Articles
Save money and get cleaner water by correctly utilizing manure
A common misconception about livestock manure is that it is simply a waste product of the farm. However, manure is rich in many nutrients and is a valuable resource when applied back onto fields that can benefit from manure application. Research has demonstrated positive impacts to soil quality/health, crop production, and overall farm management when manure is managed effectively.
Will Drought Persist on my Farm in 2024? Can farmers do anything to prepare for extreme weather?
Most midwestern farms do not have a drought risk management plan. The topic of weather-resilient or extreme-weather crop production practices is in its infancy throughout the Midwest. Why? In Wisconsin it rains weekly, if not more in the summer, with an average annual rainfall of 34”. A flash drought occurred in 2023 as the result […]
Planning for resilience in your grazing system
The beginning of a new year is always a good time to consider ways to improve a farm for greater long-term success. A way to improve long-term success is to consider how to make a farm more resilient. In the constant pursuit of increased production, resilience is often overlooked, undervalued, and perhaps misunderstood. But what exactly is resilience?
Field Notes Episode 15: Grazing Cover Crops Interseeded into 60″ Row Corn
Whereas most grain farmers with a livestock grow crops to feed their cattle, Jeff Gaska a farmer between Beaver Dam and Columbus in Dodge County is trying to grow his cattle to feed his crops. One of the ways he is moving towards this goal is by grazing cover crops interseeded into 60″ row corn.
Corn and Grain Market Outlook
The October 25, 2023 Badger Crop Connect session features discussions by Brenda Boetel, Professor and Department Chair of Agricultural Economics at UW-River Falls and Extension Agricultural Marketing Specialist.
Field Notes Episode 14: Cranberry Production
Just in time for Thanksgiving, Field Notes brings you an episode all about cranberries. Wisconsin’s state fruit for a reason; we produce the majority of the world’s supply, and who better to dig into the details, or the peat, than UW-Madison Extension Cranberry Outreach Specialist Allison Jonjak?
The Cutting Edge Podcast Episode #49: Hemp Processing and Manufacturing
An interview with three entrepreneurs in the hemp fiber and grain processing industries. Trey Riddle is the Chief Strategy Officer of IND Hemp in Fort Benton, Montana; James Forbes is Co-Founder of Tiger Fiber in St. Louis, Missouri; and Alex Mootz is the President of Complete Agronomy Solutions in Adams, Wisconsin. Resources IND HEMP Tiger […]
Field Notes Episode 13: Agroforestry
Surrounded by the peak autumn colors of Wisconsin, we thought we’d take a turn to talking about trees, specifically about integrating trees and crops in a system called agroforestry. We call up Jacob Grace of the Savanna Institute and Eric Wolske of Canopy Farm Management to chat about the many benefits of trees in cropland and some of the challenges.
Corn-Alfalfa Interseeding – A Unique Strategy for Alfalfa Establishment
Alfalfa has an establishment-year yield issue. Corn has a runoff and soil erosion issue. But planting the two together could be a unique solution to mitigate both problems.
Pest & Entomology Report from 2023 and Considerations for 2024
The October 11, 2023 Badger Crop Connect session features discussions by Krista Hamilton, Entomologist with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection, Dr. Emily Bick, Assistant Professor of Entomology and Extension Specialist for field crops and precision pest ecology, and Josh Kamps, Regional Crops Educator with UW-Madison Division of Extension for Rock, Walworth, and Jefferson Counties.
