Farms: Corn, soybeans, cow-calfFarms: Corn, soybeans, cow-calf
Conservation practices used: Buffer strips, terraces, no-till, minimum-till
Economic reasons: The conservation practices I use help our farm from an economic standpoint, as I make fewer trips across the land and that saves wear and tear on the machinery. I am also saving on fuel and am seeing soil health improvements.
Long-term benefits: I also recognize there are long-term benefits of keeping the soil in place. I want to give my children an opportunity at farming someday. I am intentional about teaching them the importance of conserving our natural resources so they can be the fourth generation on this farm.
“I want to preserve my land and soil for my kids and the generations to come so they have an opportunity to raise their families on the farm and make a living in southeast Iowa.”
Targeted practices: I use minimum-till practices on the corn ground and no-till on the soybean ground. With the regular corn-soybean crop rotation system I have in place, the dirt only gets one pass of tillage every two years.
Benefits: Keeping some residue on the soil helps control weeds. I am seeing less volunteer corn grow in the soybean fields and also benefit from improved water-holding capacity due to the increase in organic matter.