Washtenaw County Conservation District (WCCD) to tour MAEAP-verified (Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program) farms

FARM TOUR OF MAEAP VERIFIED FARMS PLANNED

Washtenaw County farmers, farmland owners and partners of agriculture are invited to a join the Washtenaw County Conservation District (WCCD) to tour MAEAP-verified (Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program) farms on Tuesday, August 28th 2018, from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

The tour will begin at 5:30 p.m. at Selter Farms (9090 Bemis Rd, Ypsilanti, MI 48197), continue onto Rochowiak Farms (10922 Stony Creek Rd., Milan, MI 48160), and end at Zilke Vegetable Farm (12491 Carpenter Rd, Milan, MI 48160). Dinner will be provided by the WCCD free of cost, catered by ZIlke Farm Kitchen. There is no cost to participate, but seating is limited and registration is required. Priority will be given to farmers interested in MAEAP verification.

Participants will first visit Selter Farms. Phil Selter farms in both Wayne and Washtenaw counties growing corn, soybeans, wheat and hay. He has a few horses on the farm and was Conservation Farmer of the Year in 2016. Selter Farms is verified in Cropping, Livestock and is very close to getting its third verification in Farmstead.

Frank Rochowiak farms 200 acres growing corn soybeans and wheat. Frank is a big believer in no-till and uses cover crops in his rotation. The farm was re-verified in Cropping and Farmstead in August 2017, helping Frank become the 2017 Conservation Farmer of the Year.

The tour will end at Zilke Vegetable Farm in Milan. The Zilkes’ have grown their farm into a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and farm market enterprise, including a new Zilke Farm Kitchen preparing meal kits, and other prepared foods from scratch. The Zilkes’ grow a variety of vegetables and herbs and have been verified in the MAEAP Cropping and Farmstead Systems. Dinner will be included as part of the tour at no cost to attendees and will begin after the tour at 7:30 p.m.

The Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) is an innovative, proactive, and voluntary program that helps farms of all sizes and all commodities voluntarily prevent or minimize agricultural pollution risks. It helps farmers evaluate their entire operation and truly make sustainable management decisions balancing society’s needs, the environment, and economics.