En route to winning this year’s Kansas Bankers Association Conservation Award, Doris Sullivant learned that it isn’t always what you’ve got, but how you use it.

“I was really surprised and felt honored because most of the people have more land and larger farming operations than we do,” said Sullivant, owner of an 80-acre lot in Lone Star.

“Ours is pretty small.”

Sullivant, along with her son, Bob Brandt, and Jeri Breithaupt, operator of Triple B Farms, received recognition for construction of a waterway geared toward mitigating erosion.

Before installation of the waterway in fall 2004, Sullivant met her share of difficulties in dealing with drainage.

“We’ve been here since 1945, and (the area now inhabited by the waterway) was just a very big ditch until the waterway was built,” she said.

“Over the years we’ve spent quite a bit of time and money keeping that waterway controlled.”

Breithaupt agreed that change was necessary to control the runoff.

“We were having some problems. Prior to putting the waterway in, it utilized a system where tiles were buried under the ground,” Breithaupt said.

From left are Jeri Breithaupt, Bob Brandt and Doris Sullivant at Sullivant's property in Lone Star. Brandt and Sullivant, his mother, are winners of the Kansas Bankers Association Award. Breithaupt farms the land.

“That was a system that was used years ago, and it just really wasn’t being efficient for us. Basically, by going to this waterway, we upgraded and improved the drainage on this farm.”

Last year’s Buffer Award winner, Breithaupt brings a wealth of experience to the table. He’s been farming for 28 years and operates roughly 16 lots.

“The goal on that farm and the others is just to utilize the resources that are available to us to become more efficient as far as controlling erosion,” he said. “There are a lot of farmers out there that are utilizing the same type of resources as we are and could have benefited from this award.”

Sullivant admires the pride Breithaupt takes in tending to her farm, noting his attention to detail to keep the land looking well-maintained.

“Jeri’s a very good farmer,” she said. “We are thankful to have him take such good care of (our farm).”

The farm serves as somewhat of an heirloom to Sullivant, due to its status as a popular mainstay throughout her family. At one time, however, it looked as though she would have to sell the land.

In 1981, her first husband died, leaving Sullivant custody of the lot, where her grandchildren liked to play on the weekends. Naturally, the children wanted their grandmother to keep the farm.

“If it will pay for itself, we can keep it. But I can’t take care of the farm and myself,” Sullivant said.

“I just couldn’t keep up with everything, and so my son said, ‘Mom, I can take over and help make some of the decisions.’ That’s been real good,” she said.

Sullivant also credits her community for its assistance.

“I always wanted to keep the farm for the kids and the grandkids, and it’s worked out that we were able to do that,” she said. “The kids still call it ‘Mom’s Farm,’ but actually they’ve done far more to take care of it than I have.”