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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This research was funded by SARE and Walton Family Foundation. In a Nutshell: Variety selection is a key component of growing high quality oats, but information about which varieties are best suited to perform in a particular site …
Oats grow well in Iowa and have multiple purposes: to sell as food-grade grain, livestock feed, or cover crop seed. The state of Iowa used to be the number one oat-producing state, with over six million acres of …
This research was funded by Walton Family Foundation, Albert Lea Seed House, General Mills, Welter Seed and Honey Co., Meridian Seeds, Sponheim Seed, SDSU Seed Foundation, and Zabel Seeds. In a Nutshell: 18 oat varieties were screened at …
This research was funded by the Walton Family Foundation. In a Nutshell: Kellie and A.J. Blair are aiming to fine-tune the nitrogen fertilization regime for their food-grade oat enterprise to maximize yield and profitability. The Blairs conducted strip …
This research was funded by Ceres Trust. In a Nutshell: Farmers Hannah Breckbill and Emily Fagan of Humble Hands Harvest and Kate Edwards of Wild Woods Farm would like to harvest spring-planted cabbage, a cool-season crop, later into …
This research was funded by Walton Family Foundation and Albert Lea Seed House In a Nutshell Nine cereal rye varieties were screened at four Iowa State University research farms. Key Findings: Across sites and varieties, average cereal rye …
This research was funded by Ceres Trust. In a Nutshell: With a desire to prolong availability of spring-planted spinach into summer – a period when bolting and subsequent yield reduction is more likely to occur – Hannah Breckbill, …
This research was funded by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship – Water Quality Initiative. In a Nutshell: Ben Albright, an integrated beef and crop farmer, grazed cover crops with finishing steers in the fall, winter …
This project was funded by Ceres Trust. In a Nutshell: Jill Beebout and Anna Hankins & Shae Pesek selected three snapdragon varieties and evaluated their performance in terms of marketable stems produced for inclusion in bouquets. Key Findings: …
This research was funded by Ceres Trust. In a Nutshell: Arugula is a popular crop in farmers markets and Community Supported Agriculture, but the risk of flea beetle damage is high. Emily Fagan, Hannah Breckbill and Jon Yagla …
This research was funded by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship – Water Quality Initiative. In a Nutshell: The practice of cover crop grazing provides economic returns, and farmers wonder if benefits to soil health follow …
In a Nutshell The practice of cover crop grazing provides economic returns, and farmers wonder if benefits to soil health follow suit. Economic returns are realized within a year’s time, while soil health impacts are slower to manifest. …
