Spotlight Series
It is all about Stewardship
Dan Bartelheimer, along with his son Peter, farm and manage 1,500 acres of corn for silage, hay and pasture, various commodity crops, and organic grain at Sno-Valley Farms, Inc. (SVF) in Snohomish, Washington.
“Stewardship should be number one, and it is for me,” says Dan Bartelheimer. “If you’re not being a good steward in your farming practices, then those practices need to change.”
Snohomish County used to be mostly rural with many small farms with vegetable and berry processors, auction yards, slaughter facilities, feed mills, and equipment dealerships. Today, these are almost all gone, with very little agricultural infrastructure remaining due to urban sprawl, regulatory changes and economics. In response, Bartelheimer has had to transform his farming and meet the changing needs of his community.
About 95 percent of SVF’s acreage is leased from fifteen landlords, including a state agency, a municipality, bird hunting clubs, and investors. Unfortunately, most of that acreage was previously abused and neglected, with failed culverts and obstructions that denied fish passage, depleted soil organic matter and more.
However, due to Bartelheimer’s farming practices, these issues are being addressed and soil tilth and fertility is being restored. SVF has worked diligently to develop a farming program that is catered to meet their needs, as well as their landlords’.
“Previously, these fields were at a point where they’d hardly grow anything, but now they’re very productive. It’s a win-win situation for the landowners and SVF,” he says.
However, it’s more than just a two-way street – it’s also a win for the local ecosystem. By removing debris and obstruction from drainage ditches and streams, fish habitat has improved. By leaving a few acres of corn and cover around his field for wildlife, large numbers of waterfowl and raptors are present throughout the year.
However, it’s more than just a two-way street – it’s also a win for the local ecosystem. By removing debris and obstruction from drainage ditches and streams, fish habitat has improved. By leaving a few acres of corn and cover around his field for wildlife, large numbers of waterfowl and raptors are present throughout the year.
Dan Bartelheimer
Farmer
Snohomish, Washington
“You have to be willing to change your farming practices, change your marketing, and change the way you work with the community – if you overlook one area, it all starts unraveling. All those things go hand-in-hand for sustainability.”
Dan Bartelheimer
Farmer
Snohomish, Washington
“Observing the return of wildlife as farming practices changed has been exciting,” says Bartelheimer.
“It has been a joy to work with Dan on some of his sustainability efforts,” says Eric Schuh, Senior Resource Planner at Snohomish Conservation District. “You can tell he’s passionate about improving the land he’s working on, while also improving the surrounding habitat and involving the community in his efforts.”
Bartelheimer notes that the sustainability of agriculture requires the support of the community, and that support has been gained through telling their story, providing fresh healthy local foods, and giving the public an opportunity to participate in agri-tourism on their operation.
“Without the general public and their support, farming would have been gone a long time ago,” he says.
Their farming practices and program is constantly changing to incorporate new technology, scientific research, regulations and the public’s demands, but Bartleheimer says they always work through those changes to remain responsible stewards.
“You have to be willing to change your farming practices, change your marketing, and change the way you work with the community – if you overlook one area, it all starts unraveling,” says Bartelheimer. “All those things go hand-in-hand for sustainability.”
"You can tell [Dan's] passionate about improving the land he’s working on, while also improving the surrounding habitat and involving the community in his efforts."
Eric Schuh
Senior Resource Planner
Snohomish Conservation District
