Farmers and ranchers are often called stewards of the land because of their close connection to it. They hold true to the belief that they can and must enhance natural resources to protect the environment, while simultaneously producing food for a growing population. 

For the Mensink family, farming and preserving the natural resources under their care has been a part of their daily life since they began their family farm in Preston, Minnesota in 1981.

Dave Mensink, his wife Tracie, their son Alex run Mensink Farms, which is a diversified crop and livestock farm where they raise pigs and row crops. They also have a feed mill on-site where they manufacture all their own feed, and they feed 100% of the corn that they grow to their pigs.

Harvest Time: Cover crops enhance soil for next season

Harvest time for a farmer is the culmination of months of planning, hard work, and dedication. The harvest represents both the rewards of careful planning and the uncertainty of nature, as each crop’s success or failure deeply impacts the livelihood of the farmer and their family. It represents perseverance as well as a profound connection to the land.

“Harvest time is one of the most rewarding times on the farm because it’s like you’re harvesting the fruits of your labor from the whole year,” said Dave. 

Dave went on to add that, “Our crop is harvested and comes into our facility where we store the corn. We don’t sell any of it, it’s all meant to come back to our mill. Everything we grow gets fed back to our pigs and that’s the quality we control ourselves. We take a lot of pride in the quality of our feed, and it all starts in how we keep that corn all year long.” 

One of the family’s most impactful recent sustainable practices is the use of cover crops, which were planted this past fall using drone technology and a no-till drill. These cover crops, planted after harvest, play a crucial role in protecting and enriching the soil, ensuring it stays healthy and fertile for the upcoming planting season.

Cover crops help improve soil structure by preventing erosion and promoting the growth of beneficial soil organisms. Many cover crops, such as legumes, fix nitrogen into the soil, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers. This can help lower input costs while reducing the environmental impact of excess nitrogen runoff into waterways.

Healthy crops and healthy pigs: A farm's commitment to sustainability

In addition to growing healthy crops, the family is growing healthy pigs. All the corn they raise on their farm goes directly to their pigs.

“We take a lot of pride in the quality of our feed that we to feed our animals, and it all starts right here to keep that corn in great condition for a whole year,” said Dave.

The health and well-being of pigs are essential to a farm's sustainability. By ensuring proper care and comfortable living conditions, farmers, like Mensinks promote healthier livestock and improve productivity. The Mensinks are committed to this approach, prioritizing their animals' care and nutrition.

“We always want to give the pig what he needs,” said Dave. “You do what’s right for the pig and the pig will do what’s right for you.”

Dave went on to say, “It’s such a good feeling when you come into a barn and check every animal, and you walk into every pen every day and when you leave the barn to make sure these animals are comfortable. If anyone needs treatment in here, we’ll take care of that and when you leave this barn, it’s a good feeling to know you’ve done your job to take care of this animal and keep him healthy and eventually to provide food for other people in our community or in our country.”   

Working with Mother Nature: Pioneering sustainable practices 

In addition to farming, the Mensinks also have a big responsibility to be good stewards of the land, especially since they farm in an environmentally sensitive area, referred to as the karst region. This region in southeastern Minnesota is known for the layers of limestone that are very close to the soil surface, with areas of shallow bedrock, disappearing springs, and sinkholes.

As a farmer and caretaker of the land, one of Dave’s biggest responsibilities it to ensure that there is no runoff from his farm into the karst regions and thus when he applies commercial fertilizer or manure from his pig farm to his crops, he ensures they are set back enough from those Karst features and that there is at least a 50-foot buffer zone.

In addition, the nutrients, or manure, are applied in an agronomic rate under a manure management plan. This is done so they apply the exact right amount of nutrients to grow their corn crop. 

“So, we’ve got a circle where we raise the feed, we raise the pork, and the pork helps us raise better corn,” said Dave

CLEAR Center Director Frank Mitloehner praised the work that the Mensinks have done to ensure the sustainability of their farm not only for themselves but for their surrounding community.

