In this new Farmers for Monarchs video interview, Eric shares how his passion for conservation led him to plant native prairie habitat—first through a neighborhood program near his home, and more recently through an eight-acre Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) planting on his 45-acre elderberry farm in Wisconsin.
“It’s been just thoroughly enjoyable to watch it develop,” Eric says. “Over time, the prairie changes. New plants like cup plant and compass plant slowly emerge and become established, and you really get to see the ecosystem evolve.”
Eric offers practical advice to other farmers interested in habitat work—highlighting cost-share opportunities, long-term soil benefits, and the role of habitat in improving water quality, reducing runoff, and supporting wildlife.
“It’s about leaving the land better than you found it,” he says. “And that includes providing for pollinators.”
Check out the full interview above to hear more about Eric’s approach to habitat restoration and how farmers like him are helping monarchs—and entire ecosystems—thrive.