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: Based on previous on-farm research he has conducted,[1] Sam Bennett has seen evidence that a cereal rye cover crop can suppress weeds and reduce herbicide inputs …
This is a joint project between Practical Farmers of Iowa and Iowa Learning Farms. Summary Farmers reported that in 63 of 70 site-years, properly managed cover crops had little to no negative effect on corn and soybean yield …
This research was funded by the following organizations: The Walton Family Foundation General Mills Grain Millers, Inc. Albert Lea Seed House Sustainable Food Lab Welter Seed and Honey Co. In a Nutshell: 16 oat varieties were screened at …
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 …
