Several landowners leased the county tree planter and planted approximately 60,000 trees. Through CRP, buffer strip establishment is cost-shared at a 50 percent rate. Owners can earn an annual per acre payment for 10-15 years. There are two types of buffer strips that are part of CRP - filter strips, and riparian buffers. A filter strip is established to grass, and can be from 20 feet to 100 feet wide, as the average.
Riparian buffers contain trees and shrubs.
Syl and his wife, Anne, have owned the farm since 1962. Syl worked for the Ozaukee County Highway Department for 35 years, as Highway Commissioner for the last 30, retiring in 1997. The number and kinds of animals on the farm is amazing. These include three Norwegian Fjord horses. These unique animals can be used for show, ridden, and can even be used to pull farm equipment such as wagons, a hay mower, or a plow.