If the premium prices for organic grain have grabbed your attention and you’re considering a switch to organic, you need a clear picture of your path forward. This class will help you understand the opportunities and challenges in the organic grain market and give you tools to forecast your potential profits and prepare for a smooth transition. Paul Dietmann is a senior lending officer at Compeer Financial, a member-owned rural lending cooperative that’s part of the Farm Credit System. He is a co-author of the book Fearless Farm Finances: Farm Financial Management Demystified, which you’ll receive in this class. Jim Munsch, a grass-based beef producer, is one of the developers of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s “Compass” software tools that help producers analyze their operations to make data-driven financial decisions. They’ll walk you through crop budgets, cash flow projections, and financing options for the transition process, and introduce some handy decision-making tools. They’ll be joined by a panel of farmers who recently transitioned to organic and can share advice to help smooth the path for new growers.
November | December 2019Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service PerennialWheatPage5 ‘Incubator’PageFarm7 BiodegradableMulchesPage9 Solar-PoweredFarmPage10
Financial Impact of Organic Grain Transition
Full-day Organic University builds farming skills
Feb. 27-29, 2020 La Crosse, WI where grow farmers Be part of the conference everyone talks about. “Far from home but so worth the trip.” ~ Stephanie House, Amissville, Va. “So much to take away from the weekend. I can’t wait to go again next year!” ~ Jessa Lane, Marshall, Wis. Grow inspired! SAVE with early bird tickets starting Dec. 3. mosesorganic.org
The recently released 2019/20 Organic Commodity Outlook from Mercaris paints a picture of sharply reduced organic crop production along with an increased reliance on imports over the coming marketing year (MY). Unfavorable weather condi tions and flooding resulted in losses in area and yields of both organic corn and soybeans this MY, despite expansions in the number of certified organic farm operations expected to harvest both crops. In particular, the U.S. Corn Belt suffered some of the largest organic corn production losses, with 2019/20slowerisproductionorganicthisisreliancedecline,make9,641totalingandOhio,Michigan,Minnesota,Wisconsinacombinedacres.ToupforthisagreateronimportsexpectedoverMY.However,livestockgrowthexpectedtobeovertheMY,growing by only 1% compared to 4% growth in 2018/19. This slower growth in organic livestock production is expected to limit just how much imports will need to expand. U.S. organic corn production levels are at their lowest since 2016/17, with Mercaris reporting a 12% collapse in production over the 2019/20 MY. In the U.S. Corn Belt region, a number of organic corn acres that were not planted this season were pushed into organic soybeans and other crops, which ultimately caused larger acreage losses in organic corn over 2019. Further, organic corn yields are expected to decline 2% year-over-year (y/y), and area harvested is estimated down 11% from the previous year. Organic corn sup plies are expected to be further tightened through this MY due to reduced organic corn silage production coupled with increased demand for corn for livestock feed. Similarly, organic soybean production over 2019/20 is also expected to shrink, with Mercaris esti mating a 14% y/y reduction in production following an 8% reduction in organic soybean acres harvested. Organic livestock feed demand is up this year, but the rate of growth has slowed com pared to previous years.
headfromslaughterorganicFortheunchangedlionreached2018/19plateauedbroilerOrganicslaughteroverandonly53.5milhead,relativelyfrompreviousyear.comparison,broilerexpanded50millionin2016/17 to 53.5 million head in 2017/18 MY, a 7% increase. Similarly, organic cage-free egg layer inventories were up only 1% in 2018/19 compared to 10% expansion the previous year. Regarding dairy, organic fluid milk sales ended 2018/19 up just 1% y/y. All in all, Mercaris expects organic livestock feed demand to grow by just over 1% over 2019/20, down from 4% growth during the previous MY. The reduced organic corn and soybean produc tion outlook this MY along with growing livestock Organic University continues on 6
Organic corn, soybean production down in 2019
By Megan Thomas
By Audrey Alwell Experienced farmers, researchers, and agricul ture professionals will present in-depth, practical information on specific farming topics during Organic University Feb. 27, 2020, just before the MOSES Organic Farming Conference in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The 10 classes run from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Early registration opens Dec. 3 with classes priced at $160, a $60 discount off onsite tickets. Each class comes with a custom-made resource book with space for notes. New this year, participants can select a full-color ebook as a “green” alternative to the standard black and white spiral-bound books. For more information about each class and regis tration, go to OrganicUniversity.org. Rotations for Reduced Tillage & Resilience Sound and strategic crop rotation plans set the foundation for successful organic grain production. Creating a purposeful crop sequence that integrates cash crops, cover crops, and soil-building phases can reduce weed and pest pressure, improve soil fertility, and decrease the need for tillage. Erin Silva teaches and researches organic cropping systems at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and leads the OGRAIN training program. Brian Luck specializes in biological systems engineering for University Extension. Dave Campbell is a longtime organic farmer from Illinois. John Wepking is explor ing organic small grains on his Wisconsin farm. This group of experienced professionals will walk you through strategies for creating resilient and functional rotations that build soil while maximizing ecosystem function. They’ll address crop selection, cover crops, and the equipment that can help you reach your goals.
Volume 27 | Number 6 54767WIValley,Spring339,BoxPO TM Organic Commodity Outlook continues on 8
Reflections on Community
MOSES Team: By Lauren Langworthy, MOSES Interim Executive Director
Volume 27, #6 November | December 2019 Editor Audrey Alwell Advertising Coordinator Tom Manley Digital Content Producer Stephanie Coffman The Organic BroadcasterTM is a bimonthly newspaper published by the Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service (MOSES), a nonprofit that provides education, resources and practical advice to farmers. Opinions expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. Inclusion of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of a product. We reserve the right to refuse inappropriate advertising. © 2019 MOSES Content may be reprinted with permission. Contact Audrey@mosesorganic.org. Display & Classified Advertising: Thomas@mosesorganic.org or 888-90-MOSES Content Submissions or Inquiries: Audrey@mosesorganic.org Free Subscription: mosesorganic.org/sign-up or 888-90-MOSES MOSES is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit qualified to receive tax-deductible donations. Support resilient organic, sustainable, and regenerative farms by donating: MOSES, P.O. Box 339, Spring Valley, WI 54767 Online: mosesorganic.org/donate MOSES educates, inspires, and empowers farmers to thrive in a sustainable, organic system of agriculture. As the snow starts to fly outside our farm window, it’s easy to think of all the things that didn’t get accom plished this year— easy to remember all the lessons learned the hard way. It takes a different level of skill to account for everything we were able to accomplish and how far we’ve managed to progress. If we can master both sides of this skill of acknowledg ment, we can begin to build a strong intention for the future, mapping and reflecting on what worked, where we struggled, and our progression toward our goals.
~Adrienne
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Lauren Organic Specialist Team specialist@mosesorganic.org Board of Directors: David Abazs Round River Farm, Minn.
Langworthy, Interim Executive Director | lauren@mosesorganic.org Audrey Alwell, Communications Director | audrey@mosesorganic.org Chuck Anderas, Organic Specialist | chuck@mosesorganic.org Sarah Broadfoot, Data & Registration Coor. | sarahb@mosesorganic.org Sophia Cleveland, Administrative Coor. | sophia@mosesorganic.org Stephanie Coffman, Presentation Coor. | stephanie@mosesorganic.org Lisa Kivirist, In Her Boots Coordinator | lisa@mosesorganic.org Tom Manley, Partnership Director | thomas@mosesorganic.org Jennifer Nelson, Land Access Navigator | jennifer@mosesorganic.org Cathy Olyphant, Office Assistant | cathy@mosesorganic.org On-Farm
In October, MOSES hosted the Women in Sustainable Ag (WISA) Conference in St. Paul. The event drew amazing people from across the country into community around shared learning and leadership development. Miah Ulysse gave the WISA keynote presentation which left me inspired and recommitted to my own mission of creating positive change. Miah talked about the prevalence of “burnout” in mission-driven professions. I see this exhaustion in many people working toward the critically important and hard-fought changes needed in our food system. Miah talked about leveraging our strengths within community to develop a cohesive movement. She described passing leadership between a host of strong leaders in the way cyclists “draft” off each other—with a shared vision of the destination, high trust for those riding along with you, and opportunities for everyone to both lead and follow/rest.
Mike Bollinger River Root Farm, Iowa Sylvia Burgos Toftness Bull Brook Keep, Wis. Dela Ends Scotch Hill Farm, Wis.
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Miah read an excerpt from Emergent Strategy by Adrienne Maree Brown. I picked up the book and have been savoring it since the event. The book describes community like an ecosystem. It investigates the power of observation, purpose, and authentic relationships. “Emergent strategy is how we intentionally change in ways that grow our capacity to embody the just and liberated worlds we long for.” Maree Brown, Emergent Strategy
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Clare Hintz Elsewhere Farm, Wis.
Charlie Johnson | Johnson Farms, SD David Perkins Vermont Valley Farm, Wis.
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As I reflect on that quote, I am proud to be part of the MOSES community of farmers, partners, and food system advocates. The strength of this organization is buried in those words. As a community-oriented nonprofit, MOSES has a unique role in guiding conver sation, educational opportunities, and the development of a strong community of people striving for a more just food system. Under decades of leadership by Faye Jones, support and guidance from dozens of outstand ing board members, and through ongoing development of new community connections—MOSES is grounded in a specific intention: growing community capacity to create the future of agriculture we want to see.
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Molly Rockamann EarthDance Farm School, Mo. Sara Tedeschi Dog Hollow Farm, Wis. Darin Von Ruden | Von Ruden Family Farm, Wis.
As we reflect on where we are as a community— how far we’ve come and also what we have left to accomplish—it’s important to remember that we are not doing this alone. We rely on scholarship donations to help farmers (especially beginners) access our con ference. We rely on presenters to share their expertise and volunteers to share their time. We also rely on donations from generous individuals throughout our community to make it all happen. As farmers across the country experience the reper cussions of dramatic weather events and global trade relationships, MOSES continues to offer the informa tion and peer networks they need to strengthen the resilience of their operations. We ask that you donate, as you are able, to help MOSES continue building com munity capacity and the future of agriculture we want to see. (See donation information in the box to the left.)
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Everything that MOSES does is about building individual and community capacity to build a better future for food and farming. From the complexity of the MOSES Organic Farming Conference, to the commu nity forum of this Organic Broadcaster, to the simplicity of farmer-to-farmer mentorship, and the opportunities for learning and networking that happen on organic field days, it’s all about sharing the resources, expertise, and network that will help organic, sustainable, and regenerative models of agriculture succeed. It’s an essential mission, but it can’t happen alone.
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Intermediate Wheatgrass (Kernza) No doubt, many readers have heard of Kernza, or intermediate wheatgrass, which has been in the news numerous times over the past few years. The first perennial grain to be released for commercial produc tion, Kernza is the result of decades of research that began with the Rodale Institute in the 1980s. Research shifted to The Land Institute in Kansas in 2003, which trademarked the name Kernza and then partnered with FGI a few years later to continue improving Kernza for commercial production. This past sum mer, UMN launched a limited-release commercial variety of Kernza, named MN-Clearwater, and plans are underway to finalize licensing for a seed release for 2020 that will provide Minnesota growers with expanded opportunitis to grow Kernza. Planted in late August, Kernza establishes quickly and grows significant biomass both above and below the ground. The above-ground biomass provides a high-value forage, particularly in the fall. The belowground root structure—shown to grow upward of 15 feet in some areas—holds the soil, filters water, and captures nutrients, proving especially effective at pulling excess nitrates from groundwater. When established, the plant has shown to consistently over winter and even survive the freeze/thaw cycle preva lent during the recent springs in the Upper Midwest. The crop is harvested the following August and will begin to regrow almost immediately. Current varieties have been shown to produce a marketable yield for
| 3mosesorganic.org | 888-90-MOSESTM By Constance Carlson, University of Minnesota
European hazelnut (C. avellana) ongoing for decades, with innovative producers such as Phil Rutter from Badgersett Farm, Linda Meschke from Rural Advantage, and Mark Shepard from Forest Agriculture Enterprises leading the way. Jason Fischbach from University of Wisconsin-Extension and Lois Braun from FGI have partnered for several years and have secured significant funding for breed ing and identifying the best varieties for commercial production, developing an efficient system for propa gation, and working with other researchers, growers, engineers, and even culinary professionals to improve harvesting and processing and to foster market and supply chain opportunities. Little has been done to research organic produc tion methods for hybrid hazelnuts, but they are a crop that requires little to no inputs to establish and maintain. As a woody perennial with a long lifespan, hazelnuts are valuable for any producer who wants to provide habitat for bird species or install a windbreak, shelterbelt and/or living snow fence. As market value and production efficiencies improve for the hybrid hazelnut in the Midwest, growers will see both eco nomic and ecological benefits by adding hazelnuts to their production mix. American Hazelnut Company, a grower-owned company based in Gays Mills, Wisconsin, is currently selling hazelnuts, oil and flour through their website and at retail locations through out the Upper Midwest. Both the FGI website (www. forevergreen.umn.edu) and the Upper Midwest Hybrid Hazelnut Development Initiative website (www.mid westhazelnuts.org) have more details on research and development of the Midwest hybrid.
INSIDE ORGANICS
Winter Annual Oilseeds
The Forever Green Initiative (FGI) encompasses a platform of 14 different crops ranging from hybrid hazelnuts, elderberries and pulses, to winter annual oilseeds and a new perennial grain with the trade marked name Kernza. The FGI researchers work closely with a range of producers to research and pilot the new crops and systems to ensure results meet pro ducers’ needs and can work effectively on a field-scale level. While FGI is intended for all producers who are interested in new economic opportunities built on protecting our soil, water, and natural resources, researchers recognize that organic producers have spe cific requirements for successful production. Many of the crops within the FGI platform include an organic research focus.
Developing new crops and cropping systems for farmers to protect our resources, build soil health, capture carbon, and feed our communities, but also reap economic benefit is the vision of the University of Minnesota (UMN) Forever Green Initiative, a program of the UMN College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources. Forever Green is striving to keep the land in continuous cover and aims to do that through the development of new crops and cropping systems, fostering collaborative partnerships with both industry giants and rural community innovators that spur supply chains and market development.
