Indiana Farm Becomes Conservation Showcase

Dr. Robert and Ellen Mulford have enrolled 238 acres into six different CRP practices that focused on establishing grassed waterways, windbreaks and creating various wildlife habitats by planting trees and creating wetlands.

Farming is a business, and like all businesses, over time a change in philosophies, services, products or branding may be needed to set a new direction for success.

Five years ago, Dr. Robert and Ellen Mulford began a journey towards a total transformation of their 400-acre farm in Ripley County in Southeastern Indiana.

For many years this was a typical Indiana farm with a corn and soybean rotation.

“We worked with some excellent farmers on a crop-share basis, but we knew it was time to change focus to the natural goal that we wanted the farm to become,” said Dr. Mulford, a physician.  “The profits were reasonable and the relationship between economic gain and natural preservation seemed compatible, but different avenues were needed to preserve the farm.”

The transformation started with a new name, Capability Farm.

Next the Mulfords began working with USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) staff to map out practices available through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) that suited their property. The Mulfords have also worked closely with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service private lands biologists.

CRP is among the largest private lands program for conservation used to reduce soil erosion, improve water and air quality and provide wildlife habitat. CRP is a voluntary program that allows eligible landowners to receive annual rental payments and cost-share assistance to establish long-term, resource-conserving covers on eligible farmland throughout the duration of the10 to 15 year contract.

The Mulfords started by using rye as a cover crop and enrolled 238 acres into six different CRP practices that focused on establishing grassed waterways, windbreaks and creating various wildlife habitats by planting trees and creating wetlands.

In five short years, the Mulfords have totally changed the landscape of the farm.

“With the establishment of native grasses, forbs and the creation of shallow water areas for wildlife, the former cropland is once again alive with the sounds of grassland birds such as meadowlarks, Bobwhite Quail and Sedge Wren,” said Dr. Mulford.  “Northern harriers swoop gracefully over the fields and the wetlands harbor life of every type; insects are abuzz, toads, and even gray tree frogs, unheard for years, suddenly line the banks of the wetlands. The larger wetland habitats have attracted water fowl never before seen on the farm such as sand hill cranes, sandpipers, glossy ibis, and rails.  I believe approximately 200 bird species have been seen on the farm, 40 of these unseen until the recent restoration.”

The Mulfords have hosted numerous events on the farm including educational workshops, conservation field days, school groups, and birding groups.

“It is rewarding to get a high five and watch a farm visitor jump up and down after seeing a grasshopper sparrow and a Henslow’s sparrow in the same day,” said Dr. Mulford.

According to South Ripley Elementary School teachers, Capability Farm provided a unique learning experience for their students that allowed them to be investigators and scientists, while connecting classroom curriculum to their real-life experiences exploring the farm.

In the future, the Mulfords plan to continue to improve and showcase Capability Farm as a commitment to nature and hope to share it in as many ways as possible.

Since being established on December 23, 1985, the CRP program has helped prevent more than 8 billion tons of soil from eroding and protected more than 170,000 stream miles with riparian and grass buffers, more than 100,000 acres of bottomland hardwood trees, nearly 300,000 acres of flood-plain wetlands and 250,000 acres each for duck nesting habitat and upland bird habitat.

To learn more about Farm Service Agency’s Conservation Reserve Program please visit www.fsa.usda.gov/conservation. To find your local USDA Service Center please visit http://offices.usda.gov.