Farmer-Led Research
Research reports are written by Practical Farmers staff to ensure consistency and quality, and are available to view or download for free.
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This project was funded by the Walton Family Foundation In a Nutshell: Numerous products are marketed to farmers that promise to boost crop yields. Jack Boyer was curious about one such product – MycoApply – and tested the effectiveness …
This project was funded by USDA-NRCS and Walton Family Foundation In a Nutshell: Jack Boyer has been planting a cereal rye cover crop in a corn-soybean rotation on his farm for six years. Because Boyer knows that a …
This project is funded by Walton Family Foundation & Albert Lea Seed House In a Nutshell: Six cereal rye varieties were screened at two Iowa State University research farms and one commercial farm. Key Findings: Hybrid varieties, Bono and …
In a Nutshell: Sam Ose has been struggling with weed control in seed corn. He wondered if interseeding a cereal rye cover crop might help suppress weeds and tested two seeding dates: when the corn reached the V6 …
This project was funded by Ceres Trust In a Nutshell: Farmers were interested in better germination and quality of lettuce seedlings during hot summer months. Three farmers completed experimental trials to evaluate the effects of pelletized seed and …
Funding by Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Background Soil compaction and lack of fence are often identified by farmers as the two major barriers to grazing cover crops. While soil compaction can reduce crop productivity, issues can be avoided …
This project was supported by the Walton Family Foundation In a Nutshell: Cover crops are typically seeded near or after cash crop harvest in late summer or early fall in the Upper Midwest. Seeding cover crops at the …
This project was supported by the Walton Family Foundation In a Nutshell: Interseeding cover crops to corn at the V4 stage has gained attention for its potential to foster successful diverse species mixes and generate more biomass than …
In a Nutshell: Hybrid rye is a grain commonly fed to pigs in Europe. It is high in fiber and low in energy. Cooperator Tom Frantzen raised and incorporated hybrid rye into feeder pig rations in order to …
By Hayley Nelson and Stefan Gailans This project was supported by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Division of Soil Conservation and Water Quality, the Walton Family Foundation and AgSource Laboratories. In a Nutshell: Yield drag …
Funding by Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). This material is based upon work supported by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under number 69-6114-15-009. In a Nutshell: Determining the optimal harvest window for 100% grass-fed cattle …
In a Nutshell: Farmers were interested in the effects of integrating sheep grazing to their vegetable production beds during fallow periods. Two farmers completed experimental trials to evaluate the yields of fall brassica crops following a spring cover …