Forever Green Initiative develops perennial, winter-hardy crops with eco-benefits
Viewpoints from members of the organic community three years. When combined with forage, Kernza may prove to be an important new revenue opportunity for growers.FGIhas focused its efforts not only on improv ing the breeding and agronomics of Kernza, but also piloting the ecological benefits of this crop. In 2017, FGI researchers partnered with rural water authorities in several areas of Minnesota to plant Kernza on wellhead areas since its deep root structure and ability to capture nitrates might be an innovative solution to protecting rural water sources. Results from this work have captured the attention of policymakers and environmental advocacy groups; similar efforts to plant Kernza in vulnerable drinking water areas across Minnesota are in development. One organic grower, Carmen Fernholz, has been growing Kernza for the University since 2011 and has been mentoring other growers. (See the related article by Fernholz on page 5.) Fernholz and the research ers are working to understand how Kernza can fit into organic rotations and how it might be used as a transition crop for growers interested in moving into organic production. Fernholz and representatives from the Forever Green team will present a workshop on Kernza production and markets at the 2020 MOSES Organic Farming Conference in La Crosse, Wisconsin, in late February. Hybrid Hazelnuts Hazelnuts (Corylus americana) are a native crop with a long history in the Upper Midwest. They have been an important part of the diet of Indigenous communities and can often be found in the forest understory and along trails in Minnesota. They exhibit strong resistance to diseases such as Eastern Filbert Blight and are cold-hardy, which is necessary for pro duction in the larger-fruiting,Midwest.thinner-shelled
Winter camelina (Camelina sativa) has been grown as an oilseed for centuries, with records dating to preRoman times. Both spring and winter camelina variet ies are grown in locations in the U.S. and Canada, but FGI is focused on the winter variety because of its ability to keep the soil covered through the winter and early spring. Researchers are exploring how this crop can fit into existing rotations of soy, corn and/or wheat to provide producers with a relay crop revenue stream. For example, because winter camelina can be harvested with a conventional combine in mid- to late June, it opens the canopy to allow an interseeded soy bean crop to grow quickly and mature at the normal time in September. The combined production of both crops (winter oilseed and soybean) is greater in terms of overall seed weight and oil yield than a single crop of soybean. As a result, the economic returns—pro vided there is a market for camelina—are projected to be higher for the combined winter oilseed-summer soybean system than for the mono-cropped soybean. For organic growers, winter camelina in field trials
“When should I prune my fruit trees?”
• Once trees are 5 or more years old, start thinking about renewal, and look for new branches you can encourage to grow.
CALL: Organic Answer Line 888-90-MOSES (906-6737)
• As trees grow, winter pruning is the time to make sure continued growth conforms to that shape.
Answer by Organic Specialist Kevin Mahalko The growth phase of the pasture season is coming to a rapid end as we advance through the fall. However, we still have plenty of options to optimize fall grazing in the transition to winter. One of the keys to extending the grazing season is to stockpile pasture forage. If you manage pastures well throughout the grazing season, your pasture species are healthy and able to get a late summer/early fall growth spurt as summer temperatures cool and fall rains come. The pasture growth curve shows a late-summer/early-fall increase in pasture growth potential. If you maintain healthy roots and residual leaf volume post-grazing through the season, you will get a nice boost in fall pasture growth. As we lose daylight and growing degree days, we need to take special care of our grazing feed inventory.
SUBMIT: Click “Ask a Specialist” button at mosesorganic.org/ask.
• Some trees (especially pears) have a strong ten dency to grow vertically with their branches point ing straight up to the sun. This reduces fruiting. The ideal angle for fruiting branches is 45 degrees from the trunk, so select those that are inclined to grow the way you want.
• Sunlight is essential for fruit production. Remove branches that are shading or crowding one another.
Answer by Organic Specialist Rachel Henderson For most fruit growers, pruning for tree health hap pens in winter. There are some pruning activities done during the growing season, but heavy pruning carries a significant risk of spreading diseases via open cuts. Pruning while trees are dormant avoids those risks. It also increases the vigor of a tree, so that, come spring, it will start to grow much more. With young trees, that’s what you want, but with established trees, you might take care to limit the number of cuts to avoid too muchPrunedvigor.cuts can be susceptible to damage from extreme cold and dry conditions. It’s a good idea to wait as late in the winter as possible. But growers with hundreds of trees need to start early in the season and hope for the best. On our orchard, with about 10 acres of semi-dwarf trees, we start pruning in January or February.Thereare several reasons for pruning fruit trees, and in most cases, trees should be pruned every year. For optimal tree health and fruit production, pruning is important for removing old or dead wood, as well as establishing and maintaining an appropriate tree shape. Young trees will need more attention, and more established trees might need just a little bit of work. Growers who have older trees that have been neglected will need to take a careful approach to prun ing. It is safe to remove up to one third of the wood from a tree each year. With a really out-of-control tree, it may be tempting to do more, but it’s better to think of it as a multi-year project. Think about how much you can take off at once, and then consider what next year’s cuts will include. When setting out, it’s important to keep pruning goals in mind:
4 | November | December 2019 TM “Do you have any tips to extend the grazing season?”
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Ask a Specialist continues on 16 When we need to start feeding hay on our farm, we move several bale feeder wagons and poly bale rings from paddock to paddock. This helps spread out the animal impact while providing manure distribution benefits. Paddocks that need renovation and fertility can be good places to feed bales in the transition times and during winter. We find that flexibility in moving feeding equipment on lanes and through fencing is very key to helping cattle spread the nutrients evenly. Some graziers pre-place bales using various strategies. This helps eliminate the compaction and rut damage from equipment during wet times. Water availability is also key to extending the grazing season. Waterline systems can be used for an extended period if we have some means to prevent freezing. Above-ground waterlines can be blown out with an air compressor to prevent damage. Some graziers utilize waterlines daily after it warms to above freezing. Buried and insulated water systems are higher investments up front but are very useful. Water wagons and stock tanks are very commonly used after freezing temperatures set in. If you’d like advice specific to your situation, reach me through the MOSES Organic Answer Line, 888-90MOSES, or by email at specialist@mosesorganic.org.
Stockpiled pasture can take us long into fall, but we need to balance grazing potential with weather condi tions. Rains and early snow can diminish the amount of growth and substantially increase the potential trampling damage in terms of available forage volume and physical damage to sward species. This is a balanc ing act most seasons as the water infiltration rates slow due to cool or frozen soils. As we graze at the end of October, we have dealt with an incredibly wet season. A neighbor who does crop reports has recorded 53.5 inches of rain since April 15, this coming after record-high late winter snowfall. Pastures have been challenged every step of the way; rapid cattle movement and reseeding some damaged spots has really paid off and helped limit the trampling damage. We have grazed when no equip ment could possibly travel through crop fields. This sward and root mass density helps support the physi cal weight and movement of the cattle. The slowing growth rate in fall requires that we stockpile forage to extend the grazing season. Planning involves setting aside paddocks 60 or so days before grazing and picking paddocks that have plants that have better palatability when frozen. Some graziers select an array of annual or late-season crops to give a boost to fall forage production. Oats, winter wheat, rye, and triticale are becoming more popular. Millet, brassicas, and turnips are also grown for forage. One caution is that if treacherous winter weather or rain is in the forecast, we need to consider mechanically harvesting the forage if it is likely to get damaged or made unavailable for harvest due to wet conditions. We had to make that decision on one of the few days baling could take place.
MOSES Organic Specialists answer your questions about organic production and certification.
• In nearly all cases, a strong vertical trunk, or “central leader” is important to identify in the first years, and maintain that through pruning.
DOWNLOAD: Fact Sheets at organic-fact-sheets.mosesorganic.org/
• For young trees (1-3 years), you will be establishing the form the tree will take, including selecting scaf fold limbs. These are the main fruiting branches of your tree, and you want to make sure that they are well-spaced and growing in distinct directions. For a semi-dwarf tree, that probably means four or five limbs, each pointing a different way.
READ: Browse answers to questions at mosesorganic.org/ask.
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Recent Kernza Harvest
After several more years of research and data from the original two-acre plot, fast forward to August 2018 when I had enough seed to plant 15 acres of the most recently developed variety from the University of Minnesota. This variety, named MN-Clearwater, has a kernel double in size from the first grain I planted in 2011. It appears to be much less susceptible to seedhead shattering as the seedhead matures and ripens more evenly. It also has decreased stem lodging, a character istic quite prevalent in earlier plant development. One lesser challenge is the actual seeding opera tion. The seed is still very light and fluffy resembling various types of native prairie grass. In order to assure a uniform stand with a seeding rate of approximately 12 to 15 pounds of seed per acre, it works best to use and accurately calibrate a native grass seeder. We were successful in getting the MN-Clearwater Kernza planted on the last day of August 2018. What needed to be determined yet was the overwintering ability of the grain. In late March 2019, after a cold, harsh winter, the Kernza appeared to have survived quite nicely and began to green up right on time. I was concerned when we received a late 24-inch April snowstorm which resulted in standing water in the field
| 5mosesorganic.org | 888-90-MOSESTM Kernza continues on 12
When Don Wyse from the University of Minnesota first approached me in 2011 to see if I was interested in growing perennial wheat for research, my immediate response was yes. I was familiar with winter wheat but curious how wheat could be a perennial, which by definition would come back each year without the need for annual seeding. Don was able to secure enough seed for a two-acre plot on my farm—this is how I came to be involved in the development of perennial wheat, better known by its trademark name Kernza. To talk about perennial wheat grass it is necessary first to think in terms of natural ecological systems that are self-sustaining, a concept that has for years captivated the imagination of Wes Jackson, the nowretired director and founder of The Land Institute in Salina, Kansas, which has spearheaded the develop ment of Kernza. As Jackson explains, for at least 10,000 years, humans have kept self-sustaining natural ecological systems in a continuous state of disruption in order to feed our populations and avoid famine. This, in a nutshell, is agriculture as we know it. In the past 40 years, The Land Institute and its partners have been breeding new perennial grain and seed crops and researching ecologically intensi fied polycultures that mimic natural systems. At the University of Minnesota, the displacement of this now predominant industrial disruptive system of agriculture is moving forward with an initiative called Forever Green. (See the “Inside Organics” column on page 3 for details about this initiative.) With this background in mind, where is Kernza in its development toward becoming a reliable addition to a farm’s crop rotation while also serving as a continu ous living Kernzacover?isawinter
perennial that is best planted in the Upper Midwest in the last few days of August or first days of September. This in itself creates a challenge for many farmers geared to a corn-and-soybean rota tion as the harvest dates for those two crops is usually well beyond the optimum planting dates for Kernza. Work continues to more precisely determine the latest planting date that will not inhibit yield potential. Early On-Farm Research As I stated above, I was first introduced to Kernza in the late summer of 2011 when Don Wyse gave me enough seed to plant two acres. I proceeded to immediately plant the grain that September in an area on the farm that I could watch and study, not realizing that it would become more than just a one-time venture. The following growing season of 2012, my two-acre plot had survived nicely through the winter. Having no specific instructions on what to do with it, I eventually windrowed the field of chest-high grain and baled it, resulting in a biomass yield of nearly three tons per acre. In 2013, the Kernza again came through the winter and was looking like any good winter wheat field as harvest was nearing. With instructions from the University to harvest it as a grain crop, I was in a bit of a quandary. The Kernza had grown very tall—nearly 6 feet at full maturity. At the same time the 6-8-inch seed head was ripening from the top down. By the time the bottom third of the seed head ripened, the top third began to shatter and fall to the ground. In addition, the kernel of grain was about an eighth the size of a regular kernel of wheat but with the seed hull still attached. These crop characteristics created two harvesting challenges. When would I windrow it to save the high est percentage of grain? And, how would I adjust the threshing mechanism inside the combine to save as much of this lightweight seed as possible from blowing out the back of the combine? My only choice was to cut the wind across the sieves to a minimum, speed By Carmen Fernholz up the threshing mechanism to the maximum and adjust the sieves as tight as possible. (I learned this year that the threshing mechanism adjustments are the same whether using an older cylinder machine or a rotary set up in newer combines.) I ended up with lots of material in the combine hopper that year, but was not certain how much was grain and how much was merelyThatchaff.determination is still being worked on even today because the seed characteristics are changing over time with ongoing gene selection and breeding. This also makes it impossible to determine official test weights and reliable expected year-to-year yields. Currently, the conversation around yield is strictly in terms of pounds per acre with no officially determined test weight per bushel. From the beginning, these characteristics of shat tering, seedhead maturity, yield loss, and lodging have been the major agronomic challenges faced by the plant scientists developing Kernza.
Photo by Carmen Fernholz
Today’s Kernza® has a seedhead that is less susceptible to shattering since it matures more evenly than its predecessor.
After years of breeding, eco-friendly perennial wheat looks feasible for farmers
6 | November | December 2019 TM Organic University — from page 1
The cooperative model works well in rural America. If the local infrastructure isn’t supporting your operation, a producer-run cooperative can be just the ticket to getting the job done. This class will put your cooperative on the path to success, covering the fundamentals of cooperative principles, structure, governance, and finances. Kelly Maynard works for the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives. FL Morris is a certified organic farmer and founding member of the newly formed South Central Wisconsin Hemp Cooperative. Rod Ofte is an organic livestock producer who helped start the Wisconsin Grass-Fed Beef Cooperative. They’ll walk you through the steps for starting a new cooperative, including key questions to ask, common stumbling blocks, and decisions you’ll need to make. They’ll look at scenarios from their co-ops and other producer-owned cooperatives to explain the challenges faced by real businesses and strategies to meet them. Whether your cooperative is still a dream or some thing you’re actively planning, you’ll find this class relevant. Work through your ideas and leave with a rough business outline and actionable steps.
Your Choice for Soil and Plant Nutrition 616-566-0307 � naturesafe.com WE FEED YOUR CROPS... YOU FEED THE
Healthy Small Ruminants Learn the principles of small ruminant health from Gianaclis Caldwell, author of Holistic Goat Care and the Small-Scale Dairy. She’ll explain how small ruminants developed from their wild ancestors to today’s working farm animals and how you can use that knowledge to meet your animals’ primal needs for a high-functioning, healthy, and more profitable herd or flock. Her practi cal approach will cover not only how to manage your animals’ nutritional, physical, and psychological needs, but also how to mimic the genetic strengths of natural selection as you develop your herd. Gianaclis will help you understand small ruminant anatomy and physiology so you can care for your livestock. She’ll discuss feeders and fencing, pastures and paddocks, parasite issues and control methods, and culling options. She’ll also provide an in-depth look at health intercession measures, and much more.
