Conservation never ends
Staff writer
The practice of soil and water conservation has often been passed down from one generation to the next throughout the 75-year history of the Marion County Conservation District.
The Joyce Carlson family of Lincolnville is an example of that.
Joyce received numerous conservation awards, culminating in a Banker’s Award. He died in 2015.
Joyce and his son, Ronnie, learned how to work together to build soil conservation structures on their own land.
The first terraces on Carlson land were built by an outside contractor in the early 1970s. Then Joyce and Ronnie started building their own terraces and waterways using small equipment.
Ronnie started terracing his own land after he bought a farm. He later began contracting to do terracing and waterways for other landowners in Marion, Dickinson, and Morris counties. He also built and cleaned ponds.
He continues to do that but now is assisted by his son Eric and sometimes his son Lucas, using large equipment and satellite technology. The sons each have their own farm.
“We are using a different terrace design now that works better for no-till farming,” Ronnie said.