The Oman Family Farm located in Delaware County, Ohio, is a Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) success story. The Omans' farm started as a livestock and crop production farm in 1948. With the help of CRP, the 205-acre farm today consists of 148 acres of prairie grasses and 17 acres of cropland. In 1993, 67 acres were enrolled into the CRP. In addition to the conservation cover, a shallow water area, and food plots were developed.

CRP has helped to prevent gully problems and the soil from eroding into the Olentangy River. Encouraged by the benefits of CRP, the Omans have decided to plant additional acres to prairie grasses and develop more shallow water areas for wildlife and wetlands on the farm. With USDA support, the Omans have worked with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) and Pheasants Forever to improve and increase the conservation benefits on the farm.

Today the farm is wildlife oriented and home to the Lone Oak Farm Hunting Preserve for pheasants. The farm is licensed through the ODNR to raise Ring-Necked Pheasants. CRP has added beauty and recreational value to the farm. Due to the enhanced wildlife habitat, Bald Eagles and Short-Eared Owls have been spotted on the farm.

The benefits of CRP on the Oman farm have extended to the community as well. Two local colleges have used the farm for courses due to the enhanced wildlife habitat. Local Cub Scouts use the farm for tree planting projects and to observe the prairie grasses. Each year, the Omans, with the help from Pheasants Forever, host a hunter's education course and a youth hunt.

The original CRP contract expired after a one-year extension in 2004; however, the CRP conservation cover has been maintained. The farm is working with USDA to add warm season grass filter strips, hardwood tree riparian buffers, and a wetland restoration project under the new Scioto River Watershed Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program in Ohio. CRP has helped the Oman Family Farm conserve privately owned farmland.

Field once row cropped now devoted to prairie grasses. The CRP habitat is bringing wildlife back to the farm.

Encouraged by success in preventing gully problems, the Omans devoted additional acres to prairie grasses and shallow water areas for wildlife.