You’ll hear from Brian Pillsbury, who has worked with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for 22 years; Karin Jokela, an organic farmer and a pollinator conservation planner with the Xerces Society; Chuck Anderas, a MOSES organic specialist who has been working with NRCS agents to explain organic production and farmers’ support needs; and, Mark Doudlah, an organic farmer who used several conservation programs as he transitioned his Wisconsin farm to organic production. Whether you are transitioning to organic, wanting to improve your existing organic farm, or working with farmers to implement conservation practices, you’ll find this class provides the details you need to pair these valu able programs with the work you’re doing on the land.
Highs and Lows of Growing CBD Hemp
Managed Grazing for Healthier Dairy & Beef Herds
Manage Your High Tunnels for Long-Term Success
The robust demand for CBD hemp products is creating opportunities for farmers who grow hemp for CBD. Along with huge potential, this newly reclaimed crop has some challenges. You need solid information from experienced growers to be sure this is the right crop for yourLeahfarm.Sandler, the education director and research agronomist at Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, has been growing and researching hemp since 2015. She joins farmers Patrick McHugh and Dylan Bruce to explain best practices for CBD hemp from planting through harvest, as well as strategies to manage pests, mold, and fertility. They’ll also talk about processing hemp for CBD oil and accessing the market. Before you jump into the “green rush,” join this dis cussion of lessons learned and pick up tips to avoid the pitfalls that can happen when growing CBD hemp. Audrey Alwell is the MOSES Communications Director. WORLD ORGANIC FERTILIZERS FOR ALL YOUR CROP’S FERTILITY NEEDS
Raising organic tree-fruit is tricky in the Midwest where growers must manage more insects, diseases, and weeds than in arid regions. Timely management and a clear understanding of the pest complex of tree fruit are essential to the success of small and midsize orchards. Wisconsin apple grower Rami Aburomia, owner of the certified organic farm Atoms to Apples, is a growereducator with the University of Wisconsin’s Beginning Apple School. Peter Werts of the IPM Institute of North America works with commercial orchards to implement Integrated Pest Management systems and conservation practices.They’ll share their knowledge of horticultural, nutri ent and pest-management practices and explore how different production systems, variety selection, and the local marketplace influence organic-pest management, to help you grow a bountiful crop of organic tree-fruit in the Midwest.
The quality of your pastures impacts rumen fer mentation and the health of your animals. When you understand the biology behind this relationship, you can make management decisions that benefit your animals, pastures, and human health. Greg Brickner is a veterinarian and grazing specialist for Organic Valley. He has been practicing management intensive grazing for 33 years. He’ll explore the relation ship between bovine genetics and plant genetics to help you understand how pasture fits into your herd’s total ration. He’ll teach you how to recognize plant character istics at proper maturity to make the most of perennial swards. He’ll cover the use and limitations of annual forages and give you tools for problem-solving during weather challenges. He’ll also arm you with mineral supplementation strategies. Come with aerial maps of your farm and pastures to calculate standing dry matter to ensure your pastures are sized correctly to meet your herd’s ration requirements. Start a Producer-Owned Cooperative
Social justice and workers’ rights are essential to a sustainable food system. By empowering everyone on your farm, you can strengthen your farm’s resilience as well as its capacity to produce food that meets the highest standards of food safety. Join the movement of family-scale farms following Agricultural Justice Project guidelines and show that you run a fair, safe business. Elizabeth Henderson is with the Agricultural Justice Project. She farmed at Peacework Organic Farm, one of the earliest CSAs in the country, and has written several books on sustainable farming. Luke Zigovits farms at Higher Level Organic Farm, the first-ever certified fair trade hemp farm in the world. They’ll explain the principles of food justice—fair pricing, health and safety, conflict resolution, fair employment policies—and demonstrate the value of those principles for farms like yours. You’ll come away with draft fair labor policies for your farm, a checklist to assess your policies, and the foundation for a compre hensive health and safety plan—everything you need if you want to apply for Food Justice Certification.
Conservation Programs to Support Organic Farms Organic standards emphasize protecting and improving the natural resources of agricultural land. Fortunately, there are many conservation programs farmers can tap for either technical assistance, financial support, or both to achieve their goals. These programs can support a wide variety of conservation efforts, such as creating wildlife and pollinator habitat or addressing erosion and water quality issues. There is even a program that repays farmers to have a planner help write a farm’s organic transition plan and guide the farmer through the process. Unfortunately, many farmers aren’t aware of the help that’s available. This class aims to change that.
Strategies for Successful Organic Tree-Fruit Production in Midwest
Five Steps to a Fair Farm
Manufactured from animal proteins like feather meal, meat meal and bone meal, Nature Safe offers dry pelleted and wettable powder solutions for your crops. Use Nature Safe as a starter fertilizer or a top-dress for any crop you are growing. Nature Safe offers high organic nitrogen and phosphorous formulations that can meet your agronomic or economic fertility challenges. Available in bulk, totes and bags. Plants in Kentucky, Nebraska and California now serving you.
Nearly 20,000 high tunnels have been built in the U.S. over the past decade. These high-value growing environ ments require specialized management to maintain productivity and profitability season to season. In this session designed for experienced high tunnel growers, you’ll learn how organic management strate gies and rotation choices can affect soil health, nutrient management, water salinity, and pest pressure. Hallie Anderson has been growing year-round in heated and unheated high tunnels on her farm in Minnesota since 2011. University of Minnesota hor ticulture professor and researcher Julie Grossman is leading a multi-state federal research grant to improve soil health in organic high tunnels. Anne Pfeiffer pro vides hands-on support for this research. Cary Rivard is an Extension specialist managing the high tunnels program for Kansas State University. They’ll help you understand the issues involved in high tunnel soil management and offer tools, tips, and tricks you can use to increase the long-term sustainabil ity of your valuable high tunnel production system.
Beyond that, however, there are some practices and systems that helped us have a successful first season. First, to set the tone and build some trust before the season started, we had a full day of exercises and conversations facilitated by our friend and fellow livestock farmer Martha McFarland from Hawkeye Buffalo Ranch. We ended the day with a list of agree ments about how we’d treat one another as well as a document about house and farm rules.
Incubator Farm continues on Dayna Burtness, center, has opened her farm to beginning farmers Bailey Lutz, left, and Heidi Eger through an innovative incubator model. Photo by Madison Lutz
First, let me provide some background on this program. My husband, Nick, and I have benefited from a ton of privilege, family support, and good luck in our lives. My growing, direct-marketed pastured pig enterprise is profitable and Nick has a great off-farm job with benefits. We’ve intentionally invested in extra land, house, and infrastructure (big farmhouse with barns plus 67 acres of grazeable woods and pasture) so we would have room to share our farm. How to share it has always been the question. If I could wave a magic wand, I’d be the kind of person who’d be free of control and ego issues, feel comfortable with consensus decision-making, and banish any need for hierarchy. But I know myself well enough to know that deep down, that’s not me, not yet. When it comes to my need for security, safety, and control, I’ve got some work to do. There are too many stories out there of big utopian commune dreams dashed by these very issues and I refuse to let our farm become yet another exam ple of good intentions ruined by poor communication and lack of self-awareness or accountability. So, when Nick and I envisioned the program, we knew we wanted to make it clear from the get-go what this isn’t: not an internship, apprenticeship, commune, cooperative, job, collective or intentional community. (All those models are awesome, but they aren’t for us.) What it is: a place where beginning farmers with experience and their own LLCs, business insurance, funding, and markets can farm for 1-3 seasons as they prepare to secure their own farms, hopefully nearby. Also, neither of us has the temperament or skills to manage a nonprofit; the time, money and energy spent on managing the program is our gift. The program has no formal structure outside of our farm LLC. (We did receive an amazing $800 donation from a group of generous souls despite the fact they can’t write it off. We spent it on poultry processing equipment for the
In early spring 2019, we launched an incubator farm program at our southeastern Minnesota farm stead, Nettle Valley Farm. Since I mentioned our plan to “pay it forward” when I gave a keynote talk at the 2019 MOSES Organic Farming Conference, I’m fol lowing up to share how this first year has gone.
‘Incubator’ program helps beginning farmers access land, equipment, more
By Dayna Burtness after being a solo farmer for years. It was an adjustment for Heidi and Bailey, too. We quickly discovered hidden expectations that hadn’t been made explicit. For instance, my philosophy for incubatees is that when it comes to an idea for an enterprise, I will share my advice and opinions, but then I will stand back and let the incubatee make their own decisions…and mistakes. Turns out Heidi was expecting an incubator farm to be more like an egg incubator—safe and protected from risk. Major difference! I’m happy to report that overall, the first season of our incubator farm has been a success from our perspec tive. (Heidi and Bailey share their perspectives at the end of this story.) It has been a joy to learn about other types of livestock and have more coconspirators around for brainstorming and problem-solving. Additionally, the pasture and woods are improving due to grazing their sheep and goats. Honestly, the vast majority of the success can be attributed to the type of humans Bailey and Heidi are: community-oriented, communicative, self-aware, and generally delightful.
incubatees and now the plucker, knives, and cones have become a community asset that we lend out to other farmers—so thank you, donors!) Incubatees have access to land, barn/shop/storage space, electricity, and well water, power and hand tools, our UTV, big farming library, low-interest loans, joint marketing opportunities and any business/farming knowledge we’ve accumulated thus far. They can use our livestock trailers and 4WD truck for a mileage reimbursement rate. Incubatees can also rent a room in our farmhouse and join in the group food and cooking plan, but it’s not required. In return, we asked them for about 5 hours a week helping us out with our pastured pigs and projects like building perennial beds and fenc ing. (Read on for why we’re changing that for 2020.) After a rough start this spring (our first incubatee didn’t work out), we settled into a great rhythm with our second and third incubatees: Bailey Lutz from Listenmore Farm and Heidi Eger from Radicle Heart Farm. Bailey found us through a mutual friend. She has a herd of Kiko goats and two flocks of heritage breed ducks (one for meat, one for eggs). Heidi, who I met at a MOSES field day, has a flock of KatahdinDorper hair sheep and raised two batches of 50 pas tured Freedom Ranger meat chickens. Initially, there was certainly an adjustment period for us—we were used to the UTV always being avail able, the ability to move our pigs everywhere in the valley, and I was out of practice when it came to get ting organized enough to lead a workday with others
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Second, we co-created simple systems that helped us live and farm well together on a daily basis. We started the season with formal check-ins every other week which changed to an as-needed basis by midseason.
Heidi made us a neat Google Map where we tracked of all our paddock shifts in order to manage parasites, forage regrowth, and interspecies conflicts. (Goats could follow pigs in the woods, for example, but sheep would have a hard time finding enough to eat in a pasture paddock after a week of pigs.)
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Winter camelina is ready to harvest in mid-June, allowing an interseeded soybean crop to mature at the normal rate. This combination planting produces greater economic returns than mono-cropped soybean. Photo by Russ Gesch attractive new crop for growers. Agricultural produc tion in Minnesota is just starting to develop, with growers and industry partners building relationships to develop the markets and supply chains necessary to scale up Fieldproduction.pennycress (Thlaspi arvense) is also a new oilseed in development through Forever Green. Producers may recognize it as a weed, but because it is winter hardy, FGI researchers believe it may be another option for a winter cash cover crop and another tool for producers to protect soil and reduce consumption as well as plants that have reduced shat ter, ensuring growers will retain more of the crop at harvest. Potential market opportunities for pennycress oil include new plant proteins, biofuels, and bioplas tics. Research is still comparatively new on this crop, but researchers expect to see rapid advancements over the next 3 to 5 years.
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Inside Organics from page 3
8 | November | December 2019 TM Organic Commodity Outlook — from page 1 feed demand creates room for imports to escalate. Mercaris’ 2019/20 Organic Commodity Outlook predicts an expansion in combined organic whole and cracked corn imports of 28% y/y, with cracked corn imports outpacing whole corn. A similar outlook is presented for organic soybeans, with Mercaris antici pating buyers will continue to substitute organic soy bean meal for organic whole soybean imports. Organic soybean meal imports are expected to grow 8% y/y, while organic whole soybean imports are expected to expand only 2% from the previous year. for oil. Initial results indicate it may be an economical replacement at low levels for soybean meal in organic swineCamelinaproduction.hasa wide-range of market oppor tunities—food and feed, bioplastics, biofuel, and plant-based proteins. Combine those with the crop’s ecological services, and this oilseed is an exciting and Tighter supplies are likely to be an issue over the 2019/20 MY, with gaps in domestic production only partially filled by imports. However, this MY presents an interesting picture as U.S. organic corn and soybean production is expected to be reduced, and organic livestock production volumes seem to be leveling with the previous year. With this view in mind, it is likely that imports will furnish the gaps in domestic production to meet livestock feed demand. Slower organic broiler production will likely limit the upward pressure on prices. Similarly, escalated imports coupled with decreased livestock feed demand could create significant price risks in the market. It will be critical to keep a watchful eye on organic live stock production as well as imports as the 2019/20 MY progresses and producers look towards making up for acres lost in the following MY.
