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America’s farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers are the original conservationists of the land. Jeremiah Nicholson, his family, and the generations before them, are perfect examples.
Jeremiah and his sister, Kamy Nicholson, are fourth generation farmers and ranchers of Nicholson Ventures in Dodge City, Kansas. The Nicholsons grow corn, soybeans, sorghum, and wheat and maintain a cow calf operation and feedyard. Jeremiah describes their family farm and ranch as being focused on sustainability and growth. However, that passion started long before Jeremiah was born.
Jeremiah and Kamy's great grandfather, Carl, founded the family farm and ranch in Ford County in 1929. Carl farmed with his son, Myron who then passed the tradition to his children, DeKeta, and Jeremiah and Kamy’s father, Chuck. Today, Jeremiah and Kamy take pride in inheriting the family tradition and business from three generations.
Jeremiah finds beauty in carrying on the family’s legacy of taking basic materials and turning it into a product to sell. He sees it as the rawest form of production there is. Jeremiah made it clear, however, that the process isn’t just about what you get, but also what you can give.
The Nicholsons prioritize giving back to Western Kansas, even in the face of adversity. The depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer is concerning for the agricultural producers who depend on water for their livelihoods and for the communities that would be drastically impacted by its depletion. While other regions across the country converse about what we should do to conserve water, the Nicholsons and their neighbors have shown the community of Dodge City what they can do.
Since 1986, the Nicholsons have partnered with Dodge City and National Beef to recycle the latter’s wastewater and use it for crop irrigation. While rural communities across the country navigate ways to rid their water of contaminants once wastewater goes to rivers, the Nicholsons have spared their community from the task. They can use the water for their crops, while Dodge City and National Beef use the freshwater that sits underneath the family farm. The water remains in the community, and a portion of it pushes through the soil and returns to the Ogallala Aquifer.
In addition to embracing the practice, the family has spread the wealth of their knowledge. They have traveled to places like Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania to help educate energy producers, landfill companies, and cities on soil remediation and reclamation projects to keep soil productive. Their family farm and ranch has also welcomed researchers from K-State and KU who study soil movement and are particularly interested in the flow of nitrogen.
For the Nicholsons, the generosity with their conservation efforts is simple—high marginal benefits just aren’t worth risking the long-term viability of the land for future generations. Instead, they’ve embraced technology and learned the importance of adaptability and flexibility to find success.
Jeremiah Nicholson and his family embody this reality while continuously finding ways to give back to the community that has given them so much. That that is why he is this month's Kansas Ag Hero.
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