Farm Open House Showcases Sustainability MCDONOUGH COUNTY, IL (wium) - A Western Illinois farmer is raising cattle while protecting the environment using sustainable practices. Daryll Hutchins will open his farm to the public Saturday morning to show how he's doing it.

Jeff Boeckler is now a private consultant. He worked for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources when the department was looking for a place to show how a cattle operation could protect the environment.

Hutchins decided to restore 60 acres of his farm. Boeckler said The Hutchins Ecosystem Restoration Project began in 2008. The goal was to restore the land close to its pristine condition and raise cattle profitably on the same land.

A creek running through the tract needed a lot of work. Boeckler said the stream banks were stabilized. "It was done two ways. by installing grade control or ripples.which are essentially rock checks in the creek to keep the level at a certain level."

Boeckler said the second step was to keep livestock from damaging the stream banks. A shallow well now provides their water and fencing keeps them from descending to the creek. Hutchins had two stone crossings built to cross the creek. The crossing allow the cattle to go from field to field.

Boeckler said the cattle are rotated through the fields by a system of paddocks to keep them from overgrazing any field.

Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. Saturday. Free tours begin at 9 a.m. The farm is located at the intersection of McDonough County Roads 2000 East and 1450 North. The La Moine River Ecosystem Partnership is sponsoring the open house. The partnership was also helped launch the project.



© Copyright 2012, wium