Future Crops The Forever Green Initiative has an active pipeline of crops under development that has the potential to span many decades of work. For example, FGI researchers are part nering with The Land Institute on another perennial, rosinweed (Silphium integrifo lium), a plant related to annual sunflower and a native forb in the tallgrass prairie region of the U.S. Commonly called silphium, it was selected for research because it has relatively large seeds and an attractive nutritional profile. In addition, the plant has strong architecture that may be less susceptible to lodging. Like Kernza, silphium’s significant root system may provide both drought tolerance and carbon sequestration. As a flowering plant, silphium could also be a source of pollen and nectar to native pollinators. For organic producers who are committed to fostering pollinator habitat, this perennial oilseed may provide a multi-year pollinator benefit in addi another small grain that is winter hardy and has an earlier spring harvest date would be a significant opportunity for organic growers to diversify their rotations, combat disease, and produce a high-demand crop with market value. Winter barley grown in other regions has shown to produce higher yields than spring barley. Unfortunately, at this time, winter barley is less winter hardy in the Upper Midwest than winter wheat or winter rye. Thus, a primary focus of FGI breeding and genetics research is to increase the win ter hardiness of winter barley and to understand how it might fit in a double-cropping system with other crops such as soybean. FGI is making great strides not only in developing new crops and cropping systems for growers across Minnesota, but also in its long-term vision to be a model both nationally and internationally for how agriculture innovation and industry collaboration can solve some of our most pressing ecological challenges. As research continues, organic production will be an important component and grower expertise and input will continue to inform the direction and focus of the platform. Constance Carlson co-directs Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems for the University of Minnesota Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partner ships (RSDP). She facilitates market development and commercialization opportunities for the crops within the UMN Forever Green Initiative. She holds an equity interest in A Frame Farm, which is involved in Forever Green’s Kernza research. This relationship has been reviewed and managed UMN in accordance with its conflict of interest policies. She will be involved in a workshop at the 2020 inKernza,ConferenceMOSESonagrainUMN’sForever Green Initiative. The conference takes place Feb. 27-29 in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Travis Veiths
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Megan Thomas is an economist at Mercaris special izing in organic livestock production as well as organic grain and oilseed markets.
- travisv@sustane.com www.sustane.com | (507) 263-3003 Soil & Growing System Analysis High Quality, Economical Organic Nutrients Custom Blends • Co-Granulation Suståne, Known worldwide as... simply the best. In Nature there is abundance, with Nature there is success 608-637-7080 www.naturesinternational.com OrganicWithCertificationPeopleYou Trust Crops, Livestock, Processing/Handling, Wild Crops
Polylactic acid-based biodegradable mulches are being intensely researched as an alternative to biode gradable plastics and paper mulches. Polylactic acid
Polylactic Acid-Based Mulches
Biodegradable Paper Weed Barrier Paper is one of the few available biodegradable mulches to meet NOP standards. Available paper-based mulches include products such as WeedGuard Plus (SunShine Paper Co.), Planters Paper (Garden Trends Inc.), and others. Paper-based mulches fall into the NOP’s standard of 90% or greater degradation within two years. Most paper mulches are actually overachievers and tend to degrade before the end of the field season. In By Elise Reid
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New materials in biodegradable mulches hold promise for vegetable production windy Midwestern states, this can be a problem, as once paper edges degrade wind can airlift the mulch to a neighboring field. Paper mulches are also much heavier than plastic alternatives, which adds to cost and fuel use in their application. In both field studies and high tunnels, WeedGuard Plus did not perform as well as plastic or other bio degradable materials measured by produce yield and quality.1 Additionally, after 18 months of WeedGuard Plus incorporation into the soil, soil in contact with WeedGuard Plus had a lower soil quality index than the bare soil control.2 Overall, paper is not the most effec tive mulch, although it is allowed in organic production. one of the following: ASTM D5988 or ISO 17556 (see §205.3) 3. Biobased with content assessed using ASTM D6866 (§205.3) 4. Is produced without organisms or feedstocks derived from excluded methods such as GMO (Section 205.601 (b)(2)(iii) 5. Be produced without the use of non-biobased synthetic polymers: minor additives such as colorants and processing aides are not required to be biobased (NOP Policy Memo 15-1) Organic certification guidelines require polyethylene (plastic) mulch to be removed from the field at the end of the growing season. Photo by Elise Reid Early season winds can rip apart paper mulch such as WeedGuard Plus (shown here). Photo by Elise Reid European cornstarch and vegetable oil. However, Mater-Bi and other biodegradable plastics still contain petroleum-based products to provide elasticity to the films. As they are non-biobased, petroleum complexing agents make biodegradable plastics ineligible for NOP certification. Similar to paper mulches, biodegradable plastics can have a very short lifespan, reducing some of theirTherefunctionality.6isconcernover microplastic or similar pollution from biodegradable plastic mulches. After two seasons of use and incorporation of biodegrad able plastics, microplastics accumulated in the soil in a vegetable production system.7 Microplastics are 1-5,000 microns or smaller in size; for reference, a human hair is approximately 100 microns in diam eter.8 Microplastics have been shown to affect the soil environment. However, depending on the structure of the microplastic and type of plastic, they can either improve or hinder properties such as evapotranspira tion, root biomass, microbial activity, and plant dry weight.9 Benefits from these microplastics likely are due to the release of compounds from newer microplastics that have a fertilizing effect on the soil.9 The conflict ing evidence gives good cause to further investigate whether the remains of biodegradable plastics will be detrimental or beneficial to soil and plant health.
Biodegradable Plastics Biodegradable plastics on the market include BioAgri (BioBag Americas), Bio360 (Dubois Agrinovation), EcoFilm (Cortec Corp.), and Naturecycle (Custom Bioplastics). Numerous stud ies have found biodegradable plastics to have similar benefits to polyethylene mulches in vegetable yield and weed control, although rips and tears diminished both in some cases.3–5 Mater-Bi plastics, such as BioAgri and Bio360 products, are produced from non-GMO Biodegradable Mulches continues on 16 VIKING PURE & ULTRA-PURE SEED CORN Start Pure, Stay Pure. Viking offers the industry’s first non-GMO purity guarantee. 99 % NON-GMO NON-GMO 99.9% www.alseed.com NON-GMO PURITY GUARANTEED (800) 352-5247 © 2019 Healthy Food Ingredients. Join our family of growers who share our passion for cultivating goodness. We’d like you to grow with us. Let’s cultivate goodness, together. Call 844-275-3443 or visit HFIfamily.com Pulses | Soybeans | Flax | Cereal Grains | Corn Our HFI family: SK Food International Hesco Suntava Heartland Flax NOP Guidelines for Biodegradable Mulch 1. Meets compostability specifications of one of these standards: ASTM D6400, ASTM D6868, EN 13432, EN 14995, or ISO 17088 (see §205.3) 2. At least 90% degradation absolute or relative to microcrystalline cellulose in less than two years, in soil, according to
TM Plastic mulches in vegetable production improve water retention in the soil, warm the soil, reduce weed pressure, and may improve yields. However, difficul ties in recycling or reusing these materials result in massive quantities of plastic going to landfills. For the organic farmer, plastic mulches represent a particularly uneasy balance between economic and environmental sustainability. Mulches currently allowed by the National Organic Program (NOP) include non-synthetic, untreated materials and paper, as well as plastic films if the plas tics are removed from the field at the end of the season. An ideal solution would be development of a 100% biobased biodegradable mulch. There are several biodegradable mulch options on the market. Most have one or two of the desired qualities but lack others. Some new materials under testing may become prom ising alternatives.
Estimate System Size, Costs Google offers an incredibly informative, free website called Project Sunroof (www.google.com/get/ sunroof) that allows users to enter a residential or commercial address and immediately find a wealth of specific information about the costs and benefits of adding solar to that address. Project Sunroof calculates the number of usable sunlight hours for a building based on latitude and local weather patterns. It measures the number of square feet available for solar panels on a roof based on 3D modeling of the building and nearby trees. It provides a rough estimate of the amount of money saved over 20 years if solar is installed. When you input your average monthly electric bill, Project Sunroof recommends a solar installation size based on your specific consumption. If the roof is not big enough to hold a solar installation that covers 100% of energy needs, it calculates the percentage of electric use that the roof installation can cover. The website calculates the positive environmental impact of a solar installation in metric tons of carbon dioxide or the equivalent number of cars taken off the road. It also estimates the cost savings you can expect from a solar power sys tem. This calculation makes assumptions about local costs, so make a quick call to a local solar installer to get a real estimate. In our case, our local contractor charged us $9,000 less than Project Sunroof estimated for our large installation.
Current federal tax incentives for solar power greatly reduce the cost of solar panel installations, making it an easy choice to align farm energy con sumption with conservation values. Solar panels installed in 2019 receive a 30% tax rebate through the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This credit is available for both residential or commer cial systems, so whether or not farmers live and work on the same property, the incentive still applies. Over the next two years, the tax credit phases out, reducing to 26% of the solar cost in 2020 and 22% in 2021. This credit is available to any residential or commercial taxpayer at any address, not just to farmers. Furthermore, because farms are businesses, farm ers can also write off the cost of the solar installation as a business expense to the extent that the electricity powers business operations. The benefit of this writeoff varies based on your family usage of the solar system and your tax bracket, but it reduces your farm profit, saving dollars on both your federal and state income taxes.
10 | November | December 2019
Michigan farmer shares insights after adding solar to power her farm
Hire or DIY? Consider whether you will hire out this project or do it yourself. Besides designing, purchasing, and building the solar installation, the DIYer also needs to coor dinate and possibly haggle with the utility company, obtain local township permits, and pass an electrical inspection. These are the requirements for electrical grid tie-in, which allows solar owners to sell their excess energy back to utility companies. Since we are begin ning farmers in the business-building stage, we opted to pay the solar installers for their expertise and time. To fine-tune the details of your prospective solar project, call a local solar installation company. They have automated programs that allow them to quickly plug in your address and annual electric usage to generate a report recommending system size, incen tives and costs, and payback time for your situation.
The new solar array at Raindance Farm (to the right of the large white barn) powers the farm’s walk-in cooler, propagation house, barn lights, well pump, and all the electrical needs of the farmhouse and intern housing.
Dear Reader, If you ask Acres U.S.A., “What does a farmer do?” we will answer quite differently from most. In agribusiness,it is common to say a farmer produces corn, wheat, cattle or swine, or perhaps one of a hundred other crops, and this may be correct. But we and many farmers in our community see the final product of the farm as well-nourished human bodies with minds capable of thought and reason. — Charles Walters, founder of Acres U.S.A., 1971 ECO-AGRICULTURE 800-355-5313
Photo Kristen Muehlhauser
Financial Incentives
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By Kristen Muehlhauser
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TM We installed a solar panel system on our farm this year that was made possible by a federal tax incentive and a low-interest renewable energy loan. We are committed to stewarding this land, raising our kids, and building our community farm here, so we trust that we will remain here and see the financial investment pay off. Plus, we think reducing our fossil fuel usage is the right thing to do. On our small farm in southeast Michigan, I raise two acres of cer tified organic vegetables, flowers, and garlic for a regional farmers market, two retail locations, and a 50-family CSA program. This operation runs on an 8-by-20-foot walk-in cooler, a small electric-heated propagation house, barn lights, an electric well pump, year-round intern housing, and a 130-year-old farmhouse for our family. Our annual electric bills are about $4,000. To cover 100% of our electric energy consumption, we needed an 18.5 kW solar panel system. Our highly recommended local contractor quoted us $40,589 for the 48-panel array. When we realized with joy that federal tax incentives would reduce our out-of-pocket cost to only $23,350, we decided to go for it because our payback is only six years of our old annual electric bills. In fact, the loan payment for the next 15 years is lower than our old monthly electric bill. After we pay off the loan, we will have no electric bill at all. We will be running on sunshine—for free—for at least 10 years beyond the life of the loan. Plus, we receive an extra $17,000 back for immediate use when we file federal taxes this spring. We plan to use this sum to pay off half the loan early, further reducing our future monthly bills. We did a lot research and learned so much in the process of acquiring our solar array—information and work I’m sharing here to help other farmers decide if a solar system is right for their farms.
Solar-Powered Farm continues on next page
THE VOICE OF
Photo Kristen Muehlhauser
Hammocks hang in the shade under the solar roof, which was elevated 10-20 feet to provide a shelter for multiple uses for the farm crew and customers.
Receive up to an 11% or 10% discount when you place and pay for your certified organic corn or soybean order between now and January 15. Secure your favorite or new product before it sells out. Call Beck’s at 800.937.2325 for more information.
TIP: See the Agricultural Solar Buyers Guide online at mosesorganic.org/solar-powered-farm.
Solar Magic Our farms already run on solar power. The veg etables, flowers, or forage on the lands we steward naturally take in solar energy, spinning it through the alchemy of photosynthesis into sustenance for livestock and people. The sun always ultimately fueled how people lived and made a living, but in the last few decades, humanity entered a new age. Humans now have the ability to catch the sun and change it into light, power, and heat. It is a little bit of magic. If you plan to stay on your farm long-term, and if it is within your means to make a small down payment, then all that is required is several hours to coordinate with a solar contractor and a loan officer. Today’s pric ing and incentives put renewable power within reach.
REAP Grants, Loans Farmers who derive the majority of their income from farming should look at the USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). It provides grants and loans to farmers and rural businesses to improve energy efficiency. Funds may be used to purchase and install renewable energy systems, such as wind, solar, renewable biomass, anaerobic digesters, smallhydroelectric, and geothermal. Grants can provide up to 25% of eligible project costs, while loans can provide up to 75% of total eligible project costs. There are two pools of funding, one for grants less than $20,000 and one for larger grants or a combination of grant and guaranteed loan. The application period for both pools runs through March 31, 2020. See bit.ly/REAPgrants.
Photo Kristen Muehlhauser
Also, if you are trenching for new lines for your solar installation, consider laying other utility lines in your trench before filling it back in. I remember learning from market-farming expert Chris Blanchard to lay any cable, gas, water, internet, or electric lines you can think of whenever you open a trench on a farm since trenching is so expensive. Thinking a bit ahead allows for future farm expansion!
FIRST CHOICE OF THE ANDORGANICBESTSEEDANEARLYPAYDISCOUNT?WE’VEGOTYOUCOVERED.
Solar-Powered Farm — from previous page Local solar contractors will also know about statespecific solar tax incentives. If you do not want to pay for the cost of the system up front, ask the contractor about low-interest renewable energy loans in your state.
Kristen Muehlhauser raises vegetables, flowers, and chil dren at Raindance Organic Farm in Michigan.
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Location Once you choose a solar contractor and system size, work together with your contractor to choose the best location on your house or farm. Unshaded house or barn roofs often work well, but ground-mounted panels offer the advantage of optimal angle positioning for the greatest sunlight harvest. When we realized the solar installation would span 1,200 square feet, we wondered if smart design could help meet other needs on our farm: shade and shelter. We decided to elevate the panels 10 to 20 feet off the ground. The new space hosts 60 feet of table space or a whole slew of hammocks with ease and, thus far, has been used for weekly CSA potlucks, morning crew meetings, and com munity tours. We imagine a wash-pack and more community events in the space in the future. Talk with your solar installer about trenching work in advance. Despite warnings, the trencher hit the electric line that powers our walk-in cooler and wash-pack lights. Even though the contractor rushed their electrician to the site to do a quick, temporary repair, the cooler’s high energy demand kept tripping the breaker for weeks until the permanent repair could be completed. That means our cooler went out on three major pre-market harvest days in August when we were full to the brim with delicate summer produce and flowers.
