What Are Practical Farmers Researching This Year?
The Research Protocols forms outlining research projects for the 2016 season are now posted on our website. They are identified by program area (Livestock, Horticulture, Field Crops) and you can view them here:
These projects were designed by farmer-members in our Cooperators’ Program (PFI’s on-farm research program) and are currently being conducted on our members’ farms by the members themselves. The protocol forms are designed to give a snapshot of the methods and experimental designs our farmers are using to conduct research to answer their most challenging questions on their farms. Eventually, these projects are completed and documented in freely available research reports.
On-farm research through our Cooperators’ Program has long been a fundamental piece of the Practical Farmers of Iowa fabric: It is one of the primary ways members share the results and observations of farmer-led investigation. This year topics range from cover crops to alternative free choice minerals for goats to living mulch in cucumbers. The range of topics is a testament to our “big tent” and represents the ever-present curiosity that makes a Practical Farmer.