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.
The Latest Research from PFI
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Ron and LaDonna Brunk, Steve and Tara Beck Brunk, Eldora We are interested in the possibility of controlling corn borers in field corn without chemical insecticides. An insecticide program is costly, takes accurate timing, and includes the inherent …
The monks of New Melleray Abbey farm nearly 2,000 acres as their primary source of income and have farmed since 1849. A three-year “discernment” process begun in 1991 led to a renewed commitment to farm sustainably. To this …
Comparisons of crop varieties in 1996 addressed two topics: specialty markets and biotechnology. The Neely-Kinyon Farm, near Greenfield, compared a popular “tofu”-type soybean cultivar, LS201, to a standard variety from DeKalb (Table 1). Seeding costs were sixty percent …
The wet spring weather in 1996 confounded more than one weed management plan. Tom and Irene Frantzen, New Hampton, finally planted ridge-till soybeans June 14 after clearing the field of broadleafed weeds with an application of 2,4-D. They …
Many creative Iowa farmers are interested in adding value to their production and in seeking markets for entirely new products. Hazelnuts are one such new product on the horizon. Sparked by Minnesota nut breeder Phil Rutters, several northeast …
We have completed our third year of transition from traditional, confinement dairy to a grass-based system. Our farm is located in Northeast Iowa on gently rolling Floyd-Kenyon loam soils. All of our pasture had been in corn-hay rotation …
We carried out a hog feeding trial to determine whether adding ground alfalfa to the grower and finisher ration would be economical as well as result in leaner hogs. The ration used for the hog feeding trial was: …
PFI farmers were among the first to introduce berseem clover into their cropping systems. Cooperators are still examining this annual legume for its production and compatibility. Tom and Irene Frantzen, Alta Vista, have compared berseem and red clover …
On May 16, 1995, assisted by ISU graduate student Kris Giles, we began a two-year project studying biological control of the alfalfa weevil. This is part of the PFI IPM project supported by the Leopold Center for Sustainable …
Our project was getting local farmers involved in integrated pest management of alfalfa weevils. Entomologist Kris Giles worked with me to conduct the demonstration and collect data. I raised alfalfa weevil larvae in test tubes and noted deaths …
We sought to control the European corn borer in field corn with timed releases of trichogramma wasps. Our experiment was conducted on two one-acre plots with the assistance of Iowa State University entomologists. Our goal was to control …