Power Grid Decide whether you want to be on or off-grid. We connected to the grid because it allows us to sell the excess solar power we generate back to our utility company. Power also can flow from the grid to our farm. The Midwest is famous for short, gray days in winter. Grid tie-in allows us to draw power without interruption or worry. Determine whether or not to install battery stor age in order to have power when the grid goes down. Battery technology is advancing so rapidly that we reasoned we would rather wait five years to buy a cheaper, more efficient battery for power backup when we have more cash reserves.
Kids line up to try a hand at making apple cider. Families in the farm’s CSA use the new shelter to gather for potlucks.
Markets, Future Which brings us to the marketability of Kernza. Throughout its development, what has been necessary is to maintain the delicate balance between supply and demand. Farmers need to know that the grain is a viable crop option and that there is a reliable market. Buyers need to know that there is a longterm, robust supply of product in order to justify investment in research and Currently,development.thereisavery high demand for organic Kernza, but only in limited products. Food scientists at the University and several major food companies continue to explore uses for the grain, finding the environmental benefits of this perennial a positive asset as they move to “greener” product lines. Several craft brewing companies are very interested in limited quantities as well.
Carmen Fernholz is a MOSES Organic Specialist focused on grain production. He and his wife, Sally, own and operate A Frame Farm, a 400-acre certified organic farm in western Minnesota. Carmen will be part of a workshop panel at the 2020 conference on research, growing, processing and marketing Kernza.
12 | November | December 2019 TM Kernza — from page 5 during the snowmelt. I found that, if the grain is still in major dormancy, standing water does not appear to be an issue.Ahigh percentage of the current interest in Kernza grain appears to be with organic foods and beverages. This means that fertility and weed management issues need to be quantified as much as possible in order to assure a harvestable and marketable food-grade grain. Observing the grain during the 2019 growing season and working with the University of Minnesota, I visited the field quite often taking pictures and noting specific data to send back for discussion and analysis. Determining the best harvest date became the main concern as the season progressed. We learned in 2019 that the variety we planted can go from too green to ready to harvest in a matter of 3 to 5 days. Knowing this is critical because there is still a small shattering characteristic present. And of concern to organic producers is the fact that the longer a grain crop needs to stand in the field the greater the weed pressure becomes. Weeds don’t stop growing just because the grain is maturing. A unique characteristic of Kernza is the fact that is ready to harvest when the seed head is ripe atop a grass green stem—totally different than the other small grains farmers are accustomed to growing. This characteristic poses a challenge. Working with the University, I helped oversee three different modes of harvesting the Kernza in 2019. The first and most common way to harvest organic grains is to windrow the grain to dry out the green stems. The question then arises as to how long do we need to leave it in a swath exposing it to adverse weather conditions that can diminish the grain quality quite quickly. An additional downside to windrowing is the fact that the grain is exposed to another piece of equipment that can cause additional loss of grain through shattering. A second way of harvesting is to straight cut the grain much like one would harvest other conventional grains. It is much more convenient and time-saving with a single harvest pass that could reduce the grain loss and exposure to unfavorable weather conditions. However, taking in green stems with ripe grain through the combine makes it challenging to harvest a good food-quality grain. It is possible, but requires the grain to stand for a longer period of time in the field, which increases the risk of grain loss from seed shattering. A third method is the use of a stripper head. A stripper head operates similarly to a straight cut method. However, the stripper head moves through the field and takes only the grain head itself leaving the rest of the plant still standing. From what I have observed, this third option appears to be the most effi cient in all aspects, yielding higher-quality grain with minimal field loss. This method also leaves a green stem intact which can then be harvested as forage or cut and dried for animal bedding. Management Practices When we compare Kernza to the many other small grains that farmers are growing, general management practices are very similar. Fertility needs are about the same. I have used reasonable applications of liquid hog manure injected ahead of the initial seeding of the grain and then top dressed after each grain harvest. With application rates of 2,000 gallons per acre, this amounts to approximately 75% first-year availability of 79 lbs. nitrogen, 38 lbs. phosphorus, and 68 lbs. potassium. In an organic system, it appears that weed manage ment in Kernza should be quite good. The concern, however, is what row spacings should the grower use when seeding the crop. Planting in 6-inch row spacings goes a long way in suppressing weeds. However, this row spacing allows for the Kernza to become sod bound sooner, a condition that is the main cause for significant yield loss after the third growing season.Inthe end, the most challenging characteristic yet to be overcome is yield decrease after three growing sea sons, which seems to be difficult to define with complete certainty. Scientists and researchers are continuing to study the causes and possible remedies. If Kernza is going to be accepted as a viable third crop in a rotation, this yield-decrease phenomenon is significant because economic profitability must be on a par with other crops to assure adaptation across the food system. Norfolk,NE AGlobalEquipmentCompany,Inc. www.henkebuffalo.com 800-345-5073
Harvesting Kernza with a stripper head yields higherquality grain by taking only the grain head and leaving the green stem to be harvested later as forage or bedding. Photo by Carmen Fernholz
The farm crew harvests windrowed Kernza. Photo by Carmen Fernholz
This is how the harvest grain looks directly out of the combine before processing. Photo by Carmen Fernholz
Left: Kristy Allen of The Beez Knees shares how to extract honey using pedal power.
TM are there to provide them the networking, the empow erment, the skills, and the guidance to seek out and engage in those opportunities.” Step back and think. This conference offered workshop topics that encouraged attendees to think outside the box and glean new perspectives on farming and agriculture.
By Lisa Kivirist What do you get when you add 250 women champi oning sustainable agriculture, three days on the river front in St. Paul, Minnesota, and a shared commitment to changing our food system? You get an “incredibly inspiring” national Women in Sustainable Agriculture Conference (WISA), which MOSES hosted last month in partnership with the Women, Food and Agriculture Network (WFAN). This gathering, which takes place every couple of years, serves as the only national venue that brings together farmers, educators, and food sys tem activists committed to sustainable agriculture. “This conference was all about the dynamic women gathered together,” reflected Dela Ends of Scotch Hill Farm and Innisfree Farmstay in Brodhead, Wisconsin, MOSES board member and a speaker at WISA. “I found it so inspiring to be around such a motivated and diverse group of women, from farmers to various agency and organizational representatives to educators and writers and more, all sharing a commitment to growing our organic and sustainable agriculture movement.”
Below: Emma Schroeder, manager of the Eastside Food Co-op’s meat department, shows livestock producers the butchering process.
Bottom right: Keynoter Miah Ulyssee encourages participants to view themselves as puzzle pieces that fit in a larger community of action.
Below left: Emily Ford, head gardener at Glen sheen Mansion, explains chainsaw maintenance.
Twin Cities. She took attendees through an interactive activity to show how all of us are important pieces in solving the puzzles of our time. Show up in person. “In today’s world, we are crazy bombarded with things to scroll, read and look at,” said first-time WISA attendee Brandi Bonde of Harmony Farm in New Glarus, Wisconsin. “This conference reminded me of the power of pure presence. Sitting across from someone and both listening to their story and watching them tell it and experiencing the passion these women have for sustainability, food justice, and soil health, is so inspiring to witness and can only be done in person.”
Lisa Kivirist leads MOSES In Her Boots project.
One example of this was “The Art of Negotiation,” with Mary Peabody and Beth Holtzman of the University of Vermont and Women’s Agricultural Network (WAgN). “Just about everything in your farm business is a negotiation, from transacting a sale at the farmers market to bringing equipment in for repair to the machine shop,” shared Peabody. Their session offered specific tactics on how to
In the spirit of our MOSES In Her Boots women farmer training program, this conference is rooted in the collaborative learning model, understanding that women learn best from each other. The Farmer Forum hosted by the North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) exemplified this spirit by supporting four different workshops to showcase the results of SAREfunded farmer research projects. These Farmer Forum sessions focused on meat and livestock processing, diversifying into on-farm food service, perennial fruit marketing, and added-value bakery products pro duced in a home kitchen. Step up to leadership. “If there’s one thing I hope conference participants took away from the WISA conference, it would be the importance of storytelling and the need for women to speak up and speak out about their experiences in agriculture, as well as the unique challenges and successes they have experienced,” said Sherri Dugger, WFAN Executive Director. “Conferences like WISA
foodbyvatingcommittedinspiringUlysseence.themetheperspectivesthinkingtoonetionapproachstrategicallynegotiatobringeverycollaborativelythetable.InnovativeandnewformedunderlyingoftheconferKeynoteMiahsharedherjourneytoelefoodjusticeshakingupthesysteminthe
Women’s conference boosts skills, confidence of farmers, food system change leaders
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Bottom left: The group connects to ‘solve’ the puzzles in community. Photos by the MOSES team
• Transition consulting services to help you master your certification plan.
As a MOSES follower, you understand the importance of soil health and have likely put in the work to advance your operation toward sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices.
14 | November | December 2019 TM
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• Grain marketing expertise for feed and food-grade corn, beans and small grains. Talk with a member of our organic team today and discover how we can support your organic and non-GMO needs.
If you are considering the next step to organic transition, The Andersons is here to support you. Since 2016, we have worked to build a robust program of products and services to meet your needs:
Other simple tools we used included a shared online calendar as well as a whiteboard where each of us signs up for a night to cook dinner and list groceries or supplies the house needs. Third, we asked Martha to also serve as an outside sounding board and mediator in case any really large conflicts came up that couldn’t be dealt with internally.
• A line of organic nutrients including NPK, soil amendments, granular micronutrients and more.
By Bailey Lutz Though my prior experience was limited to a workshare in exchange for my CSA one season and full-time, season-long apprenticeship the following season, I knew I wanted to continue farming, but really struggled with the idea of following someone else’s direction. When I met Dayna and Nick and learned of the incubator program they were starting, I saw an opportunity to challenge myself to work within frameworks I was solely responsible for setting. I could try my hand at being a whole farmer: a businessper son, a laborer, an observer of all life, and a philosopher. I wanted to answer only to myself and the land. I’ve gotten everything I’ve wanted and more from living and working at Nettle Valley. I’ve been able to abandon enterprises and take on my beautiful starter herd of Kiko goats that I was able to purchase with a loan from the incubator program. There have defi nitely been challenges in living and working in com munity, but our intentionality in establishing systems with a third-party facilitator has granted us the ability to comfortably navigate tricky situations. I’m thor oughly chuffed with myself for finding Nettle Valley and convincing its inhabitants to keep me around. The highest and lowest points of the season have, for me, been very similar. I’ve found so much goodness, thoughtfulness, and skill-building in harvests of pigs, chickens, goats, ducks, and lambs within our farm community. And in those harvests, I’ve found room to embrace the sadness and conflict I feel in a lot of the work we do as livestock farmers. Similarly, the deaths of both goat kids and young ducks made me question my ability to keep things alive. However, caring for mysteri ous ailments in my mature animals reassures me that, though there will be many hard lessons to learn through out the next however-many-decades I raise animals, it’ll be worth the heartache so long as I actually learn. I think it’s imperative that, whatever kind of incubation program a farmer or landowner would establish, they are clear and explicit about expectations (of all kinds) and only work with farmer-incubatees who can wholly work within those expectations. If it’s a collaborative community, it needs to be clear how much room there is for consensus. If it’s a very strict “landlord-leasee” kind of thing, that needs to be clear too. Clear communication is the backbone of a suc cessful program.
Incubator Farm — from page 7
In other words, I wanted to make sure that Heidi and Bailey had a point person to talk to if they didn’t feel comfortable discussing something with Nick and me and give that person full authority to tell us to shape up if need Fourth,be.we made sure the farm ecosystem is made up of complementary enterprises. We are thinking of adding a third incubatee next year, but would have to be very cautious to make sure their enterprise is a good fit. I don’t want to make it sound like it was all smooth sailing—it wasn’t. Some things didn’t work. Remember that 5 hours a week of help we asked of the incubatees? We gave them a list of tasks to work from whenever they wanted. However, with both of them working off-farm jobs and their own livestock chores, it was too easy to put those hours off. Midseason, we revamped the hours into a half a day each week during which each incubatee would work with me on projects, but between all of our work/life schedules and unpre dictable weather, this was difficult as well. This fall we are going to have another facilitated session with Martha and get ideas for how to revamp this in a way that works for everyone. Another challenge: We all started getting worn out at the same time this fall and our systems suffered. At the very moment I should have been stepping up as the incubator farm program manager to put extra time and energy into supporting our systems, I was hitting a wall. I need to plan for the End of Season Slump— that means streamlining my pastured pig systems so I have more energy, which is something I need to be doingEvenanyway!withall the challenges and risks involved, we have a long-term commitment to this incubator farm pro gram model. If this sounds like something you’d like to try on your farm or if you have ideas for how we can improve, please get in touch: nettlevalleyfarm@gmail.com. Dayna Burtness and her husband, Nick Nguyen, own Nettle Valley Farm in southeast Minnesota. Perfect Solution By Heidi Eger I have worked and learned on other folks’ farms over the course of seven seasons. This season, I was at a point where I needed to test my skills and experience more of the stress involved with running a farm busi ness. Could I handle the stress or would I decide farm ing was not actually for me? As an extrovert, I knew that just renting a patch of pasture would be disas trous. Nettle Valley’s incubator farm was the perfect solution with access to pasture plus a house full of cool people working and thinking about similar things. I got what I asked for when one of my ewes got infections in her udder and uterus immediately after lambing. It is incredibly stressful to see an animal whose wellbeing is your responsibility suffer. I called the vet and treated the ewe. Through it all, the house community listened empathetically to me agonize over different options, kept me fed with delicious food, and distracted me with garage-sale shopping when the treatment wasn’t enough to save my ewe. I think the Nettle Valley Farm incubator program has been successful for a number of reasons: com munication skills, compatibility of enterprises, broader community network, available time resources, and luck. Our first meeting with a trained facilitator set the tone for our communication and helped us all consciously recognize that communication was key to the suc cess of the program. Dayna and Nick are honest and straightforward and expect the same of us. I think it has also been helpful that Bailey and I bring enter prises that are not a specialty for either Nick or Dayna. We all have more to learn about grazing our respective species, but are connected by a desire to improve the health of the valley. It has also been wonderful to be part of an incubator farm community that is an active member of the wider community. Many farms I have worked on have felt isolated from an intern’s perspective. Here, we know and visit with our neighbors, have folks over to dinner every week, and attend community events. Having fun, social reasons to get off the farm gives us all a chance to take a break from the unavoidable small interpersonal annoyances present in any house that might otherwise build up. And honestly, I think we got lucky. We are a good mix of personalities and communication styles who recognize the importance of speaking up.
