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Zook Family Farm
2007-11-04
Story by Barbara Ricord
Photo by Dawn Charging
Mike Zook and his family live just outside of Beach, North Dakota, on the western side of the state. With its dry climate and susceptibility to wind erosion this part of the state is a tough place to farm. To protect the land and improve his family’s income, Mike made changes in how he farmed. He switched to a no-till system that prevents his crops and soil from blowing away and keeps the small amount of rain that does fall from evaporating as soon as it hits the ground.
Mike plans his crops without tilling the soil and rotates a variety of crops to make the most efficient use of his land and to keep weeds, insects, and diseases under control. With crop residue left on the fields, Mike has to choose a crop for next year that will appreciate the shadier, moister conditions. The crop residue keeps the soil temperatures warm enough that Mike has even been able to plant crops that are not normally hardy to the area. This type of farming takes a lot of thought and planning, but it’s worth it. These methods, plus the addition of shelterbelts, has also improved habitat for local wildlife, something the Zook family and others appreciate.
