Nicollet Soil and Water Conservation District

06/04/2026

Keith also farms in Lafayette area, so you may have seen some of his methods at work in Nicollet County. 🌱

Reach out to Sibley SWCD or our office if you’d like to get connected to Keith to learn more about what he’s learned on his soil health journey!

🌱 Farmer Spotlight: Keith Hartmann — Peer-to-Peer Soil Health Mentor
Keith Hartmann of Gibbon knows that healthy soil does not happen overnight. After years of using strip-till, no-till, and cover crops on his farm, Keith has seen firsthand how soil health practices can improve resilience, reduce erosion, and create a more efficient operation.
Now, Keith is sharing that experience with others as a Peer-to-Peer Soil Health Mentor. His goal is simple: help fellow farmers explore conservation practices that work for their operations while sharing real-world experiences, successes, and challenges along the way.
Keith’s mentoring focuses on practical soil health strategies, including:
✔️ No-till
✔️ Strip-till
✔️ Cover crops
✔️ Crop diversity
✔️ Equipment selection and modifications
✔️ Nutrient management
Keith believes strong soil structure and healthy biology are key to long-term success. His advice to other farmers:
“Build deep soil structure, avoid deep tillage unless there is real compaction, and let nature assist. Patience rewards those whose soil biology flourishes.”
🌾 Interested in adopting cover crops, no-till, or strip-till practices?
The Peer-to-Peer Soil Health Network offers farmers and landowners a unique opportunity to connect with experienced local mentors — free of charge. Whether you are just getting started or already using soil health practices, the program creates opportunities to learn from others navigating the same challenges and successes.
Contact your local Soil and Water Conservation District for more information on the Peer-to-Peer Mentor Program.

05/28/2026

After a short break during planting season, the Coalition is excited to bring back our live webinar series, Cover Crop Chat, with a new format for 2026.

Instead of featuring a single guest speaker, this year’s series will spotlight a panel of experienced Minnesota farmers who will share their perspectives, management strategies, successes, and lessons learned from integrating cover crops into their operations. Throughout the series, different farmers will rotate as featured speakers while keeping the conversation open, practical, and farmer-focused.

Join us June 4 at 12:30 PM for the kickoff session featuring Matt Tiffany, Mike Hewitt, Myron Sylling, and Jon Stevens as we discuss real-world cover crop experiences from across Minnesota.

Get on the list: mnsoilhealth.org/event/cover-crop-chat-meet-the-team/

05/26/2026

Our very own mentor, Mike!!

Reach out to our office to get connected to him or office staff if you have any questions about getting started with No Till, Strip Till or Cover Crops.

🌱 Farmer Spotlight: Mike Anthony — Peer-to-Peer Soil Health Mentor 🌱
In the Lower Minnesota River West Watershed, Mike Anthony farms with a steady focus on observation, patience, and long-term soil stewardship. From his base in New Sweden Township, he manages about 400 acres of corn and soybeans—land he says he doesn’t just farm but learns from every season.
Mike began farming in 2001, but his shift toward conservation started slowly, on a small 40-acre field where he experimented with planting soybeans into vertically tilled corn residue. As neighbors began trying strip-till and no-till, he paid close attention. What he saw made sense—practically, economically, and environmentally. About three years ago, he fully made the transition.
Today, Mike uses no-till and strip-till systems along with cover crops like winter rye and winter camelina. This past season, he saw especially strong results in both his strip-till and cover crop systems. He planted his rye and camelina cover crop using his SoilWarrior strip-till unit, and the stand came through with excellent establishment and overall performance. It’s another step forward in refining his system and dialing in what works best on his ground.
The change wasn’t about following a trend—it was about improving efficiency, reducing stress, and taking better care of the soil.
“The time matters. The labor matters. But stewardship matters most,” Mike says.
The results continue to speak for themselves. He’s seeing improved water infiltration, reduced runoff, lower fuel use, and fewer equipment passes. W**d pressure is more manageable, and there’s more time spent planning ahead rather than reacting in-season.
Looking forward, Mike is focused on improving nutrient efficiency, reducing fertilizer costs, and building organic matter while maintaining yield. He continues to experiment with cover crop mixes and timing, knowing soil health is built over years, not seasons.
Mike also shares what he has learned as a Peer-to-Peer Soil Health Mentor for the Nicollet SWCD. His approach is simple: start small, stay curious, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
“A lot of people are doing things you don’t even realize,” Mike says. “Until you look.”
🌾 Interested in cover crops, no-till, or strip-till?
The Peer-to-Peer Soil Health Network connects farmers and landowners with experienced local mentors — free of charge. Whether you are just getting started or already implementing soil health practices, the program is designed to support learning through real farm experience.
Contact your local Soil and Water Conservation District for more information on the Peer-to-Peer Mentor Program.

05/21/2026

A great opportunity for our local cover croppers! 🌱

$35/Ac Cover Crop Cost share

-One-year contracts
- $35 per acre
- No look-back policy; acres are eligible regardless of cover crop history
- 2,000-acre cap per FSA farm entity

Sign up at: https://ctic.org/farmers-for-soil-health-inquiry/

05/13/2026

🌱 Building Knowledge Together Across the Watershed

🚜This spring, farmers across the region came together for a series of Peer-to-Peer learning sessions focused on practical, on-farm soil health topics. Four sessions were hosted in Waseca, St. James, Arlington, and Essig, drawing a total of 49 farmers who shared their experiences, challenges, and successes.
🌽Topics included cover crop seeding, planter setup, strip-till equipment, and soil health testing, with Peer-to-Peer Mentors helping kick-start conversations and keep discussions grounded in real-world farm experience.
🌿What stood out most was the format itself. Small group settings allowed for honest, open conversation—farmers talking directly with other farmers about what has worked, what hasn’t, and what adjustments they’re planning for the next season. Whether it was planter configurations, equipment modifications, or improving nutrient cycling, the focus stayed practical and hands-on.
🌾Feedback collected after the sessions (with a 34% response rate) showed strong engagement and a clear interest in continuing these conversations. Many participants noted the value of hearing directly from peers and expressed interest in attending future sessions and meeting more regularly.
🌻Across all four locations, one theme kept coming through: farmers are learning the most from each other when the conversation is local, specific, and experience based.
🌎These Peer sessions continue to show that soil health education works best when it’s built on shared experience—one field, one adjustment, and one conversation at a time.

05/12/2026

Lower Minnesota River West Tributary Spotlight:

05/05/2026

Happening Thursday in Ga***rd!!

Go get your test kit and learn more about contaminants that may be impacting your drinking water. 💧

Do you get your drinking water from a private well? Join us for a free event next week to learn more about common contaminants in our area and leave with a free well testing kit to check the status of your drinking water!

04/27/2026

Do you get your drinking water from a private well? Join us for a free event next week to learn more about common contaminants in our area and leave with a free well testing kit to check the status of your drinking water!

04/27/2026

Don’t terminate your cereal rye before hearing this critical advice from local farmers! They’ve made mistakes, so you don’t have to.

Check out the 'Farming for Soil Health in Southern MN' FAQs to learn how to terminate your cereal rye cover crop on the first pass.

​A key part of adding a cereal rye cover crop to a corn and soybean rotation is termination timing. The cover crop is there to benefit your soil and your cash crop, so weighing the benefit of soil building, moisture management, w**d control, and nutrient management are important for determining wh...