Opportunity to Challenge Myself
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By Sharon Clay Controlling weeds in any cropping situation is a challenge. In organic systems, tarping the soil, or using mechanical weed control (pulling, hoeing, flaming, mowing, cultivating) are typical methods to control unwanted plant invaders. These tactics often are inte grated with other cultural management strategies to have crops be more vigorous than weeds, close cano pies early to shade weeds, or choose crop varieties that are more weed suppressive (having wider leaves, faster growth) than others. Weeds within the row (or in the holes in tarps of high-value vegetable crop production) are difficult to suppress due to the proximity to the desired plant. One potential method for controlling these weeds uses air-propelled abrasive grits to destroy weed seedlings. Researchers at universities in Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota have been involved in a multi-year grant to develop a “secondgeneration” abrasive grit applicator, building on the prototype developed earlier at the West Central Research and Outreach Center of the University of Minnesota-Morris in partnership with South Dakota State University (SDSU). The abrasive weeding technique was first intro duced by Frank Forcella (retired, USDA-ARS in Morris, Minnesota). In 2007, Forcella grew an abun dance of apricots, and along with the jam, came a plethora of pits. He wanted to find a use for the pits. At the same time, a neighboring house was being sandblasted to remove old paint. The weed-blasting lightbulb went off in his head as he realized the apricot pits could be ground up and used to blast weeds in fieldGreenhousecrops.
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Sharon Clay is a distinguished professor in the depart ment of agronomy, horticulture, and plant science at South Dakota State University.
Researchers continue work on tool to blast away weeds
trials were conducted with small air compressors, several types of grit (there are many dif ferent types of commercially available grit from “hard” silicon carbide and quartz sand to “soft” materials derived from crop residues like corn cobs and walnut shells), and several species of weeds (broadleaves and grasses) at different stages of development (seedling, two true leaves, five true leaves). Control was best in small broadleaves when even a 1- to 2-second blast could result in death. This technique didn’t work as well on grasses, due to the growing point being below the soil surface when young. The grit shredded leaves, but the grasses regrew, making a second application necessary later. The amount of time that the grit was sprayed (1 sec, 2 sec) also influenced ultimate control. In addition, grit application was applied to corn and soybean at young stages and was found to have minimal injury to the plants when directed at the base of the plant. These preliminary results were promis ing enough to move from greenhouse trials to field application.Theearly abrasive weeder had a single nozzle. The air compressor was pulled by a four-wheeler, and the applicator walked behind, spraying grit in the row. The next iteration had a sprayer scaled up to plot-size. Dan Humburg, an agricultural engineer at SDSU, and Cory Lanoue, a graduate student, developed a four-row sprayer for a tractor. The sprayer had a large com mercial compressor (used for highway maintenance), a tank for the grit, and an 8-nozzle boom (two nozzles per row), aimed at the base of the crop rows. When trying to calibrate this sprayer, tarps were placed to collect grit, and within 10 seconds, the forceful expul sion of the grit from the nozzle tubes blew holes in the tarps. This experience gave a glimpse of the power of the grit to abrade small weed seedlings. The first studies used corn cob grit applied to corn. The pair of nozzles were aimed 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) from the base of the corn at a 60o angle. Grit was entrained into compressed air (690 kPa or 100 psi) and applied at 480 kg ha1(428 lb/a) at a tractor speed was 2.5 km hr1 (1.8 mph). Grit was applied once at corn growth stages of V1, V3, or V5, twice at V1 + V3, V1 + V5, or V3 + V5, or three times at V1 + V3 + V5. To control weeds between rows, areas were flamed or cultivated following grit application. In-row weed control ranged from 54 to 88%. Yield varied, but generally increased, whereas in-row weed biomass decreased by at least 50% over the unweeded check plots. The best application was found to be a double application, at V1 and V5, as the seedling broadleaf weeds were controlled by the early application, and the later application controlled second flushes of broadleaf weeds and injured the grass weeds. Since these first studies, other grits used have included pelletized turkey litter grit, soybean meal, and walnut shells. Soybean meal was found to be too soft and absorbed water making grit applications very difficult. The pelletized turkey litter worked fairly well and, in laboratory studies, released nitrogen (N) within two weeks. However, studies about N availability to the crop and the timing need to be con ducted to determine if this would supplement other N applications during the season. Abrasive grits have been used successfully in perennial and high-value woody species (raspberries and apples) for suppression of various weeds including perennial quackgrass, although several applications were needed. Sam Wortman at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has shown that abrasive grit spray ing can be used to reduce weed pressure from weeds emerging through tarp holes in pepper and other vegetable crops. While these trials have shown that this can be a weed suppressive (or weed controlling) technique, there are still challenges that need to be overcome for commercial success. Nozzles at present, are hol low tubes with full cone spray patterns. Developing a nozzle tip to provide a flat “fan” application may improve weed control. The travel speed at < 2 mph is not sustainable for large fields—a system that delivers the grit at high velocity and higher speed is desirable. However, the slower speed may be appropriate for orchards and berry patches. The delivery system of the grit through the hoses for entrainment into the air stream has not been optimized. The grit delivery, when not consistent, leads to pulsating delivery through the nozzles, which leads to erratic control. Nevertheless, with continued improvements in the future, this method could be another very useful tool in the man agement of weeds.
Flame Weeders www.kadelbachmfg.comPh:1-888-978-6210 CORN SILAGE ALFALFA SOYBEANS FORAGES ORGANIC SEED THAT WORKS AS HARD AS YOU. blueriverorgseed.1-800-370-7979com Oren Holle, President Phone: 785-337-2442 Email: oholle@bluevalley.net Website: www.ofarm.org Empowering Organic Grain Farmers Through Cooperative Marketing Contact us to learn what OFARM can do for you! Organic Farmers Agency for Relationship Marketing questions888-90-MOSESANSWERORGANICLINEGetanswerstoyouraboutfarmingandorganicrules.
3. Ghimire S, Wszelaki AL, Moore JC, Inglis DA, Miles C. The Use of Biodegradable Mulches in Pie Pumpkin Crop Production in Two Diverse Climates. HortScience. 2018;53(3):288-294. doi:10.21273/HORTSCI12630-17 4. Touchaleaume F, Martin-Closas L, Angellier-Coussy H, et al. Performance and environmental impact of biodegradable polymers as agricultural mulching films. Chemosphere. 2016;144:433-439. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.09.006
References 1. Cowan JS, Miles CA, Andrews PK, Inglis DA. Biodegradable mulch performed comparably to polyethylene in high tunnel tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L.) production. J Sci Food Agric. 2014;94(9):1854-1864. doi:10.1002/jsfa.6504
11. Thompson AA, Samuelson MB, Kadoma I, Soto-Cantu E, Drijber R, Wortman SE. Degradation rate of bio-based agricultural mulch is influenced by mulch composition and biostimulant application. J Polym Environ. 2019;0:1-12. doi:10.1007/s10924-019-01371-9
8. Hayes D. Micro-and Nanoplastics in Soil: Should We Be Concerned?; Factsheet-formatted.pdf.https://ag.tennessee.edu/biodegradablemulch/Documents/Microplastics-soil-2019.AccessedSeptember16,2019.
10. Dharmalingam S, Hayes DG, Wadsworth LC, Dunlap RN. Analysis of the time course of degradation for fully biobased nonwoven agricultural mulches in compost-enriched soil. Text Res J. 2016;86(13):1343-1355. doi:10.1177/0040517515612358
16. Janczak K, Hrynkiewicz K, Znajewska Z, Dąbrowska G. Use of rhizosphere microorganisms in the biodegradation of PLA and PET polymers in compost soil. 2018. doi:10.1016/j.ibiod.2018.03.017
• Loppers. Like pruners with long handles, these are available in various lengths. The long handles allow greater leverage, while the two-handed grip allows a wider opening, so you can use loppers for much larger and tougher branches.
16 | November | December 2019 TM Biodegradable Mulches — from page 9 BU Y ING & SELL ING A LWAYS A S P ROMISE D 4 0 2 3 4 2 3 50 0 | O r g a n i cG r a i n @ s c o u l a r c om | s c o u l a r c o m O r g a ni c , N o n G M O , I d e n t i t y P r e s e r v e d
18. Samuelson MB, Drijber R, Wortman SE. Microbial response to biodegradable mulch: Can degradation rate be accelerated by management? 2019. 19. Beare MH, Hu S, Coleman DC, Hendrix PF. Influences of mycelial fungi on soil aggregation and organic matter storage in conventional and no-tillage soils. Appl Soil Ecol. 1997;5(3):211-219. doi:10.1016/S0929-1393(96)00142-4
This suggests that in vegetable production the residual mulch in the soil did not affect future crop yields. One soil physical property was affected differently between residual mulch types, however. Soil waterstable macroaggregates were higher in plots that had incorporated PLA mulches whereas macroaggregates decreased in one location with incorporated Bio360.15
6. Wortman SE, Kadoma I, Crandall MD. Assessing the potential for spunbond, nonwoven biodegradable fabric as mulches for tomato and bell pepper crops. Sci Hortic (Amsterdam). 2015;193:209-217. doi:10.1016/j.scienta.2015.07.019
PLA-based mulches are produced as fabrics, which can be either meltblown or spunbond. These two methods alter the rate of degradation of the mulches.10 Meltblown is typically more delicate, while spunbond is more durable. Material engineering solutions are important for this biodegradable mulch, as it also does not degrade quickly enough for NOP standards. Innovations to improve the rate of degradation include incorporating agricultural byproducts such as alfalfa particles, soy particles, or wood particles.11 When agricultural byproducts are added to PLA fab rics they exhibit faster degradation than PLA alone. These new biodegradable mulches can also retain soil moisture and prevent weeds.6 PLA mulches do not increase soil temperature, which could be useful in hotter areas or for cool weather crops.6 Additionally, PLA mulch offers a yield boost, in some cases up to 148% compared to a bare-ground control.12 While there is potential for this material, as of now it would not be suitable for annual production and still faces hurdles for organic certification.
Another concern with the incorporation of biode gradable mulches into the soil is the immobilization of nitrogen (N) due to the high-carbon content of these mulches. As organic systems are low input, incorporated mulch mustn’t tie up N. In one study, neither Bio360 nor the PLA-wood fiber mulch immobilized N (measured as nitrate), nor altered potassium or phosphorous balances in the soil after two years from initial mulch incorpora tion.15 In addition, a lab study also found no N immobili zation in connection with Mater-Bi degradation.21
One other bio-based polymer is polyhydroxyal kanoate (PHA). PHA is too brittle on its own to pro duce a fabric or film mulch, therefore it is more often added to PLA mulches in a blend.13 However, PHA can be produced from microbial fermentation in one to two steps and is, therefore, allowable/non-synthetic accord ing to the NOP.14 The production of this polymer is costly though, making it less attractive at this time. Impact on Soil Not much is known about what happens in the long-term to the soil, microbial community, or crop yields after biodegradable mulch incorporation. In a two-year field study of residual Bio360 biodegradable plastic mulch and a wood-fiber embedded PLA mulch, there was no yield difference between plots that had incorporated mulch of either type and control plots.15
9. Abel De Souza Machado A, Lau CW, Kloas W, et al. Microplastics Can Change Soil Properties and Affect Plant Performance. 2019. doi:10.1021/acs.est.9b01339
17. Karamanlioglu M, Robson GD. The influence of biotic and abiotic factors on the rate of degradation of poly(lactic) acid (PLA) coupons buried in compost and soil. Polym Degrad Stab. 2013;98:2063-2071. doi:10.1016/j. polymdegradstab.2013.07.004
5. Costa R, Saraiva A, Carvalho L, Duarte E. The use of biodegradable mulch films on strawberry crop in Portugal. Sci Hortic (Amsterdam). 2014;173:65-70. doi:10.1016/j.scienta.2014.04.020
21. Bettas Ardisson G, Tosin M, Barbale M, Degli-Innocenti F. Biodegradation of plastics in soil and effects on nitrification activity. A laboratory approach. Front Microbiol. 2014;5:710. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2014.00710
2. Li C, Moore-Kucera J, Lee J, et al. Effects of biodegradable mulch on soil quality. Appl Soil Ecol. 2014;79:59-69. doi:10.1016/j.apsoil.2014.02.012
7. English M. The role of biodegradable plastic mulches in soil organic carbon cycling. 2019.
Ask a Specialist — from page 4 Sharp, high quality tools are essential to good pruning. While some old trees might require occasional chainsaw work, most pruning is done with three tools:
There are many online, print, and video resources for learning to prune trees. One favorite of mine is Cornell’s Cooperative Extension five-page PDF (bit.ly/CornellAppleTreePruning). It’s easy to follow and thorough. But, many others contain similar, use ful tips and information. When using any guide or demonstration, be sure to consider if the source is in similar growing conditions. Particulars of plant care can vary greatly based on the expected cold tempera tures in the winter, amount of rainfall, and soil type. So, if your trees are in Wisconsin, don’t follow a prun ing video from California. When in doubt, your local extension office will likely have some resources—even if they are just geared for gardens or homeowners, the principles are the same. (PLA) can be 100% plant-based and cheap to produce. It is derived from fermentation of corn, sugar beets, cassava, and sugar cane. However, the polymers are polymerized synthetically, which makes it ineligible for NOP certification as “biobased.” (See number 5 on NOP certification rule.)
