After years of fighting the weather and worrying over cattle prices, insects, and diseases, the idea of planting trees and just watching them grow appealed to Neal Martin and his son Rob Martin.

So in 1986, the Martins made an offer to enroll most of their cropland in the new Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Enrolling in CRP would allow them to hold on to the land they love, keeping it in agriculture and providing some income without the headaches and uncertainties that come with row crop farming and raising cattle.

The offer was accepted, and the Martins took a deep breath and waited to see whether the program was as good as it looked. They planted pine trees where the rows of corn once stood, then watched them grow. The years rolled by and the trees grew, all according to the CRP plan developed when they first signed their CRP contract.

CRP turned out to be such a good deal that, in 2002, the Martins enrolled the remaining 26 acres on the farm in CRP, this time agreeing to install a Riparian Buffer. Requirements under the contract included planting hardwood and pine trees.

Now the Martins enjoy sitting back and watching their trees grow!

Neal and Rob Martin with pine trees planted on CRP acreage.

Pine trees planted 18 years ago on CRP acreage.

Rob and Neal Martin with 2-year-old pines. Under their most recent CRP contract, the Martins installed both pine and hardwood tree plantings.