Published Sep 16, 2015

Field Day Recap: Ackley Farm, Sept. 8
By Stefan Gailans

Paul and Nancy Ackley welcomed close to 50 people to their farm near Bedford in Taylor County to showcase the diversity they are cultivating by integrating crops, cover crops and cattle. Paul is a soil and water commissioner for Taylor County and frequently thinks about what is best for the soil when making decisions on the farm.

Nancy and Paul Ackley

Nancy and Paul Ackley

Paul shows off a diverse cover crop mix that he seeded in early August after harvesting winter wheat in late July. Doug Peterson of the NRCS digs up some soil and roots.

Paul shows off a diverse cover crop mix that he seeded in early August after harvesting winter wheat in late July. Doug Peterson of the NRCS digs up some soil to get a look at the diverse roots. The summer harvest date for wheat affords Paul the opportunity to plant a diverse array of species that will put on substantial growth by the fall.

PFI member Hannah Bernhardt checks out Paul's diverse cover crop mix. Paul will graze cattle here after a fall frost. He expects to have enough forage per acre for one cow for 30 days.

PFI member Hannah Bernhardt checks out Paul’s diverse cover crop mix. Paul will graze cattle here after a fall frost. He expects to have enough forage per acre for one cow for 30 days.

PFI members Jim Mathis, Gary Wilson and Russ Wischover were on hand to learn from Paul.

PFI members Jim Mathis, Gary Wilson and Russ Wischover were on hand to learn how Paul grazes a cover crop mix following a wheat crop.

We next toured a field Paul was prevented from planting due to extremely wet conditions this spring and summer in his area.

We next toured a field Paul was prevented from planting due to extremely wet conditions this spring and summer in his area. He seeded a diverse mix of species to hold and feed the soil rather than leave it fallow.

Paul planted turnips, sorghum Sudangrass, soybeans, forage collards and other species in his prevent plant field. He will be able to graze cattle in this field after Nov. 1 per crop insurance rules.

Paul planted turnips, sorghum Sudangrass, soybeans, forage collards and other species in his prevent plant field. These covers will hold soil and nutrients in place and Paul will be able to graze cattle in this field after Nov. 1 per crop insurance rules.

Paul asked fellow PFI member Chris Teachout to talk about spring-seeded cover crops ahead of his soybeans. We definitely need to do a field day at Chris's to check that out!

Paul asked fellow PFI member Chris Teachout to talk about spring-seeded cover crops ahead of his soybeans. We definitely need to do a field day at Chris’s to check out all the neat stuff he’s doing with cover crop diversity!

New PFI member Mike McDonald (far left) takes a look with others at the corn Paul planted this year that followed his wheat+diverse cover mix+cattle grazing last year. Paul hopes to replace a good amount of fertilizer with the legumes in his cover crop mix and the manure from the grazing cattle.

New PFI member Mike McDonald (far left) takes a look with others at the corn Paul planted this year that followed his wheat+diverse cover mix+cattle grazing last year. Paul hopes to replace a good amount of fertilizer with the legumes in his cover crop mix and the manure from the grazing cattle.