by Dennis Dalman
A young farmer spoke to the Sartell City Council Oct. 9, asking if perhaps he and the city could establish a partnership so some of the compost at the city composting site could be used for his farmland.
Alex Udermann is a fifth-generation farmer who operates a farm along 17th Street N. He and his wife, his father and a younger brother live and work on the farm, which is primarily for cattle. The family recently received a “Century Farm” award.
Udermann said the family is very conservation-minded and practices environmentally friendly methods such as using cover crops and no-till soil methods to preserve good, rich topsoil.
Udermann said using compost from the city compost heap would be a great way to introduce good fungal bacteria into the soil, which would lessen if not eliminate the need for application of herbicides and pesticides.
Doing so, he said, would make for cleaner water, cleaner air and help make Sartell “greener.” Udermann noted he, his family members and others just recently restored 100 acres of wetlands near Baker Lake in north Sartell.
Udermann spoke during the Open Forum part of the council meeting during which a speaker, if pre-registered, can address the council for up to three minutes.
Mayor Ryan Fitzthum thanked Udermann for proposing a “great idea” and told him city staff would be contacting him soon to let him know if such a proposal is feasible.
