The Mauthe Farm

The Mauthe Farm has been in the family since 1972, and was originally purchased by Paul's parents.  In 1982 Paul and his wife Cindy began share growing tobacco on the farm and purchased the operation in 1988.  The Mauthe's have grown tobacco, oats, rye, and hay in the past however; now, the main commodities produced on the farm are corn, soy beans, and ginseng.  The Mauthe's also have a small herd of cattle which they use for their own consumption.

The Mauthe's heard about ALUS through newspaper articles and advertisements for the Farmer Expression of Interest workshops in the first year of the pilot project and were one of the first farm families to participate.  Both Paul and his son Kyle are avid waterfowlers and hunters and were keenly interested in creating habitat on their own farm.  In addition to this, Paul was interested in implementing Best Management Practises identified in his Environmental Farm Plan that would have a positive impact on the stretch of South Creek, a cold water trout stream and source of drinking water for the town of Delhi, running through his farm.

With these objectives in mind the Mauthe's began working with ALUS to implement their projects.  First, a low and wet area of the farm was identified as a desirable location to create a wetland buffered with Tallgrass Prairie and trees.  The area produced marginal yields and knowing that habitat for breeding birds, particularly ducks, has been in dramatic decline the Mauthe's set aside this area of their farm.  In addition, extensive Tallgrass Prairie buffers were established along their stretch of South Creek.

At the time of project development, Kyle Mauthe was employed on the Norfolk Environmental Stewardship Team (NEST) an initiative spear headed by the County and the Norfolk Land Stewardship Council providing local youth pursuing post secondary education in natural resources and the environment with an opportunity to gain relevant work experience in their home community.   NEST was working with ALUS on various projects across the County and Kyle was able to take the lead on his own farm preparing and planting the land and helping to design the wetland.  Paul Mauthe also contributed to the project, harrowing in the prairie grass planted around the wetland and purchasing and planting aquatic plants with his son.

Since the project was established the Mauthe's have noticed a definite increase in waterfowl both on South Creek and in the created wetland.   They are now paid land rent for marginal crop areas through ALUS, rather than trying to crop these areas.

Paul Mauthe was featured in the recent ALUS video on YouTube which can be accessed on the ALUS home page.

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• Demonstration Farm Map
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