SWOF Farmer Spotlight: Lillie Beringer
In each Tune Up Newsletter, we profile one farmer, team member, partner, or other SWOF affiliate to better understand their contribution to the program. In this edition, we’re spotlighting Lillie Beringer, a determined and enthusiastic young farmer enrolled with SWOF.
Lillie is a third-generation farmer and young entrepreneur that has utilized conservation programs to help transform her family farm and support a thriving beef business. Her grandfather started farming their land in the 1950s, and Lillie says that everything she does is to try and give back to what he started. Her dad and uncle carried on the tradition, and now out of 26 grandchildren, Lillie is at the helm of Beringer Family Farms. Over the past 3-4 years, she has successfully transitioned her acres from 100% straight on corn chiseling tillage to all no-till with a corn bean rotation while utilizing cover crops on everything. As a young female farmer, we recently chatted with Lillie to learn more about what fuels her passion for agriculture and how the adoption of these conservation practices is helping her succeed.
Lillie is pictured above with one of her calves.
“Being a smaller producer, I'm always thinking of how we can advance and do things a little differently to be more efficient. When you don't have to run a chisel across the field and you don’t have to soil finish it, that makes a difference!”
Can you tell us a little more about your farming operation?
We're primarily beef farmers, and I actually bought my first cow my senior year of high school. I’ve always just had a really big interest on the cow side and that’s just grown, so our main focus on the farm now is the cowherd. We primarily have Angus, about 200-250 cows. We also custom feed about 500 head of cattle. And then finally we take some of the remaining home raised cattle to market, but the rest go into the beef program I started in 2021, BFF Beef. Through this small business I sell our home raised 21-day dry aged Angus beef as individual cuts directly to consumers.
On the crop side, since we always had the herd, we had manure, and traditionally it always had to be incorporated. Previously we chiseled it all up and had full tillage. But as an eager young farmer just out of college, I began going to different meetings and became interested in cover crops. I worked out a custom grazing deal with a neighbor that was growing them and slowly started transitioning my own land. I use rye and I also utilize some radishes, turnips, and oats. I tried some 60-inch corn with cover crops, too. It feeds my cows, so that’s a great thing because I really love my cows!
Cows grazing at Beringer Family Farms
What outcomes - financial or otherwise - have you seen on your farm after implementing SWOF-supported conservation practices?
This past year was the first year that everything was no-till and had cover crops on it. I calved and moved them onto rye, and I had about 120 acres that they grazed on the spring. It was fantastic! I had no sick calves. I didn’t treat a single one! It was just so great.
And like I said, when I first started this, I was asking how can this benefit my livestock? But I’m starting to see other added benefits now. Soil health is a marathon, so I know it’s going to take some time to build more microbes, but my soil is sandy, like a complete sandbox! I know it’s helping with that and erosion control. Yield loss because of cover crops is a myth. The yields that I’ve had the past two years have been the same if not slightly better. And it’s obviously with less work, it’s less fuel, less trips across the field. That in and of itself saves you time and money. Being a smaller producer, I'm always thinking of how we can advance and do things a little differently to be more efficient. When you don't have to run a chisel across the field and you don’t have to soil finish it, that makes a difference!
Planting corn at Beringer Family Farms
Your family’s farm and legacy are very important to you. How do you think conservation programs like SWOF help with that?
Yes, carrying on what my grandpa started, and my dad and uncle continued is very important to me! And as farmers, if we just strip and strip, and take away from our soil every year – that's not going to help me get there. We’re only given the land that's here. Our job is to take care of it in the best way possible. I definitely believe these types of conservation methods are setting me up for the future and setting our kids up so that they can continue doing this. I know it takes time, but by not taking away the topsoil every year from my super, super sandy ground, and trying to add diversification and natural elements back into the ground, I think it’s going to be a big benefit for our farmland several years from now.
As a young, female farmer, what advice do you have for others?
First, is don’t ever let someone tell you that you can’t do something. Just because you’ve always done it that way, doesn’t mean it’s the best way anymore. You have to have an efficient and advanced mindset. Everything is so cutting edge these days and the margins are so slim! Every single thing we do matters. Don’t be afraid to incorporate some different methods or try newer technologies.
Next, get involved, go learn, and ask questions. Take advantage of the resources that are available. I work with a couple agronomists in my area that have been so helpful. Ask a neighbor, go to a meeting, and try something. You can start small like I did. As I became aware, I utilized these practices on more acres. These programs are out there for people to try and help cover some of the costs. I’m so thankful for that. I think I’d be trying to figure out a way to make some of these changes for the betterment of my cows regardless, but the help is amazing! I’ve been able to do it so much faster. I had a full-time job outside of farming and I was able to quit there about a year ago to do this full-time. Every little bit from these programs helps. So, ask for help. I’m a very strong-willed person, but I did not get to where I am today without a wonderful team of people that have mentored and supported me.
But on that note, I have a call to action for the more veteran farmers and landowners too. Agriculture is so hard to get started in, so hard! And with the price of land these days, it’s nearly impossible for young producers to make enough to do it full-time! The farming community needs to come together and help transition the next generation of agriculture so that farming success can continue. When you come across a young, motivated farmer, please help them! Have transition plans within your family operation and be )open to newer methods or practices the younger generation might like to try. We all just want to ensure our farmland continues to succeed.
Want to learn more about Lillie’s journey or support her small beef business, BFF Beef? You can find more info at Beringer Family Farms website and you can also follow her on Facebook and Instagram.