Take-Aways There may not be organic certified biodegradable mulch available for farmers today, but there are several options that are inching closer to becoming safe, effective products. Ideally, these will soon eliminate plastic mulch from organic agriculture. If PLA-based mulches can be certified in the future, they may be more useful in perennial systems. In perennial systems, their slow degradability would be a benefit rather than a hindrance. As of yet, biodegradable plastics such as Mater-Bi have shown no ill effects on soil or plant health. However, many of these mulches have not had the long-term (two years or greater) research on their residual effects after soil incorporation. Continued work in this area is necessary before organic certifica tion to ensure that there are no harmful effects. Elise Reid is a graduate research assistant in agronomy and horticulture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
20. Bossuyt H, Denef K, Six J, Frey S., Merckx R, Paustian K. Influence of microbial populations and residue quality on aggregate stability. Appl Soil Ecol. 2001;16(3):195-208. doi:10.1016/S0929-1393(00)00116-5
• Pruning saw, sometimes called a limb saw. Look for one with a short to medium-length blade, as you may need to use it for cuts in tight spaces. A straight blade is also generally more effective for tree pruning than a curved one.
The increase in soil macroaggregates could in fact be due to a higher fungal population in soils in contact with PLA.16–18 Fungi are major players in soil aggregate formation.19,20 Other soil physical properties such as soil tensile strength, compaction, and soil sorptivity (the tendency to absorb and transmit liquids by capillarity) were unaffected by incorporation of either mulch.
13. Hayes DG, Dharmalingam S, Wadsworth LC, Leonas KK, Miles C, Inglis DA. Biodegradable agricultural mulches derived from biopolymers. In: Degradable Polymers and Materials: Principles and Practice (2nd Edition). 2012;201-223. doi:10.1021/bk-2012-1114.ch013 14. Keshavarz T, Roy I. Polyhydroxyalkanoates: bioplastics with a green agenda. Curr Opin Microbiol. 2010;13(3):321-326. doi:10.1016/J.MIB.2010.02.006
Polyhydroxyalkanoate
15. Reid E, Drijber R, Wortman SE. Legacy effects of biodegradable mulch on vegetable yield and soil physical properties. 2019.
12. Siwek P, Domagała-Świątkiewicz I, Kalisz A. The influence of degradable polymer mulches on soil properties and cucumber yield. Agrochimica. 2015;59(2). doi:10.12871/0021857201522
• Hand-held pruners. You’ll be making many cuts with these, often in quick succession, so it’s important to have one that’s sized correctly and is comfortable to use. A rotating handle can help ease repetitive stress for some people. A bypass-style blade makes cleaner cuts than an anvil-type blade.
The USDA’s comment period on the Origin of Livestock rule closes Dec. 2, 2019. MOSES joins with the Organic Farmers Association to encourage farmers to write individual comments to support the proposed rule that would close loopholes which have allowed mega-dairies to skirt rules (by continually transition ing conventional dairy animals) and have flooded the milk market causing lower prices to farmers. We sug gest including a brief paragraph about your farm and why you value organic integrity (strong standards), your reasons for supporting the Origin of Livestock rule, and a request for swift implementation. Comment directly at bit.ly/FedRegisterOOL For a template, see organicfarmersassoiation.org/take-action.
Public Comment on National List Additions
The 31st Annual MOSES Organic Farming Conference will be Feb. 27-29, 2020, in La Crosse, Wis. This event brings together farmers of all kinds to learn the latest organic production methods and build a supportive community with resilient organic and sustainable farms. Early registration opens Dec. 3 with full-conference tickets at $95 off the door price. We’ll mail conference guides to subscribers in early December. In the meantime, watch for event details mosesorganic.org/conference.at
Scholarships to MOSES Conference
MOSES Conference
| 17mosesorganic.org | 888-90-MOSESTM
Call for Research Posters
Finding Land to Farm More than 40% of American farmland and ranch land—371 million acres—will change hands over the next 15 years. The Farmland Access Hub, an initiative that guides beginning farmers in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa through farmland access, is working to keep farmland in the hands of farmers. The program is run by Renewing the Countryside in part nership with MOSES and Main Street Project. If you are a beginning farmer looking for land to farm, or a retiring farmer looking to find a beginning farmer to steward your land, connect with a Farmland Access Navigator at org/farmlandaccess.www.renewingthecountryside.
National Organic Standards Board
The MOSES “In Her Boots” podcast currently fea tures interviews with Rachel Armstrong, the founder and director of Farm Commons, a nonprofit that makes farm law approachable and relevant to farmers. Rachel and host Lisa Kivirist explore how farming comes with risk and share ways that farmers can create more resilientSubscribeoperations.oniTunes or Stitcher, or listen at Newganic.org/in-her-boots-podcast.mosesorepisodesposteveryFriday.
The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) met late last month in Pittsburgh, hearing public com ments and voting on seven proposals and over 50 sunset materials on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. The board also elected new officers: Steve Ela (chair), Scott Rice (vice chair), and Jessie Buie (secretary). Look for transcripts of the meeting at bit.ly/NOSB2019pa.
MOSES Conference Volunteer Opportunities
The USDA has posted the interim final rule to establish the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program, creating a consistent regulatory framework across the country, as required by the 2018 Farm Bill. The program will allow hemp to be grown under federally approved plans and make hemp producers eligible for a number of agricultural programs. The public comment period on the interim rule ends Dec. 30, 2019. See bit.ly/FedRegisterHemp.
The Organic Research Forum at the 2020 MOSES Conference includes a juried poster session highlight ing completed and ongoing research projects related to organic agriculture. Researchers, academic faculty and staff, graduate/undergraduate students, and farmer researchers may submit a poster proposal for consid eration by Dec. 13, 2019. Space is limited to 25 posters. All accepted poster presenters receive full admission to the 3-day conference. For submission details, see mosesorganic.org/organic-research-forum.
From set-up to take-down, the MOSES Conference volunteer crew lends a hand to help this large-scale event run smoothly. Volunteering is a great way to make friends at the conference, impact the event’s success, and access the educational content for just $50 (meals included). The volunteer application opens Nov. 25 at mosesorganic.org/conference/volunteer.
www.headsupST.com | (866) 368-9306
NEWS BRIEFS
We want all farmers to be able to access the knowledge-sharing, support, and farming inspiration that make the MOSES Conference a favorite year after year for so many. To that end, we offer scholarships for the full conference, one-day admission, and all-day Organic University classes. Priority goes to farmers who have not been able to attend the conference in the past. The scholarship application opens Nov. 25 at mosesorganic.org/conference/scholarships.Alongwithourgeneralscholarshipfund, we also manage funds in memory of two local heroes of the organic movement: Dave Engel and Chris Blanchard. Dave was a founding “father” to MOSES, guiding the conference in its early years. He also founded and led MOSA and Nature’s International Certification Services. Chris (the Farmer to Farmer Podcast creator) worked with our team for years helping to organize the conference and deliver popular workshops for market farmers. To send a farmer (or two) to the 2020 MOSES Conference, please donate today at mosesorganic.org/ conference/scholarships.
OGRAIN 2020 Conference Discussions, networking, and presentations about successful diverse organic small grain production will be offered at the 2020 OGRAIN Winter Conference Friday and Saturday January 24-25 on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. Hosted by the Organic Grain Resource and Information Network (OGRAIN), the event includes keynotes from New York farmer Thor Oechsnerand and Iowa farmer and philosopher Fred Kirschemann. Information and registration is online at
The National Center for Appropriate Technology has published results of its multi-year project to assess and improve crop insurance for organic farms. Multiple partners, including MOSES, contributed to the research. The 132-page report, Is Organic Farming Risky? Improving Crop Insurance for Organic Farms, describes the status of crop insurance for USDAcertified organic farms, identifies problems, and makes recommendations for solving those problems. See https://attra.ncat.org/crop-insurance.
EPA Registered for soybean white mold, SDS and rhizoctonia root rot/damping off Consistent yield benefit Broad spectrum, systemic plant defense activator Can be applied commercially or on farm Available pre-treated on all dry bean seed - sourced from the Pacific Northwest ORGANIC SEED TREATMENT FOR SOYBEANS AND DRY BEANS
In Her Boots Podcast
Improving Crop Insurance for Organic Farms
US Hemp Production Program
The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service is taking public comments on a proposal to amend the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances, as recommended by the National Organic Standards Board in fall 2018. This amendment would add blood meal made with sodium citrate to the National List as a soil fertilizer, prohibit natamycin in organic crop production, and add tamarind seed gum as a nonorganic agricultural substance for use in organic han dling. The public comment period ends Dec. 17, 2019. See bit.ly/FedRegisterNatlList. Origin of Livestock Rule
Lakewinds Organic Field Fund
SystemsUW-Madisonograin-winter-conference.ograin.cals.wisc.edu/events/OGRAINisaprojectofOrganicandSustainableCroppingLab,CIASandMOSES.
Lakewinds Food Co-op, based in the Twin Cities, offers a grant program to help farmers become certi fied organic, make structural improvements on the farm, purchase equipment and tools, or engage in projects that improve soil health. The grant program’s goal is to cultivate a vibrant and sustainable local food system. Preference will be given to farmers in Minnesota, northern Iowa, and western Wisconsin. See www.lakewinds.coop/community-2-2/loff.
18 | November | December 2019 TM NEWS BRIEFS
Biological Control and IPM in Organic Systems
Minnesota Farming Grants
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture offers grants of up to $50,000 are available to fund projects on Minnesota farms to test ideas that may make farming more profitable and resource-efficient. Eligible applicants for these Agricultural Growth, Research and Innovation Sustainable Agriculture and Demonstration Grants are Minnesota farmers, individuals at educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations. The deadline to apply is 4 p.m. Dec. 17, 2019. See details at agriculture-demonstration-grant-program.mda.state.mn.us/agri-sustainableCover Crop Recipes
An article in the international journal Biological Control points out the need for more investment in biologically based approaches to controlling pests in agriculture. Biologicals include “natural enemies” of pests, such as parasites and predators that feed on pests, and biopesticides made with living organisms found in nature, or the products of living organisms.
West OrganicsStar Made for Organic Growers by an Organic Grower •Balanced Nutrient Blend for Short & Long Term Growth •Beneficial Microbial Life for Maximum Nutrient Uptake •Disease & Pest Inhibitors for Healthier, Stronger Plants weststarorganics.com • 608-347-4346 Approved for Organic Production No preorder required - Available year round Centrally located near Madison, WI Compost-Based Premium Mix Excellent for Veggie, Herb, and Hemp Growing Potting Mix Starter GrowingMixMix PERUZZO COLLECTION TYPE FLAIL MOWERS New E ciencies, New Opportunities & Superior Results For Any Operation! From Farms, to Livestock Operations, Orchards, Vineyards, Horticulture, Landscaping, Athletic Fields, Municipal & Institutional Turf, etc! • Cut & Collect Your Clippings for Organic Weed Control or Green Fertilizer. • Mulch & Collect Vineyard & Orchard Aisleway Prunings for Clean, Disease Free Aisleways. • Cut, Mow, Rake or Broom for Debris Free Turf & Paved Surfaces. • Cut & Make Your Own Livestock Feed, Haylage, Forage, Silage. • Dethatch & Collect, Even Horse or Cow Pies from Pastures. • Collect & Develop Your Own Mulch & Compost. Standard Flail Mowers are available too! See the Huge Variety of Flail Mowers at PeruzzoUSA.com Peruzzo Products Sold by Iowa Farm IowaFarmEquipment.com563-946-2121Tipton,EquipmentIowa CMYCYMYCMMCK IowaFarmEquipment-Ad2019-HighResFinal.pdf 1 4/17/2019 10:48:33 AM
Webinars for Ag Professionals who Work with Farmers Farm Commons, a nonprofit that helps farmers understand business law, is hosting a webinar series to explain farm law to ag service providers, since farmers often reach out for advice from these trusted advisors such as Extension agents, nonprofit staff, accountants, and lenders. The free webinars cover six core legal subject areas: business structures, land purchasing and leasing, insurance and liability, employment law, agri tourism, and adding value. Presenters highlight core “action steps” or legal best management practices that advisors should recommend to help farmers reduce risk. For details, see farmcommons.org/webinars. Grants for Livestock, Poultry Farmers Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT) is accepting applications for grants to help livestock and poultry farmers attain humane certification, build capacity, or improve pasture for their animals. Applications, due by Dec. 2, 2019 are at foodanimalconcernstrust.org/grants.
The authors, members of a national Organic and IPM Working Group, contend that greater collaboration between practitioners and researchers who work with organic and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) can advance biological control as part of the solution to address challenges facing agriculture today includ ing low crop prices, climate change and increasing market demand for low-impact production practices. The authors include the history and current state of organic and IPM in relation to adoption of biological control. The article, “Biological Control and Integrated Pest Management in Organic and Conventional Systems,” is online at bit.ly/BiologicalControl. Agroforestry Demonstration Farms The Savanna Institute, a nonprofit based in Madison, Wisconsin, plans to establish three agro forestry demonstration farms in Illinois to showcase what agroforestry looks like on a commercial scale. The institute estimates that more than 23% of all Midwestern corn and soy cropland could make more money if converted to agroforestry, noting that widespread adoption of agroforestry in the Midwest could enhance farm profitability, ecological resilience, carbon storage, water quality, and rural job creation.
The newly established Perennial Fund provides loans, business planning, and market access to help farmers expand certified-organic acreage using regenerative practices. The fund serves current organic farmers who want to expand in 2020 as well as those in the midst of transition to organic. Loans can be used to cover operational costs, equipment, and infrastructure. Farmers do not pay back the fund until they are making net profits, paying nothing during the 36-month transition period. The Perennial Fund is supported by a variety of investors under the nonprofit Mad Agriculture. See theperennialfund.com/farmers.
The Midwest Cover Crops Council has developed a series of free PDF “recipes” for growing cover crops, available on its website. The site has recipes for Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, and North Dakota that explain how and why to add cover crops into a corn-soybean rotation. The cover crop recipe guides tell how to plan for cover crops, choose corn and soybean hybrids, and purchase seed. They also explain crop sensitivity to selected hybrids and effects of residual herbicides. The simple, three-page guides tell what field work must be done in fall and spring for best results and provide details such as seeding rates and nutrient applications. See mccc.msu.edu/getting-started/cover-crop-recipes.
