The corn silage harvest may be about 98 percent complete according to the United States Department of Agriculture, but for Jesse Dvorachek the work is just beginning. This year marked the first year his company, Dvorachek Farm and Industry, has tackled custom cropping for farms in Door and Kewaunee Counties. Before this year, his line of work required him to haul and spread manure on area fields. While he knows many motorists give him the stink eye as he drives past, he says they are doing the best they can apply nutrients in a safe way that helps the farmers grow their crops while protecting the land and water. Dvorachek says many new practices like cover crops and no-till planting are making a positive difference in the way he operates.

Dvorachek credits the relationships he has been able to build with landowners, farmers, and local land and water conservation departments for being able to find solutions to problems when they arise. He says adding custom cropping to his portfolio has allowed him more time in the fields he services, which in turn has given him more knowledge about the ground and the potential issues it may present.