole farm, weather permitting.”

Mehl experimented with radishes and other cover crops but now uses cereal rye. He likes that it grows tall and provides a lot of biomass. He has never considered if cover crops are financially advantageous, he said. He just likes the fact that it is the right thing to do.

“The only thing that is a kind of a negative to no-till is when you replace the plow for weed control you are dependent on chemicals and you probably have to put on more chemical,” he said. “But the cereal rye helps to crowd out the weeds.”

Their farm is on one of the main routes to the state park. The Mehls work closely with Brady Smith, of the Butler Soil and Water Conservation District. Smith has put signs in the Mehl’s yard about cover crops and soil health. Visitors sometimes stop and ask about farming practices, especially when the cereal rye is tall and green in the winter.

“Alan and Rachel’s conservation activities include 125 acres of cover crops, nearly four acres of waterways, 27 acres of wildlife habitat, 125 acres of conservation tillage, a conservation plan, no-till, and subsurface drainage,” Smith said. “Both of them have been a pleasure to work with.”

They are very passionate about the practices they do on their property and how it impacts the local waterways and Acton Lake, Smith explained. The couple are aware of the research that Miami University has been doing at that lake.

“Alan is concerned about agriculture and how the public perceives agriculture,” Smith said.

The other Conservation Farm Families honored were:

Arden and Kay Weller, Weller Farms, Putnam County, farm 400 acres of soybeans, wheat and alfalfa. They also manage 88 acres of forest. Their conservation practices include 100 acres of cover crops, 250 acres undergoing crop rotation, waterways, 8.5 acres of filter strips, 45 acres of wetland restoration and development, 250 acres under a nutrient management plan, wildlife habitat, drainage water management, 250 acres of conservation tillage, 88 acres under forestry management, and four large wetlands. Weller Farms has 1,415 feet of two-stage ditch that is showcased to other farmers for field days. Arden has passed away, but was described as, “a true steward of the land.”

Fred and Jason Workman, Twin Oak Farms, Ashland County, farm 475 acres of corn, soybeans and hay. They also run a 120-head beef cow operation and a 150-head background/replacement calf operation. Conservation activities include 200 acres of cover crops, 300 acres utilizing crop rotation, waterways, filter strips, 10 acres of livestock exclusion fencing, 345 acres under a nutrient management plan, a grazing management plan, 100 acres undergoing rotational grazing, two acres of pollinator habitat, drainage water management, conservation tillage, and erosion control through natural spring development and stabilization of roads in heavy use.

J and Rachel Hodge, Windy Ridge Jerseys, Muskingum County, farm 243 acres of corn, alfalfa, grass hay, triticale/rye and pasture. They run a 140-head milk cow operation and manage 160-heifers. They also manage 60 acres of forest/woodland. They utilize conservation activities such as 35 acres of cover crops, 100 acres using crop rotation, 70 acres of filter strips, a nutrient management plan, 18 acres under rotational grazing, concrete liquid manure storage, a new milking facility, and the choice to use a more sustainable cow breed (Jersey cattle).

Jim and Dee Jepsen, Jepsen Family Farms, Fairfield County, farm 1,645 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat and hay. They also operate a 50-head beef cattle operation. They incorporate conservation practices including 721 acres of cover crops, 1,555 acres utilizing crop rotation, 27 waterways (16 of which are enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program), filter strips, nutrient management plans, grazing management plans, and rotational grazing. Additionally, Jepsen Farms includes 1,555 acres of conservation tillage, six water and sediment control basins, one systematic tile, heavy use area protection, three grade stabilization structures, and two livestock pipelines.

The families each receive $400 from the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. Nominations for the award are sought annually between January and May, and Ohio farming families are encouraged to apply. For more information or to apply, individuals can contact their local Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD).

Since 1984, the Conservation Farm Family Awards program has recognized Ohio farm families for their exemplary efforts conserving soil, water, woodland, wildlife, and other natural resources on the land they farm. Conservation farm families also host a variety of educational programs, opening their farms to schools, scout groups, farm organizations and others.