The Rice Soil and Water Conservation District has selected Joe and Sue Hollinger as the 2024 Outstanding Conservationist for Rice County. The Hollingers were honored at the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts Annual Convention this December, along with other Outstanding Conservationist award winners from across the state.
The Outstanding Conservationist Award recognizes individuals, conservation organizations, or others for outstanding accomplishments in implementing conservation practices and improving Minnesota’s natural resources.
Joe and Sue Hollinger have been farming for forty years, and conservation has become the cornerstone of their operation. From their roots in dairy farming near Dundas to their current farm south of Dundas, the Hollingers have evolved their practices to improve the health of their soil and protect water resources, gaining recognition for their dedication to sustainable agriculture.
Starting out on Joe’s family dairy farm, the Hollingers spent two decades in dairy before facing new regulatory challenges around 2005. With more restrictive feedlot rules coming into effect, they sold the farm and moved a few miles south of Dundas. Their new land had its own challenges, including failing grassed waterways and soil erosion in several areas. In response, they installed two water and sediment control basins and began experimenting with different tillage and crop rotation strategies.
Switching from a dairy-focused operation to growing corn and soybeans required them to rethink their approach to erosion control. Previously, alfalfa helped stabilize their soil, but without it, they noticed more erosion between rows. The Hollingers started experimenting with no-till practices, beginning with soybeans near the Cannon River. This method, which leaves soil undisturbed by tillage, proved effective. The crop grew well, and the soil erosion dropped significantly. Encouraged by the results, the Hollingers adopted no-till across all their soybean acres.
The Hollinger’s conservation tillage journey continued when they decided to experiment with no-till corn. They began doing yield trials on conventional versus no-till on corn. After four years the Hollingers analyzed the results. In some years they lost yields with no-till and in other years they gained yield. Across the board, the yield averaged out. The big gain for no-till however was in the inputs. Joe and Sue didn’t have to stalk chop, disk chisel in the fall, and do two field digger passes to smooth out the field. It was a huge savings in fuel, equipment wear and tear, and time. The erosion on the no-till fields was reduced to nearly zero.
In 2019, the Hollingers added cover crops to their conservation plan, planting a mix of grasses and other plants to hold soil in place and enhance soil biology. This practice has paid off, reducing both wind and water erosion. “Even with all the rain we have had in June, we are seeing very little erosion in our fields,” Joe noted. “The residue and cover crops have held the soil. It has improved our infiltration, weed control, and adds nutrients to the soil.” This past year, they seeded a variety of cover crops, including oats, winter triticale, kale, and crimson clover, using drones and aerial methods to plant them efficiently.
Beyond their fields, conservation practices have become part of daily life for the Hollingers. Sue uses cover crops like oats, radishes, and turnips in her garden, creating a nutrient-rich cover mat for spring planting. “I plant the cover crops in the fall, and in the spring, I just till a few inches for my row,” she said. “It’s great for weed control, has increased the number of worms, and adds nutrients to the soil.”
Though cover cropping has been a powerful tool, Joe acknowledged it’s not without challenges. Weather, timing, and ensuring proper soil-to-seed contact all play a role in successfully establishing cover crops. “It can be super challenging to get a quality stand of cover crops established,” Joe said, emphasizing the need for timely rainfall to kickstart germination.
The Hollingers are also proactive in managing nutrients and invasive species. They grid-sample their soil and follow a nutrient management plan aimed at improving soil biology while gradually reducing fertilizer and chemical needs. They work to remove invasive plants like European buckthorn and wild parsnip from their property to support native ecosystems.
Their hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed. The Hollingers are certified through the Minnesota Water Quality Certification Program and have received both the Climate Smart and Soil Health Endorsements. Clean River Partners has also recognized them as River Friendly Farmers.
For the Hollingers, conservation isn’t just a method but a mission. “We want to be good stewards of the land and keep our soil from going downstream to the Gulf of Mexico,” Joe explained. “No-till and cover crops help to protect the soil, especially with all the rain we’ve gotten this year. We’re doing our best to keep it out of the Cannon River.”
Their efforts exemplify a long-term commitment to sustainable farming, balancing productivity with a responsibility to protect and enhance the environment. The Hollinger’s stewardship of their land and dedication to conservation and soil health make them an excellent choice for the 2024 Outstanding Conservationist Award.