Nicollet & Sibley County Ag News
August 2022
Your Ag Educator-Notes from Emma Severns
It is my favorite time of the year-- fair time! I love going around to the local county fairs and looking at all the projects 4-H'ers have been working hard on all year. I encourage all of you to take some time this month to visit one of the county fairs and check out all the fun 4-H projects. Another great part about this time of year is harvesting your garden produce. Check your garden for mature fruits and vegetables and harvest them when they are at peak maturity to ensure the best quality produce.
I look forward to seeing some of you at the various county fairs and at Farm Fest as we honor the Farm Families of the Year listed in this newsletter!
Best,
Emma
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Sibley County Farm Family of the Year- Burns Family Farm
Curt Burns’ great-grandparents, Paul and Rose Quandt began farming in the early 1900s in Grafton Township. Curt’s grandparents, Walter and Erna Quandt, helped Curt’s parents, Mel and Mavis Burns, start their own farming operation in 1960. At that time the farm raised mainly corn, sweet corn, peas, small grains, soybeans, and sugar beets. Curt’s parents worked side by side on the farm raising Curt and his three older sisters, Debbie, Sandy, and Kathie. Curt’s father also worked off the farm as a mechanic for many years.
Curt joined the farm operation in 1991. His parents retired in 1996 but helped for many years until their passing in 2014 and 2015. Curt and Jackie were married in 1998 and have worked together along with their three children, Emily, Andrew, and Matthew, to make the farm a success. The family raises corn for ethanol and feed, and soybeans for oil and meal. The Burnses also operate an independent crop consulting business for area farmers.
Curt and Jackie are owners/operators of their farm. Jackie is the office manager for the crop consulting business. Curt and Jackie’s children are involved in operations on the farm as well as conducting soil sampling for the crop consulting business. Emily will be a senior at Southwest Minnesota State University majoring in ag communications. Andrew will be a senior at GFW High School and Matthew will be a freshman at GFW this fall.
Curt is a charter member of the Sibley/Nicollet County Corn and Soybean Growers Association. He is a member of the Minnesota Independent Crop Consultants Association and a Certified Crop Advisor. Curt is a McLeod Co-op Power Operation Roundup trustee and a Grafton Township Supervisor. The Burns family are members of the Transit Trailblazers 4-H Club and members of Peace Lutheran Church in Winthrop.
Nicollet County Farm Family of the Year- Steve & Mark Herberg Farm Partnership
The Herberg family started farming in Lake Prairie in 1875. They immigrated to the United States from Sweden and worked on the railroad until the time and opportunity were right to purchase property five miles west of what is now St. Peter. The farm was like many in the area at that time; it was diversified with cattle, chickens, hogs and crops. In the mid-1950s, the Herberg family began milking cows with many of the original herd coming from the registered Holsteins at the state hospital in St. Peter. The next generation of the family, brothers Steven and Mark Herberg, took over the operation in 1975.
Today, the Herberg farm consists of the milking herd in addition to corn and soybeans. Steven and his wife, Kathy, farm in partnership with Mark and his wife, Betty.
Steve and Mark are the daily operators of the farm. Kathy manages the books and Betty keeps the crew fed in the busy spring and fall seasons. Steve and Kathy have three children, Matt, Megan and Molly, who have varying degrees of involvement on the farm. Mark and Betty also have three children, David, Cory, and Lisa. Cory is employed on the farm and David helps in the fall with harvest.
Giving back to the community is important to the Herbergs. One of the highlights of the year is welcoming the local kindergarten class to the farm for a tour, a tradition that’s been going strong for over 30 years. Steve donates his auctioneer skills to various benefit auctions. Kathy serves in multiple volunteer roles with local and state 4-H. She is a former school board member and currently manages the Nicollet County Dairy Princess Program. The family volunteers time with Trinity Lutheran Church in St. Peter. Mark is on the Lake Prairie Township board and the board of Farmers Elevator of Traverse. Betty serves as treasurer of Lake Prairie Township.
Emergency CRP Haying & Grazing-Sibley County
CRP Haying & Grazing
Agricultural producers impacted by drought can now request haying and grazing on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres located in Carver and/or Sibley county, while still receiving their full rental payment for the land.
Outside of the primary nesting season, emergency haying and grazing of CRP acres may be authorized to provide relief to livestock producers in areas affected by a severe drought or similar natural disaster. The primary nesting season for Minnesota ends Aug. 1. Counties are approved for emergency haying and grazing due to drought conditions on a county-by-county basis, when a county is designated as level “D2 Drought - Severe” according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. FSA provides a weekly, online update of eligible counties.
Producers can use the CRP acreage under the emergency grazing provisions for their livestock or may grant another livestock producer use of the CRP acreage.
Producers interested in emergency haying or grazing of CRP acres must request from their FSA county office before starting any activities. This includes producers accessing CRP acres held by someone else. To maintain contract compliance, producers must have their conservation plan modified by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
Emergency CRP Haying and Grazing Option
CRP emergency haying and grazing is available in eligible counties as long as the stand is in condition to support such activity subject to a modified conservation plan. Hay may be cut once in eligible counties each program year (October 1-September 30). Haying must be concluded within 60 days of the approved conservation plan to allow time for regrowth prior to winter conditions, and bales must be removed within 15 calendar days of baling.
CRP emergency grazing is available in eligible counties as long as it does not exceed 90 days each program year (October 1-September 30) and must be stopped when the minimum grazing height is reached, as established within the modified CRP conservation plan or when the county is no longer eligible for emergency haying and grazing.
Please reach out to your local service center to start the request.
University Resources for You
UMN Soil Testing Laboratory
The Soil Testing Laboratory is part of the Department of Soil, Water, and Climate in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resources.
Soil testing takes the guesswork out of fertilizer recommendations, ensures fertile soil without pollution of the environment, and makes good economic sense. Our recommendations are based on laboratory results, soil characteristics, crop history, crop nutrient requirements and are specific to Minnesota locations and conditions.
Please email us at soiltest@umn.edu, or call 612-625-3101 for more information. (Email messages often result in the fastest response.)
Farm Information Line
Contact the Farm Information Line for reliable, research-based answers from Extension agriculture and natural resources experts. It is a statewide service backed by a network of local educators, so you'll get information to meet your needs.
Call: 1-800-232-9077
Hours: We answer voicemail and email requests Monday through Friday afternoons. Leave a detailed voicemail or email us with your question for a timely response.Afterhours: Leave a detailed voicemail or email with your question and we'll answer you on the next scheduled Farm Information Line working day
Anytime: Email us at fil@umn.edu.
Connect with us!
Nicollet County Extension Office
Email: sever575@umn.edu
Website: https://extension.umn.edu/local/nicollet
Location: 501 South Minnesota Avenue, St Peter, MN 56082, USA
Phone: 507-934-7828
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UMN-Extension-Nicollet-Sibley-County-296711563757356
Twitter: @UMNExt
Sibley County Extension Office
Email: sever575@umn.edu
Website: https://extension.umn.edu/local/sibley
Location: 111 8th Street, Gaylord, MN, USA
Phone: 507-237-4100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UMN-Extension-Nicollet-Sibley-County-296711563757356
Twitter: @UMNExt