There’s a lot to tell about this year’s Cooperators of the Year. It’s safe to say that Mike and Holly Buchanan, newly of Stillwater Springs Farm outside West Milton, like a challenge…or they don’t know what relaxation is…or they don’t like the idea of being tied to just one idea. As stated, there’s a lot to tell, but here goes….
Mike retired in 2011 from the Miami Valley Career and Technology Center after more than 3 decades of instructing students in Environmental and Natural Resources. He then began and continues to operate Buchanan’s Wildlife Solutions. Then, just over a year ago, after living in Brookville for over 20 years and where they raised five children, Mike and Holly returned to Mike’s boyhood stomping grounds surrounding West Milton and began working on fulfilling a dream.
Stillwater Springs Farm was actually owned by a former student and was a working spring-fed trout farm when the Buchanan’s purchased the business and the 18-acres of land. They took this very big dive into trout farming and entered into this whale-sized challenge with an ingrained mindset of diversity, and striving to include additional ag related initiatives that would truly model good stewardship on this little patch of lovely in Miami County.
From beehives, to a couple head of cattle and wandering free range chickens, (and don’t forget those thousands of trout growing and swimming happily in their concrete and earthen runs), Mike and Holly are working toward a sustainable, entertaining and educational 18 acres. A harmonious haven, if you will, not just for the two of them to enjoy but to be a place for folks to visit and see how it all combines to work together.
Surrounding the property are pasture fields undergoing rotational management, and the Buchanans have worked with Renee Buck with Pheasants Forever and Gunnar Young with NRCS to apply for EQIP and have flagged out a wetland on the property, increased pollinator and wildlife activity and more, all directed toward the goal of trying to truly discover and unlock what this land will let them do.
So far, they’ve hosted several events at Stillwater Springs Farm. Milton-Union FFA students destined for a Soils Judging Competition practiced at the Farm. Mike and Holly also invited an inner city youth group to the Farm to introduce the kids to the beauty, peace and necessity of such places. And most recently, Stillwater Springs Farm was a field trip for the Multi County Educators Workshop where 18 teachers from Shelby, Miami, Darke and Montgomery Counties were given a tour of the operation. They’ve also entered into conversations with area restaurants with the hope of providing fresh, home-grown, local trout to their menus.
It’s proven to be very hard work but they’ll continue to educate themselves and be open to taking advantage of programs and practices that will only benefit their operation and improve the quality of the soil and water and help them become the stewards of the land they aspire to be. Mike & Holly will also be recognized at the 20th Annual All Ag Meeting & Banquet August 29th at Heritage Hall at Lostcreek Reserve.