Protecting the Environment
Since Lamb Farms Inc. was formed in 1984, we have used Psalm 24:1 as our focal point for our attitude toward the land we farm. “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world and all who live in it.” We are a farm that believes that God owns everything. We are to be stewards of the resources that He has given us to use for Him.
The environment has become the focal point of many groups and causes in the past 20 years; some based on science and common sense, and others based on hidden agendas and power struggles. Our focus goes back much farther than any modern-day political special interest effort to use the environment as an emotional springboard for power. We simply believe that God wants us to be Good Stewards of what we can control. For this reason, we are involved in efforts such as composting manures for proper application, establishing buffer strips along open ditches, diking storage of possible pollutants, using GPS for proper fertilizer application, and group participation in watershed improvement efforts.
Grass buffer strips along open ditches or tributaries are an aid to managing drainage, runoff, and wildlife efforts. Thirty to sixty feet of grass can do a great deal of filtering of soil particles during heavy rain periods. Those particles can carry fertilizers, manures, and chemicals with them as they wash off the surface toward a creek. Buffers keep sprayers and fertilizer equipment back from a ditch to eliminate the possibility of accidentally hanging a spray boom over the water without turning it off. Wildlife habitat is enhanced greatly by having an undisturbed area near the water for nesting and feeding. Buffers also give year-around access to ditches for other management purposes such as maintaining drainage outlets. For these reasons, we have established miles of grass buffer strips covering many acres of land.
All fuel, fertilizers, and crop protection products are stored in concrete containment dikes on Lamb Farms. As farms get larger, it is necessary to store large bulk quantities of different farm inputs. When doing this you always have to think about “worst case” scenarios. Every tank that contains a possible pollutant can rupture on our farm (even though we have never even had a small leak) and the contents will still be contained within the walls of a concrete dike.
Proper application of fertilizers is another area of concern for farmers. We use GPS to sample all of our fields in small areas. Initially we gathered soil samples based on 2.5-acre grids. Over time we have moved to a system of utilizing a combination of a soil type map along with grids to determine optimum sampling locations. This way we know what each parcel of that field needs in terms of nutrients to grow a specific crop.
After using this sampling method, GPS is also used to apply the proper amount to each specific area. Before using GPS, fertilizer applications just had to be averaged for one rate for an entire field. GPS allows us to use our fertilizer dollar more accurately and not apply where fertilizer is not needed. And we are now incorporating the variable yield information into our fertilizer program. It is a great tool to allow us to replace those nutrients which are contained in the harvested crop.
We have personally been involved with group efforts to improve the environment. Don was the chairman of the Eagle Creek Watershed Taskforce for several years. This group is funded by a 319 grant through IDEM and works on efforts to improve the water quality of the watershed that feeds the Eagle Creek reservoir. This reservoir provides drinking water to 40% of the city of Indianapolis. Urban and agricultural components have great effect on the quality of the water. As chairman, Don was very involved in all aspects of the taskforce, but provided practical advice specific to the agricultural side of the effort. The group worked toward DNA typing of different animal species to determine sources of E-coli. This helped determine exactly where contaminants are coming from, whether it is farm animals, wildlife, or human.
When you look at the world as a whole, God has given central Indiana a tremendous value in resources. There are few places in the world that can support plants, animals, and people the way we can. To whom much is given, much is expected. We must work hard to be good stewards of these blessings.
