The Henry County Soil & Water Conservation District’s 60th Annual Meeting was held March 7 th at the Benson Center in Clinton. At the Meeting, Harold Ebeling was presented the 2024 Outstanding Conservation Farmer. His farming operation is located south of Windsor and he has been on the property since 1971.
Harold attended Santiago one room school house from Grades 1-6 and then graduated from Lincoln High School in 1959. On October 8, 1965 he married his late wife Phyllis Byrum. In December 2012 she passed away after a battle with cancer. Phyllis was very involved on the farm.
They have 2 boys, Shannon and Jerrod; 4 grandkids; 1 great- granddaughter, and 1 great-grandson on the way. The whole family is active on the farm.
Harold has been on the farm his whole life. He no-till beans, and is a huge believer in cover crops. He has been doing cover-crops with the state cost-share since 2020; has installed water ways; a CRP well; and a lake. Harold believes that this year’s cover crop is the best year he has had. He owns 300 acres, rents 200 acres of pasture, 300 acres of hay, farms 200 acres, and has 100 head of cattle.
Off the farm Harold was a mechanic for International Harvester for 8 years, and John Deere for 31 years until retirement, Volunteer and Assistant Fire Chief for Windsor 4-County Rural Fire Department for 55 years; in 2018 he was the man of the Year for the Windsor September Fest; was on the Board Directors for the Windsor Elevator for 50 years; and was the Windsor Easter Parade Grand Marshall in 2021.
When Harold was asked if he had any quotes or words of wisdom he chuckled and said “I enjoy Farming.”
