Pfaltzgraff Farms named CACD Conservationist of the Year

The Roy Pfaltzgraff Jr. family received the Colorado Association of Conservation Districts 2019 Conservationist of the Year award in Colorado Springs. The award was presented at the annual CACD meeting Nov. 20. The family will also be honored again during a rodeo performance at the National Western Stock Show in January.

After working with farmers in Nigeria adapting new crops and farming techniques since 1967, Roy Pfaltzgraff Jr., his wife Kathy, and their family returned to the family farm to join his father-in-law in 1973. The farm, south of Haxtun, consists of 2,080 dryland acres.

Roy first planted sunflowers in 1975 and no-till corn and milo in 1983. In 1999, the farm converted totally to no-till and son, Roy Pfaltzgraff III, joined him. By then every field was being soil sampled and fertilizers were applied as prescribed. Farm records were computerized so crops could be analyzed financially.

To further their no-till education, they attended Colorado Conservation Tillage Association’s conference in Burlington and Farming Evolution in Holyoke. Comparing 20-year crop records to Haney soil tests, sunflowers had a positive effect on soil health with wheat/fallow the poorest. A five-year rotation with a crop on every acre every year was initiated.

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