This map shows concentrations of organic production, by crop insurance contract. The darker the area the heavier the concentration of organic. Note the dark spots on the northern Iowa border, Kossuth and Palo Alto counties. Driving the 80 miles from Storm Lake to ancestral Algona makes me queasy for all the black dirt exposed to the elements, running into Pilot Creek on the north side of Rolfe, and the West Fork of the Des Moines River south of West Bend, and along the East Fork at St. Joe. It makes you think that things will never change around here.
I first knew Mike McNeil at Iowa State as we were both initiated into Alpha Zeta, and agricultural honorary.
I agree with most of what Mike says except one thing: ORGANIC if it is done the way most of those farms in his area are doing it as I have observed. Those farmers are tilling10-12 times per year and that is not good for the soil. Tillage destroys organic matter, the most important part of soil biology. Organic Matter in the prairie before farming began was 8-10 %. Many farms now have 2-3% OM. Using cover crops and no till allows us to increase the OM and biology of the soil. We have a farm in that area that had OM levels of 3.7 % when we started with cover crops and no tillage in 2016. We have now raised them to 4,2%. We have also been able to reduce the amount of synthetic fertilizers we use and cover crops are great in weed suppression so we are using less herbicides, no insecticides and fungicides on our crops. The way those farmers are tilling their soil requires a lot more energy than no tilling with cover crops.
This is timed just right for me. I am currently CB in the process of a will and partnership on a farm that my Grandfather became the owner of in 1927. The land is located in nearby Oceola County south of Sibley. To my thinking, my aging Uncle and his tenant are destroying the farm that from 1927 until 1987 was farmed in the old ways of crop rotation, and livestock diversity. . Currently, it is in monoculture and relying upon chemicals to produce. I guess people today don’t realize that when one farms this way, the banker becomes a partner and things such as Crop Insurance suddenly becomes part of the equation . I am looking forward to taking a part , changing the direction of the conduct of farming this quarter section. I grew up on this farm and learned from my Grandfather. The managing partner went to town and drove a Wonder Bread Truck. This farm is currently showing a loss on paper and is destroying the soil to do so. There has got to be a way to save the soil and this article is coming at a pivotal moment time in my life.
I first knew Mike McNeil at Iowa State as we were both initiated into Alpha Zeta, and agricultural honorary.
I agree with most of what Mike says except one thing: ORGANIC if it is done the way most of those farms in his area are doing it as I have observed. Those farmers are tilling10-12 times per year and that is not good for the soil. Tillage destroys organic matter, the most important part of soil biology. Organic Matter in the prairie before farming began was 8-10 %. Many farms now have 2-3% OM. Using cover crops and no till allows us to increase the OM and biology of the soil. We have a farm in that area that had OM levels of 3.7 % when we started with cover crops and no tillage in 2016. We have now raised them to 4,2%. We have also been able to reduce the amount of synthetic fertilizers we use and cover crops are great in weed suppression so we are using less herbicides, no insecticides and fungicides on our crops. The way those farmers are tilling their soil requires a lot more energy than no tilling with cover crops.
A bit of optimism that maybe farm country WILL change?
This is timed just right for me. I am currently CB in the process of a will and partnership on a farm that my Grandfather became the owner of in 1927. The land is located in nearby Oceola County south of Sibley. To my thinking, my aging Uncle and his tenant are destroying the farm that from 1927 until 1987 was farmed in the old ways of crop rotation, and livestock diversity. . Currently, it is in monoculture and relying upon chemicals to produce. I guess people today don’t realize that when one farms this way, the banker becomes a partner and things such as Crop Insurance suddenly becomes part of the equation . I am looking forward to taking a part , changing the direction of the conduct of farming this quarter section. I grew up on this farm and learned from my Grandfather. The managing partner went to town and drove a Wonder Bread Truck. This farm is currently showing a loss on paper and is destroying the soil to do so. There has got to be a way to save the soil and this article is coming at a pivotal moment time in my life.
We were in Italy last fall, and all Chianti Classico wineries are organic. They do it to improve the land, the grapes and the community.