Farms: Corn, soybeans, Angus cattleFarms: Corn, soybeans, Angus cattle
Conservation practices used: Buffer strips, waterways and minimum tillage
Value of conservation: We have seen the reduction in soil loss going into the Southfork Watershed close to where we live, plus the water in the streams near our farm is noticeably clearer.
Where does NASA come in? The organization, along with a few universities across the U.S., is measuring water quantity in the soil on my farm and other farms. While water quality has been the hot topic in Iowa recently, knowing about water quantity is equally important. In order to sharpen the pencil on water quality, we have to know how much water is going through our soil and how it is used.
“The technology that NASA is using on our farm to measure this is going to be extremely beneficial as we start to tackle the water issues that we face.”Advice for other farmers: Share about your experiences with conservation practices in order to encourage and educate other farmers and landlords in the state and preserve the land for future generations. We are blessed with the soil we have, and it is our job as farmers to protect it.