We believe in a natural balance.
Our Vision
Our vision is a productive, resilient landscape where balance between natural resources and agricultural producer is met through the utilization of research and sound science. We strive to create a reality where local communities can experience sustainable economic viability and maintain a sense of collaboration among producers and consumers through intentional partnerships and mutual education.
Our Mission
The Farmers of the Roche-A-Cri are dedicated to building a local body of knowledge regarding the state of our natural resources through watershed-scale and on-farm research. We will embrace partnerships with local communities and strive to provide a welcoming educational environment to communicate soil and water management practices. We commit to being stewards of our land and water, and demonstrating to the public that farmers are conservation leaders.
Our Goals
Goal #1
Further educate ourselves and our neighbors on regenerative management practices with the goals of improving water quality and reducing sediment erosion within the Big Roche-A-Cri Creek watershed and Little Roche-A-Cri Creek watershed.
Goal #2
Develop and maintain surface and groundwater monitoring systems in coordination with local partners and agencies.
Goal #3
Provide intentional educational opportunities for producers, youth, and the general public on watershed-scale management techniques to address soil and water quality concerns.
Goal #4
Foster relationships with local communities by contributing time and support to conservation and watershed-focused events and efforts.
Goal #5
Evaluate existing watershed data and seek additional measures of data collection in order to prioritize areas of greatest resource concern for practice implementation.
Our Members
Andy Diercks – Coloma Farms
”I hope to learn ways to minimize the environmental impacts of our farm on the watershed.“
Coloma Farms is a 4th generation potato and grain farm. We grow potatoes, corn, soybeans, and other crops. Our potatoes are grown for fresh, process, chip, and Little Potato markets. All of our potatoes are grown under the Healthy Grown program, which focuses on minimizing the environmental impacts of potato production.
Jeff Boyd – Signature Farms
”As part of Farmers of the Roche-A-Cri, I hope to learn how producers can have a greater impact on environmental quality. I am interested in the impacts of modifying current practices or adopting new practices while maintaining sustainable levels of productivity.“
Signature Farms is a large scale crop and livestock operation that specializes in potatoes, vegetable crops, and 250 head of registered Black Angus cattle. Signature Farms grows potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, snap beans, sweet corn, field corn for silage, seed corn, and alfalfa. As part of the operation, Signature Farms practices cover cropping and reduced tillage.
Heather Gayton – ZanBria Artisan Farms
”I am looking forward to collaborating with a variety of producers on several conservation initiatives happening in the Big and Little Roche-A-Cri Watersheds. My small-scale operation features a variety of research and education projects. I am hoping to connect with larger operations to have discussions around the feasibility of applying regenerative agricultural practices to large-scale production farming in the Central Sands region.“
ZanBria Artisan Farms grows ginseng, hemp for CBD oil production, and a variety of vegetables in a high tunnel system. ZanBria Artisan Farms also has an orchard, a vineyard, and 17 acres of managed forest. ZanBria Artisan Farms strives to protect and increase habitat for native flora and fauna, reduce erosion, protect water resources, and improve soil health. Conservation practices implemented on ZanBria Artisan Farms include prescribed grazing, plantings of grasses and fruit trees for pollinators and wildlife, wildlife safe barriers, and field borders.
Jeremie Pavelski – Heartland Farms
”By participating in the group, we hope to learn and develop new practices to promote and practice sustainability.“
Heartland Farms is a specialized vegetable farm that grows potatoes for the potato chip and fry industry. We primarily operate in 13 townships in Adams, Portage, Waupaca, and Waushara counties in Central Wisconsin. We pride ourselves on quality potato production, while also raising canning vegetables and other crops on rotational acres. Our conservation practices include the use of specialized cultivation equipment to discourage water runoff from potato fields, planting thousands of acres of cover crops each year, establishing waterways and buffers on fields that are new to our farm, use of variable rate irrigation, and other technologies.
Alicia Pavelski – Horizon Cranberry Farms
“As part of Farmers of the Roche-A-Cri, I hope to enhance the overall sustainability and learn more about pollinator habitat and how we can facilitate that in the area.”
Horizon Cranberry Farms is a modern, upland cranberry marsh producing cranberries for Ocean Spray on approximately 150 acres of bogs. The upland bogs have unique water management capabilities to enhance the overall sustainability of the operation. It also utilizes bees to help pollinate the crop.
