Larry and Irene Mathison and Loren and Carrie Mathison of Preston were chosen as the 2011 Fillmore County Outstanding Conservationists of the Year. In addition, the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (MASWCD) named the Mathison families as one of eight Area finalists in the 2011 Outstanding Conservationists Award program. Pictured is Larry & Irene Mathison; Irene's dad, Charlie Fravel; and Carrie & Loren Mathison) The Mathison's own and rent a total 880 acres of crop ground in mainly a corn-soybean-hay-oats rotation that is adapted to match their landscape. They maintain 170 acres of hay, some of which is in strips that were laid out twenty-five years ago. The Mathisons have about 90 cows that are rotationally grazed in 11 paddocks on three farms in addition to 70 head of cattle that are in lots for part of the year. They have installed feedlot runoff practices which include a cement wall, picket fence, roof gutters, a berm, freshwater diversion and filter strips. In August of 2005, the Mathisons hosted a manure application and equipment field day in cooperation with the University of Minnesota Extension Service and the Fillmore SWCD. Buffers are maintained along 4,378 feet of Canfield Creek that flows through the Mathison property. They have installed 41,990 feet of grassed waterways or 27.4 acres on both land they own and rent. Eighteen acres of CRP on their steepest cropland has been maintained for 17 years. The Fillmore SWCD is proud to recognize the ongoing efforts of the Mathison families to be good stewards of the land.