Bristle Farms named WCCD Conservation Farm of the Year
Brad and Mitchell Bristle. Photo courtesy of the Washtenaw County Conservation District.
by Sara Swanson
A Manchester-area family has been recognized for their conservation work and is being awarded the 2025 Walter Wolfgang Memorial Conservation Farmer of the Year Award by the Washtenaw County Conservation District (WCCD).
The Walter Wolfgang Memorial Conservation Farmer of the Year Award is presented to outstanding conservation farmers in Washtenaw County, selected by the District Board of Directors. The WCCD states that this award is presented to farmers who have consistently used conservation measures on their farms not because they are required to do so, but because they want to protect and conserve their land and water resources now and for future generations. It was established in 1977, in memory of Walter Wolfgang, a director on the first Board of Directors of the Washtenaw County Conservation District, when it was organized in 1948. Prior to 1977 it was known as the Conservation Farmer of the Year Award.
From the Washtenaw County Conservation District, reprinted with permission:
The WCCD wants to congratulate Bristle Farms LLC for being named the Walter Wolfgang Memorial Farmer Conservationist of the Year. This award is presented to farmers who have consistently used conservation measures on their farms not because they are required to do so, but because they want to protect and conserve their land and water resources now and for future generations.
Owned and operated by Brad and Mitchell Bristle, the Bristles have been farming for several generations. However, their own farm began in 1982 thanks to their father. Brad and Mitchell took over the farm after their father passed away in a farming accident and have continued their father’s legacy.
Based in Manchester Township, the brothers farm ground from Brooklyn to Saline, growing corn, soybeans, wheat, rye, and hay. In the past five years they’ve expanded into raising cow-calf feeders. When asked why they included livestock, Brad says that deciding to get into that market goes beyond making a profit; it also allows them to graze the cover crops, adds manure to the soil, and improves the soil health of those fields.
Outside of livestock, the farm uses some of the latest technology when growing their row crops. They take soil samples in grids, have used no-till to minimize soil disturbance, and use variable rate sprayers, which puts only the necessary amount of fertilizer near the seed. This investment in precision agriculture technology has allowed Bristle Farms to decrease their input costs and increase their profit margins.
At a time when inputs are high and crop prices low, Brad says that it is crucial to be open minded and be willing to adapt. A recent example of this is their installation of harvestable hay buffers along waterways. With the land being less productive for row crops, the harvestable buffer keeps nutrients and soil from entering the waterway and allows the Bristles to reincorporate those nutrients into the feeding program for their livestock come winter, creating a win for the farm and the environment.
It has been said that conservation is a mindset. When it comes to farming it can lead to lower inputs, more profit, and better environmental outcomes. A win-win for the farmer and our natural resources. There is little doubt that Bristle Farms operates with this mindset—making them great farmers and stewards of the land.
The Bristles will be celebrated at the WCCD’s Annual Conservation Celebration on March 12, 2026.
Conservation efforts at Bristle Farms. Photo courtesy of Washtenaw County Conservation District.
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