Title Year Category
N and Manure 1988-1999
Description

Two cooperators conducted nitrogen rate trials in 1996. Ray and Marj Stonecypher, Floyd, used the late spring soil nitrate test (Figure 3) and then sidedressed two rates that were close to the recommendation (Table 3). Testing and sidedressing …


Publish Date
February 11, 1997

PFI Staff
Practical Farmers of Iowa
Cooperators
Ray and Marj Stonecypher
Ron and La Donna Brunk
Steve and Tara Beck-Brunk
Richard and Sharon Thompson
Planting Trials 1988-1999
Description

In past years, PFI cooperators have carried out a variety of tillage comparisons. Ted and Donna Bauer, Audubon, have done several trials of 19- inch versus 38-inch-row soybeans. In 1996, because of planting delays, they custom hired a …


Publish Date
February 10, 1997

PFI Staff
Practical Farmers of Iowa
Cooperators
Ted and Donna Bauer
Dave and Lisa Lubben
Description

Investigations continued on the Mugge Farm on the possibility of rootworm damage in the strip system. Soil was sampled for eggs, adult emergence was monitored, and root damage was rated on a 1 to 9 scale. As in …


Publish Date
February 9, 1997

PFI Staff
Practical Farmers of Iowa
Collaborators
Michael Ellsbury, South Dakota State University
Publish Date
February 8, 1997

PFI Staff
Practical Farmers of Iowa
Description

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 …


Publish Date
February 7, 1997

PFI Staff
Practical Farmers of Iowa
Cooperators
Ron and LaDonna Brunk
Steve and Tara Beck Brunk
Doug Alert and Margaret Smith
Dennis and Kate McLaughlin
Description

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 …


Publish Date
February 6, 1997

PFI Staff
Practical Farmers of Iowa
Cooperators
Joe Fitzgerald, New Melleray Abbey
Collaborators
Variety Trials 1988-1999
Description

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 …


Publish Date
February 5, 1997

PFI Staff
Practical Farmers of Iowa
Cooperators
Neely-Kinyon Farm,
Ken Rosmann
New Melleray Abbey
Dave and Lisa Lubben
Weed Management 1988-1999
Description

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 …


Publish Date
February 4, 1997

PFI Staff
Practical Farmers of Iowa
Cooperators
Tom and Irene Frantzen
Richard and Sharon Thompson
Description

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 …


Publish Date
February 3, 1997

PFI Staff
Practical Farmers of Iowa
Cooperators
Tom and Irene Frantzen
Mike Natvig
Description

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 …


Publish Date
February 2, 1997

PFI Staff
Practical Farmers of Iowa
Cooperators
Matt and Diana Stewart
Description

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: …


Publish Date
February 1, 1997

PFI Staff
Practical Farmers of Iowa
Cooperators
Ron and Maria Rosmann
Description

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 …


Publish Date
February 17, 1996

PFI Staff
Practical Farmers of Iowa
Cooperators
Tom and Irene Frantzen