Over the years, the Madison County Soil & Water Conservationist District (SWCD) has recognized hundreds of individuals and families that have done outstanding work to conserve our natural resources and embody what it means to be a steward of the land.
This year, the Madison County SWCD commissioners presented the 2025 Conservation Award to Weeks Family Farm in recognition of the stewardship efforts of Steve and Patty Weeks. Steve and Patty Weeks’ families have deep roots in farming. As Steve says, “I was born a farmer.” Steve and Patty purchased their original 275-acre farm in Monroe Township in 1974. They made their home on the property and actively farmed until the farm crisis of the 1980s.
Today, their 45-acre property includes prairie that was established in 1990 with assistance from the USDA, as well as 8 acres in the Conservation Reserve Program. The prairie is a mixture of grasses and forbs, and they keep a constant vigil for noxious weeds and cedar tree starts. Prairie burns every few years help keep tree starts in check and the prairie healthy.
Other conservation features on their property include 10 acres of timber, a waterway, and a 3-acre pond. Their farm has become a wildlife sanctuary; in addition to the habitat provided by the prairie, woodland, and pond, they have also constructed owl boxes, wood duck boxes, and goose nests. Steve and Patty’s parents instilled in them a love of the land and a desire to save it for future generations. Steven and Patty recently sold a 5-acre parcel with the farmstead to their daughter and son-in-law, Jessie and Justin Lowry, so Jessie has returned to her roots and is enjoying the prairie with
her husband and daughter.
Steve said that they have always tried to take care of the farmland, but beyond their stewardship efforts on their farm, other notable conservation activities include:
Patty Weeks has been a member of the Winterset Tree Commission for several years. She also served on the Winterset Municipal Utilities Board of Trustees, where she helped re-energize conservation efforts in Cedar Lake Watershed. Patty was also a longtime member of MCFEE, the Madison County Foundation for Environmental Education, where she has served as Board Chair. Patty and Steve both help out with activities for the Madison County Conservation Board.
The 2025 Conservation Award presentation was held on Wednesday, July 16 at the Madison County Fair. The SWCD commissioners and staff presented a metal award sign to Patty Weeks, who was joined by her daughter Jessie Lowry and granddaughter Elena (Steve was out of town).
Madison County SWCD would like to thank the Madison County Fair Board for providing an opportunity to recognize stewards of our natural resources at the fair, and Madison County Farm Bureau for sponsoring the metal award sign.
