Caring for the land runs in the family

Mike Schoessow is the seventh generation of his family to operate Farmdale Farm on Farmdale Road in Mequon.

One thing he learned from his dad, Dean, is that if he wants to pass that farm onto the ninth generation — his sons Holden, 6, Grant, 3, and daughter Sadie, 8 weeks, he has to take care of the land.

After 20 years of practicing no-till farming practices and using cover crops, both of which help reduce erosion and runoff, Dean and Mike were honored by the Clean Farm Families organization with the Jim Melichar Soil Health Award for their efforts.

The award is given to farmers who demonstrate outstanding work in advancing agriculture by improving soil health and water quality.

It is named after Jim Melichar, the late Town of Port Washington farmer and first president of Clean Farm Families.

The award is presented annually to people who advance agriculture by improving soil health and water.

The Schoessows farm about 650 acres, 100 of which they own, raising a combination of hay, corn, soybeans and wheat. On it they raise 75 Holstein cows.

“In my involvement with the Schoessows, it quickly became evident that the Schoessows are excellent farmers,” Andy Holschbach, former director of the Ozaukee County Land and Water Management Office and who is active with Clean Farm Families, said.

“They are conscientious about their farming methods, management of cropland and manure, and the impact they may have on soil health and water quality.  They deserve credit for their transition from traditional tillage methods to no-till planting and planting green. They manage their farm to be very clean, thus reflective of the goals of the Clean Farm Families,” he said.

Dean Schoessow began no-till planting his crops about 20 years ago, and more recently cover crops have been used on a portion of the cropland, his son Mike said.

Combined, the two practices improve soil structure, improve soil biology and the overall health of the soil, allowing for more rainfall infiltration and less runoff.

Current Land and Water Director Katie Vogeler praised the Schoessows’ farming practices.

“Dean began his soil health journey 20 years ago, as a way for him to save time and travel with equipment, especially on his lighter soil fields,” she said. “The incorporation of cover crops started about five years ago with the use of winter rye, winter wheat and oats, and has since grown to multi species mixes.

“Cover crops are sometimes chopped for additional forage for the dairy heifers, when conditions are right.”

Mike said the farm’s soil type necessitated following the practices.

“We have lighter and stony soil. It’s highly erodible, so we tried doing no-till as a way of not having to deal with the rocks and keep it from blowing away,” he said.

Besides promoting soil health, proponents of the practice say it also helps reduce costs because it requires fewer passes over the land with tractors and over time reduces fertilizer costs.

“We like it. It saves time,” Mike said.

The practice is promoted by groups like Clean Farm Families and the Ozaukee County Land and Water Department.

Acknowledging it may not work for everyone and that some years are better than others, Mike said some farmers require convincing, even if they might benefit from it.

“People don’t want to do something just to try something and risk losing money,” Mike said. “There are benefits to no-till and cover cops. But how do you convince someone who rents 40 acres to try it in the short term.”

Having grown up following his father made it easier for Mike to adopt the practices.

“We’re just always trying new things and do what we think is beneficial,” he said.

Attending a farming program at University of Wisconsin-Madison also has helped, he said.

“Through that and reading and some of these groups like Clean Farm Families have helped,” he said.

​ For more information on Clean Farm Families, go online to www.cleanfarmfamilies.com.