A day in paradise for Salvadore Ela la Torre starts before 5:00 every morning with farm chores on his farm outside of Paola. He grew up on a farm in Mexico with a dozen brothers and knows it takes work to keep a rural farm operation going. In Miami County, who he turned to for assistance was the Miami County conservation District. They helped him with fencing on his property, along with water pipelines and drinking units that ensure his cattle have fresh water, even in freezing temperatures. De la Torre also utilizes rotational grazing practices to protect the grass on his property and keep his cattle well fed. All his hard work has not gone unnoticed. De la Torre has received the Grassland Award from the Miami County Conservation District. The award will be presented during the Conservation District’s Annual Dinner and Meeting Wednesday, January 29th, at Paola High School.
He and his wife Bertha love rural life, raising a variety of animals, veggies and fruit. The couple says there is something special about their property. The name of the farm…Rancho el Paraiso …Paradise Ranch, and that’s what it is to them, Paradise.
