At the Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association (SSCA) Annual Conference in Saskatoon held in February, James W. (Jim) and Leona Richards were presented with the Farm Family Award for Soil Conservation. Sponsored by the SSCA and the Royal Bank, the award is designed to recognize those families whose efforts to practise and promote soil conservation have influenced other farmers and the general public.
In 1971, Jim and Leona purchased some land southeast of Yorkton. The soil textures on much of this land range from very fine sandy loam to loam. Since there are some spots that are quite sandy, those areas tend to blow when there is no vegetative cover.
Jim undertook a number of practises to encourage plant growth and improve the soil:
a) In the spring, he would spread well-rotted manure on the hilltops.
b) When cultivating the summerfallow, he lifted the cultivator in the sandier areas.
These practises have improved the condition of the fields. The sandier soil has become more productive and areas in the fields that couldn't grow a crop when he first took over the land are now doing so. Soil erosion by wind has been virtually eliminated. The trees in the field shelterbelts are pleasant to view and the deer and birds are making use of them.
Jim enjoys visiting with students. He explains to them the conditions he was faced with when he first took over the land and describes to them the changes he has implemented. The most obvious changes of course are the field shelterbelts. The trees are quite tall now and for many of the local students, these are the first field shelterbelts they have seen.
While many of the soil conservation practises Jim employed to ensure his topsoil stayed at home are not considered new and innovative, they weren't common for that time nor for that area.