“It’s critical that we apply the manure of those animals to the crops at a time that the crops are ready to grow. Farmers have specific plans as to which field needs how much nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and so on and what time of the year. And then they plan how much manure is applied to which field and what time. If you don’t apply animal manure at agronomic rates, meaning at those times when the plants need it, then those nutrients can come pollutants or they can become greenhouse gases, affecting the climate. Or those very same nutrients can also affect groundwater in the form of nitrates and that is something we really have to be careful of,” said Dr. Mitloehner.

The family has worked closely with Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Natural Resources to ensure they are protecting the karst features near their farm and to protect the state park that is next to their property as well.

“When we’re farming next to a state park, we respect that state park and that’s really a special place in our county,” explained Dave. “We used to camp there too when our kids were little.”

The family also works closely with the Minnesota Pork Board to highlight pork through research, education and promotion. The board has witnessed firsthand how hard the Mensinks have worked to sustainably farm in an environmentally challenged area that southeastern Minnesota is. And recently the Mensinks were recognized as the 2025 Environmental Stewards of the Year by the Minnesota Pork Board.

“Dave and Tracie and Alex have been really responsible with the land they’ve been entrusted to and this land is really unique,” said Lauren Servick, Director of Public Policy Strategy and Sustainability for the Minnesota Pork Board. “It takes unique farming practices to farm here and be successful here and they’re willing to listen to new ideas and consider new ideas but realistically they have to make it work for them. And you have to be responsive both to what society is asking of you and what you need to do to protect the natural resources and do the right things by people and pigs and the Mensinks really exemplify that in their community.”

“If you don’t do things right, you won’t be here for generations to come,” said Tracie. “It’s in everyone’s interest to treat the soil, water the air correctly.  Consumers want a good product raised in a good way and we make corrections and modifications and embrace technology and information to be the best farm we can be.”

Protecting the waterways next to the farm is of utmost importance to the family as well as it’s crucial for maintaining water quality and supporting the surrounding ecosystem. Dave has also done dye tracing in some of the sinkholes and areas where water will come out of sidehills. This can help determine the flow rate, velocity, recharge and discharge points of groundwater. Dye tracing also helps the Mensinks understand how water moves across their farm, and ultimately the water moving through their farm to the neighboring state park.

“We want to keep clean water for our family and everybody’s else family here in southeast Minnesota,” Dave said.

“And so, in Minnesota, we’re the land of 10,000 lakes so water is very near and dear to all of our hearts,” said Servick. “And so nitrogen is a really important resource and utilizing manure can really help us get the most out of that nutrient, nitrogen, but also do other positive things like build soil health and increase water holding capacity and other things that as a whole, farmers are really good at keeping records and keeping track of ensuring they're doing the right thing and I think that’s really powerful.”

Growing and protecting the foundation for future success

Conserving natural resources is as much ingrained into the DNA of the Mensink family as running their multigenerational farm, and they wouldn’t want it any other way.

“What we do on the farm today impacts our grandchildren and hopefully the generation that comes after them because hopefully they’ll raise their family in the setting we loved and appreciated here,” said Tracie.

“Our roles will be changing a bit here on the farm,” said Dave. “Alex will be doing more, and it will be a very exciting time to get the next generation on the farm.”

Farmers like the Mensinks understand that a healthy environment is essential for both the crops and for future generations. And the family’s commitment to protecting the land and water they’ve been entrusted with not only nurtures the ecosystem but also safeguards the quality of water and soil for their community, now and into the future. 

“We drink the water, and we breathe the air, and the soil has been here for thousands of years before us and hopefully will be here thousands of years after we’re gone too,” said Tracie. “And hopefully it will have nutrients food and provides for future generations if we and others continue to care for it in the correct way.”

The CLEAR Center receives support from the Pork Checkoff, through the National Pork Board.

(Photos and video by Kevin Ulrich/UC Davis)