Farmer-Led Research

This research was funded by IDALS. In a Nutshell: Cooperators tested a range of onion varieties, measuring yield and storage stability. It was hypothesized that varieties that were more resistant or less attractive to thrips might have yield …

This research was funded by The Builders Initiative. In a Nutshell: Milking does, whether in dairy production or feeding kids, are under high metabolic load.  Adam Ledvina and Margaret Chamas conducted trials in which treatment does were fed …

This research was funded by The Builders Initiative. In a Nutshell: Bale grazing is a way of feeding livestock in the winter by providing bales of hay to animals out on the land, instead of indoors.  By spreading …

This research was funded by Cargill.  In a Nutshell: Biochar is a fine-grain charcoal material produced by heating organic materials such as wood or straw to a very high temperature in the absence of oxygen. Biochar contains a …

This research was funded by Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. In a Nutshell: Mizuna is a mild and peppery brassica green. Historically cultivated in Japan, it often makes an appearance on Midwestern farms as a cut …

This research was funded by Cargill and USDA-NRCS. In a Nutshell: Many farmers use strip-till or no-till methods to plant corn and soybean crops because they want to reduce soil disturbance, minimize planting costs and/or plant green into …

This research was funded by Ceres Trust and Stranahan Foundation. In a Nutshell: Irrigation can increase potato yield and quality, with effects depending on rainfall and soil conditions. The benefits of irrigation are balanced against the cost of …

This research was funded by Ceres Trust and Stranahan Foundation. In a Nutshell: Potato seedlings are hardier than those of many other crops, and so have a wide window of potential planting dates. Lee Matteson wanted to test …

This research was funded by USDA-NIFA, Walton Family Foundation, Albert Lea Seed House, Welter Seed and Honey Co., SDSU Seed Foundation, UW Foundation Seeds and Zabel Seeds. In a Nutshell: 16 oat varieties were screened at four Iowa …

This research was funded by NRCS and Ceres Trust. In a Nutshell: Tarping is an increasingly common practice on vegetable farms for bed preparation and weed or cover crop termination. Farmers place either a black or a clear …

This research report was funded by USDA-NIFA, Albert Lea Seed House, Green Cover, North Dakota State University, KWS and FP Genetics. In a Nutshell: Eleven cereal rye varieties and one triticale variety were screened at four Iowa State …

This research report was funded by Stranahan Foundation, Walton Family Foundation and Ceres Trust. In a Nutshell: Starting seedlings for transplant in the greenhouse is a chore where small, repeated components like covering seeds with soil can add …