Unique Lending Option
LIVESTOCK
Organic Hay, Straw, Corn and Oats For Sale. Ellingson Elevator, Spring Grove, MN. Delivery available. Call or text Travis Schullo 563-419-1848. For sale: Organic Corn. Will grind. Can deliver. Hay, big bales, wrapped and dry. Can deliver. 608-574-2160. Field Peas ($11/bu) & HRW Wheat ($4.25/Bu) bulk. NonGMO transition crops, no chemicals. Approximately 4500 bu. each. Tremendous feed. Peas make meat more tender and juicy, eggs are creamier and taste better. Please look it up yourself. We’ve personally tried it with excellent results. Test weights were terrific. Call or text Orion 507-429-8607. ALSO selling, 42 acres certified organic corn. SE MN. Certified Organic field corn, approximately 1000 bu. Located in NE Missouri. $9.25/bu. For more information ask for Mose Yoder at 563-202-5531. Possible delivery within 150 miles of Canton, MO. Certified Organic rye seed for sale. Located near Wausau, Wisconsin. Call 715-571-6714. Open Pollinated Corn Seed. Early Varieties 75, 85,87,90,105,110, and 120 Day Field corn. Sweet corn and popcorn. Free Catalog. Green Haven Open Pollinated Seed Group. 607 566 9253. www.openpollinated.com.
RV owners: If you are searching for a place to live in your RV, consider this beautiful property. Owners are willing to share 19-acre property with tidy couple or individual. Room for privacy, gardens. Electric and water available. Pond for catch and release fishing. Even a chapel for reflection. SW of DeKalb, IL. 815-988-2628. We Stock Dr. Paul’s organic approved Animal Health Products including Health Tinctures, Boluses, Aloe Pellets with Garlic, Immune System Boosters, Calf Health Products, De-wormers and more. We sell wholesale and retail. Also looking for dealers to stock our organic certified kelp meal, Sea 90 Salt, Reed Sedge Peat (feed grade humated), etc. Sunrise Seeds Plus, LLC. Topeka, Indiana 260-463-0380. ORGANIC FISH FERTILIZER 15-1-1, 100% dry water soluble, 5-7 times more nutritious than liquid fish. Will not clog drip irrigation. One lb., 5 lb. or 55 lb. packaging, can be shipped UPS. Frommelt Ag Service, Greeley, IA, 563-920-3674. For Sale: Tempered, insulated, double-pane glass. Large panes for sunrooms, solar homes, ag buildings, greenhouses or ? 150,000 sold since 1979; 32” x 74” x 1” double-pane only $69. Arctic Glass, www.kissourglass.com, 507-259-6351. Nature Safe Fertilizer. We manufacture our own OMRI-listed Amino Acid 15-0-1, a dry powder water soluble fertilizer. Use in your sprayer, drip irrigation or pivot. Sold by the ton in 55 lb. bags, super sacks. www.naturesafe.com, 616-566-0307. Certified Organic 1st, 2nd, and 3rd cutting hay. Test avail able for hay. Certified organic straw round bales. Located near Wausau, Wisconsin. Call 715-571-6714.
(3) Certified Organic Ranches for sale. Willow Springs, MO. area. 5 homes. Livestock & Equipment also for sale. Package deal available with current Ranch Manager. Call 707-499-0995 for more details. Organic Farm For Sale. 40 tillable and 40 wooded acres. Creek winds through property. Deltec home (near comple tion), large fireplace, lots of windows. Large 2 car garage, plus work shop. Near Spring Grove, Minnesota. $500,000.00 Call Lois 612-251-5650. For Sale: 297-acre Organic Farm in Houston, Minnesota. Certified since 2008. Longer driveway provides an abun dance of beauty & privacy. 3-5 bedroom foam/block energy efficient home, built in 2002. Large wrap around deck with spectacular view! 4 car garage, large steel framed machine shed, cattle shelter, grain bins, & more. 126 acres tillable, 14 rotational grazing pastures, with 5 wire high tensile fencing, that can serve 45 cow/calf pairs. Woodland, and 5 ponds. 18 very gentle Black Angus/Hereford cows, and machinery available that could be purchased with the farm. Please call (507) 896-4620.
Howard HR40 Rotovator, $4800 obo. Howard M130 10’ Rotovator, $2900 obo. Buffalo 4630 4R 30” cultivator, $800 obo. Buffalo 12R 4630 30” cultivator with Imp trailer, $7400 obo. IH 183 cultivator 12R 30”, $2000 obo. 319-269-2489. Potato Equipment for sale. Equipment is field-ready and stored inside. Lockwood 603 Accumatic planter, Spunik 6-row power-hiller, Elmers 6-row cultivator V-plow hillers, Troyer planter filler, Lockwood 4500 digger belted primary C-flex throughout, Harriston 40ft. weeder, dirt conveyor, FMC 18 row band-sprayer or 54ft high pressure. John 218-779-6737.
Dairy Jobs: Grazing/Organic farmers in MN, MO, NY, PA, VT and WI are hiring fulltime employees to work and gain skills needed to become dairy farm managers and owners. Visit www.dga-national.org.
CLASSIFIEDS Place an ad at Organic Classifieds or call 715-778-5775. mosesorganic.org/organic-classifieds Kult Kress Fingerweeder, 3 pt , 3 row LIKE NEW $9,250. Farmall Cub w/ belly/rear mount cultivators and side dresser. $2000. Farmall C, rear/belly mount cultivators/track eradica tors $3250. IH Farmall 560 gas, quick-attach front loader. Runs well.$3250. Buddingh Finger Weeder, 1-2 row $1750. Irrigation Pump $500. Collapsible bins 4-6 inches tall 20/$50. Potato Planter 4 row $1500. James blackbrook.farm.llc@ gmail.com or 651-343-2595. Clipper 67D Cleaner. 5HP, 3 Phase motor. Includes I-Beam stand, Owner’s Manual, 3 dozen screens, ball trays, plus extra parts. Excellent condition, asking $9500 OBO. Call James at 641-985-2494.
Northwood Mushrooms is a beautiful Wisconsin farm north west of the Twin Cities. We seek a winter worker to help with logging, log inoculations, and farm construction projects. Position may transition to production-lead job in the summer. Housing available on-farm. For more details: northwood mushrooms.com/winter-worker-wanted/ or contact Jeremy at 612-205-8599. cherrytreehousemushrooms@gmail.com.
| 19mosesorganic.org | 888-90-MOSESTM Organic Herd! We are selling our whole herd (young stock too). 20 years experience. Jersey/Holstein/Norwegian Red breeds. Herd averages: over 50% conception rate, #48/day, SCC 220, Protein 3.18, butter fat 4.1. 75 Cows ages 2-7 for $1000-$1700. 10 Springing Heifers $1800. 20 Bred Heifers $1100-$1400. 25 8-12 month heifers $600-$850. 25 under 8 months $100-$500. Jim call/text 920-988-6404. Cows for Sale. Due to selling organic farm, looking for a good home ASAP. 18 very gentle Natural Black Angus/Her eford mix cows. Bred to registered Black Angus bull. Phone Kaye 507-896-4620 Houston, MN. Garlic - Organic Certified. German Red. Delivery available from Bangor, MI. $8/lb., Grown organically in MI for the last 4 years. Call/text 810-701-6522 or understoryfarm@gmail.com. For Sale: Seed Garlic. Chemical free. German Porcelain (over 10 years of proven hardiness in the Midwest). Music. 1-4 lbs. $13/per. 5-20 lbs. $10/per. 20+ lbs. $9/per. Plus shipping. Cornerstone Organic Farm, 20170 Hwy 2 Bloomfield IA. 52537 641-664-2348. Michigan State University Organic Farmer Training Program: Make your farm dreams a reality! 50/50 mix of field and classroom activities, including hands-on at the 15-acre MSU Student Organic Farm. Visit 20+ farms and write your own Farm Business Plan. Mondays 9am to 5pm March to November. $3,900 for 33 weeks, scholarships available! Apply now! program.html.www.msuorganicfarm.org/organic-farmer-training-Emailmsufarm@msu.edu.
GRAINSFORAGES JOBS
MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT
For Sale: 960 Acres Irrigated farm land. Will be certified organic 6/1/2019 in SW South Dakota near Vetal. With 6 pivots and homestead. 605-680-2608. Farm For Sale -Take our Central WI farm forward: 20 acres, new garage with attached kitchen, a four-bedroom two bath remodeled farm house, pole shed, barn, greenhouse, fruit and nut trees, 10K solar system, walk-in cooler and fenced for rotational grazing. The farm has used regenerative practices for years. Randy scutler@tznet.com 715-305-5670. FARMS/LAND
Great Plains Growers Conference Jan. 9 - 11 | St. Joesph, Mo. Practical Farmers of Iowa Annual Conference Jan. 16 - 18 | Ames, Iowa National Farmers Union Women’s Conference Jan. 19 - 21 | San Diego, Cali. MOA Conference Jan. 22 - 25 | Independence, Mo. NPSAS Winter Conference Jan. 23 - 26 | Fargo, ND Grassworks Grazing Conference Jan. 23 - 25 | Wisconsin Dells, Wis. OGRAIN Winter Conference Jan. 24 - 25 | Madison, Wis. Emerging Farmers Conference Jan. 24 - 25 | St. Paul, Minn. Wisconsin Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Conference Jan. 26 - 28 | Wisconsin Dells, Wis. Organic Vegetable Production Conference Jan. 31 - Feb. 1 | Madison, Wis. Organic Grain Conference Feb. 5 - 6 | Champaign, Ill. PASA Sustainable Ag Conference Feb. 5 - 8 | Lancaster, Pa. Sustainable Farming Association Annual Conference Feb. 8 | St. Joesph, Minn. 10th Organic Seed Growers Conference Feb. 12 - 15 | Corvallis, Ore. MOSES Organic Farming Conference Feb. 27 - 29 | La Crosse, Wis. Midwest Soil Health Summit March 5 | Elk River, Minn. Indigenous Farming Conference March 6 - 8 | Callaway, Minn. Upcoming Farming Conferences
NFU Growing for the Future Beginning Farmer & Rancher Conference Dec. 2 - 5 | Online Savanna Institute Perennial Farm Gathering Dec. 6 - 7 | Dubuque,
2019 Industrial Hemp End of Season Educational & Networking Meeting December 5 | $ | De Pere, Wis. Extension of Brown County hosts this networking opportunity for processors, buyers and others in the CBD hemp industry. Contact Liz at at 920-391-4612 or email eybinversie@wisc.edu.
20 | November | December 2019 TM
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safeTALK – Preventing Suicide in Ag Communities November 21 | 8:30 a.m. | Austin, Minn. December 3 | 8:30 a.m. | Marshall, Minn. December 4 | 8:30 a.m. | Waite Park, Minn. These free trainings will include a unit specially designed to address the stigma associated with suicide and mental illness among farmers and farm workers. Contact Minnesota Dept. of Ag at 651-201-6000.
FEAST! Local Foods Marketplace Dec. 6 – 7 | $ | Rochester, Minn. FEAST is a unique opportunity to meet with buyers, network with peers, and get your product into the hands of the general public. The event will begin with an industry-only tradeshow on Friday and a public festival on Saturday. Call 507-405-4045 to learn more.
Food Security Roundtable December 10 | 1 – 3 p.m. | Holt, Mich. MSU Student Organic Farm is hosting this event about food security. Call 517-230-7987. Iowa Organic Conference 25 Iowa City, Iowa Iowa Minn. Minn.
Farmers and Ranchers for a Green New Deal December 11 | 6 – 11 p.m. | Minneapolis, Minn. Learn about the campaign as well as regenerative agriculture policy developments at the state and national levels. Takes place during the Acres Eco-Ag Conference. Email patrick@organicconsumers.org to learn more.
Minnesota FSMA PSR Grower Training December 3 | 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. | $35 | Crookston, Minn. December 18 | 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. | $35 | Waseca, Minn. January 15 | 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. | $35 | St. Cloud, Minn. January 30 | 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. | $35 | Rogers, Minn. February 11 | 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. | $35 | Grand Rapids, Minn. February 26 | 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. | $35 | Farmington, Minn.
19th Annual
Leading regenerative farmers and ranchers will share how they are involved in the development of the regenerative foods market and announce the launch of the Regenerative Agricul ture Alliance. Takes place during the Acres Eco-Ag Conference. Email patrick@organicconsumers.org to learn more.
2019 Albert Lea Seed Annual Farm Conference: Is This the ‘New Normal’ for Farmers?
Regenerative Agriculture Alliance Launch December 10 | 6 – 7 p.m. | Minneapolis, Minn.
Join us in envisioning the future of organic seed. Visit seedalliance.org/conference.
Acres Eco-Ag Conference and Trade Show Dec. 9 - 12 | Minneapolis,
COMMUNITY CALENDAR Find details and event links online: mosesorganic.org/community
Nov.
78th Annual Minnesota Farmers Convention November 22-24 | $ | Minneapolis, Minn. Come together with Minnesota Farmers Union members to debate and pass policy, elect delegates to the NFU Convention and enjoy local food. Call 651- 639-1223 or email info@mfu.org.
Marketing Specialty and Organic Grains Workshop November 23 | $5 | Woodstock, Ill. Liberty Prairie Foundation hosts this gathering to start a practical learning hub in northeast Illinois under the IDEA Farm Network umbrella. Learn about direct marketing, cooperatives and selling grain to buyers and bakers and distilleries. Call 847-548-4062 to register. Oregon Tilth Webinar: Organic Hop Production December 3 | 2 p.m. | Online This webinar is presented in partnership with the USDA NRCS Science and Technology. Hops production will be examined through the lens of conservation, offering insight into produc ing hops that also preserve soil and water health, while increas ing biodiversity. Call 503-378-0690 to learn more.
Illinois Specialty Crops, Agritourism, and Organic Conference Jan. 8 - 10 | Springfield, Ill. Minnesota Organic Conference Jan. 9 - 10 | St. Cloud,
Fruit and vegetable farms that are not exempt must attend FSMA training. 651-539-3648.
November 21 & 22 | Free | Albert Lea, Minn. Focus will be on adapting the farm to the changing realities of weather, markets, and agronomic. Friday’s session has an organic focus. Call 800-352-5247 to register.
