Service

The Bones Family story can be summarized in two words —leadership and commitment   We are committed to being active environmentalists.  We live and interact with the natural resources entrusted to us every day.  We commit a tremendous amount of time and financial resources to protecting and enhancing the wildlife, soil, air and water.  True commitment is taking risks and putting aside conventional wisdom.  The decisions we make and actions we take are all done in good faith and with a deep down belief that we are doing them for all the right reasons.  Even though today’s business ventures have changed from our ancestors’, many of the same core values remain.

 We continue to carry on the tradition of community service.   Winnie, Walter, Lyle, Jim and Steve all volunteer on various township, county, community, church, state, national boards committees in various capacities.  Our future will be determined by the decisions that are made today.  If someone isn’t at the table representing our interests when important issues are debated, someone else will occupy that seat and they may not share our interests!  

Stewardship

Listed are notable stewardship practices that we have done and continue to do:

· No till farming
· Cross fencing and rotational grazing on all
        pasture land
· Establishing nesting sites in our wetland 
      areas
· Wildlife food plots planted every year
· Grass planted to over 100 acres of buffer 
      strips along named streams
· Grass planted to over 130 acres of wetland 
        areas and water ways
·  30 acres of trees planted in the last 30 
       years
· Capped all unused wells
· Removed all underground fuel storage 
      tanks and placed them above ground
· Recycled lime from the Sioux Falls water 
      treatment plant to use for cattle mounds
· Utilize 1500 acres of organic fertilizer from 
      the Turner County Dairy annually
· Host the Sioux Valley Retriever Club dog 
      trials every year —since 1993
· Host several FFA land, soil and livestock 
      judging contests
· Host tours for several foreign agricultural 
      delegations and scores of elementary 
      student from surrounding towns.