Letter of the Day (Jan. 6): Iowa farmer

Let's adopt farmer's approach to our own lawns and gardens.

January 7, 2013 at 5:57PM
Dick Thompson on his farm on Friday, November 30, 2012, in Boone, Iowa.
Dick Thompson on his farm on Friday, November 30, 2012, in Boone, Iowa. (Susan Hogan — Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The most recent installment of the Star Tribune's "Vanishing Prairie" series had a great message ("In harnessing land, farmer preserves it," Dec. 29). At first glance, the message seems directed at those with a vested interest in farming.

Dick Thompson was ahead of his time in the late 1960s when he first embraced an integrated pest-management plan that balanced environmental stewardship and chemically intensive agriculture. Today, people with lawns and gardens can apply this same mind-set and commitment to the environment by implementing the best management practices adopted by Thompson.

Responsible use of lawn and garden fertilizers and pesticides will help reduce the adverse impact associated with their use. Judicious and responsible use of these products will help keep our air, soil, surface and groundwater cleaner. Let's all join in Thompson's effort to create a better environment.

JOE CHURCHILL, MINNETONKA

about the writer