NCR SARE Intern, Author at SARE

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Cultivating Partnerships: Building Farm-Research Networks for Improved Physical Weed Control

Posted on July 19, 2018February 27, 2023 by NCR SARE Intern

Managing and controlling weeds can be a challenge and a frustration for farmers, no matter the farm size or crop. Associate professor of horticulture at Michigan State University, Daniel Brainard, knows that weed management represents a major barrier to sustainable production of both field and vegetable crops. Brainard has been researching new tools and techniques for physical weed control (PWC), and he’s starting to share the results. In 2017, Brainard received a $25,595 NCR-SARE Partnership grant to bring together growers and researchers in the North Central region to improve understanding and adoption of these PWC tools. Shortly after receiving the grant, Brainard and a team of farmers and researchers traveled to Switzerland in April 2017 to a meeting of the Physical and Cultural Weed Control Working Group of the European Weed Research Society.

They collected video footage of various tools in action, and recorded interviews of farmers and manufacturers describing the best use of these tools. They tested some of the European tools and techniques on-farm, and demonstrated them locally at their Midwest Mechanical Weed Control field day held in Holt, Michigan in September 2017, which had 140 participants, 100 of whom were farmers. They focused their demonstrations on in-row mechanical cultivation with torsion weeders, flex tine cultivators, and finger weeders:

• The torsion weeder is an in-row cultivation tool that can be set up to be used on multiple or single row systems. It can be used in a variety of systems.

• The flex tine cultivator is a blind and in-between-row cultivation tool (blind cultivation occurs before a crop emerges). It was traditionally designed to be used in small grains but can be used in a wide range of crops to control small weeds.

• The finger weeder is an in-row cultivation implement that can be used for multiple row systems and walk behind tractors. It can be used in direct seeded or transplanted crops.

“The consensus from both on-farm and research-farm trials was that the finger weeder and flex tine weeders are versatile tools that work well on a wide range of transplanted and large-seeded direct-seeded crops,” said Brainard. “Although the torsion weeder can also work extremely well under the right conditions, it is more difficult to calibrate and integrate into diverse farming systems, and works well under a narrower set of soil and environmental conditions.”

The project is ongoing, but thus far Brainard and his team have created videos demonstrating each of the tools in the field.

View Brainard's presentation on this project, from the 2018 Farmer's Forum through NCR-Sare's Youtube playlist. Visit www.youtube.com/NCRSAREvideo for this and other videos.

Profile ONC17-025 Brainard 2018

Researchers and Educators Collaborate to Teach Youth about Cover Crops

Posted on December 20, 2012July 21, 2023 by NCR SARE Intern

Across the region, farmers are planting cover crops, a method of revitalizing soil, curbing erosion, and managing pests. Steve Sutera, an Extension educator at South Dakota State University (SDSU), saw an opportunity to bring together Bon Homme County’s Extension service, FFA Chapter, 4-H Club, and ongoing research at SDSU.

In 2008, Sutera submitted a proposal and was awarded a $2,000 grant from the NCR-SARE Youth Educator Grant Program to educate students about cover crops, both in the field and in the classroom.

“The Dean of Agriculture and Biological Sciences at SDSU encourages Extension Educators to get youth involved in our research projects,” explained Sutera. “I felt this was an excellent opportunity to involve, educate, and empower local youth to assist with this sustainable agriculture project. It provided an opportunity for youth to take on leadership and responsibility roles. Also, the work they accomplished could be reported in their FFA or 4-H project work.”

Gary Kriz, a local farmer who was producing winter wheat, helped Sutera and area youth prepare 1½ acres for their test plots. Starting in July, with assistance from a technician from the SDSU Plant Science Department, Sutera and a dozen students staked out the plots, planted 10 different crops with 12 repetitions throughout, and put up signs and markers. Crops included oats, barley, triticale, cowpeas, soybeans, turnips, radishes and millets. The students labeled the harvest bags and did all the harvesting. Over the course of three fall harvests, they submitted close to 40 samples to SDSU to be weighed, dried, and analyzed for feed quality. In addition to the hands-on field work, Sutera provided 2½ hours of classroom instruction for 24 Bon Homme High School students. Several of the students who had assisted with the plot shared information and observations.

“The teamwork and cooperation from the FFA students and 4-H members was outstanding,” said Sutera. “Doing a hands-on project such as the research plot was really a great way for them to connect and understand the whole concept of how cover crops can help us sustain and improve our environment and our land as a resource.”

Sutera sent the samples to SDSU to be evaluated for feed quality based on total dry matter production, crude protein content, acid detergent fiber content, and neutral detergent fiber content. The data from the samples gathered by these students will contribute to an ongoing, multi-state, USDA Special Grant project called “Five States Ruminant Consortium.” This ongoing $563,000 special grant is supporting research and Extension faculty and stakeholder cooperators who are examining opportunities within the ruminant livestock industry for economic development in western South Dakota, southwestern North Dakota, southeastern Montana, eastern Wyoming, and northwestern Nebraska.

“The incorporation of cover crops into our farming practices is a concept that will take time to implement,” said Sutera. “The information and data from this research Researchers and Educators Collaborate to Teach Youth about Cover Crops project will be used to help producers make good decisions when they select the cover crops and mixes that will benefit them, primarily for grazing alternatives. By providing our youth with a positive educational hands-on experience, they can now assist us in promoting cover crops as a part of the sustainable agriculture efforts in our area.”

Using Hydroponic Green Forage to Reduce Feed Costs in Natural Pork Production

Posted on December 20, 2012August 1, 2020 by NCR SARE Intern

Due to the rising cost of feed, many small scale pork producers are exploring alternatives in order to increase their profit margins. At Donnelly Farms, Jack Donnelly is producing hydroponically-grown green forage for his hogs, and has been able to reduce feed outlay and increase their bottom line.

Donnelly Farms is a small, family-owned farm located in McClure, Ohio. The Donnelly family has been raising pork and goat meat for private buyers since 1981. They raise 25-45 hogs per month. The majority of their hogs are sold to private individuals, and a small batch is sold to Tyson Meats. Donnelly reviewed existing research on hydroponic forage, and learned that the protein content could be comparable to that of commercially available feed mixes. In 2009, he submitted a proposal to the NCR-SARE Farmer Rancher Grant Program and was awarded $6,000 to develop a hydroponic green forage production system.

“The process could allow us to produce 5-10 times bigger feed volume for a comparable price,” said Donnelly in his 2009 proposal.

Donnelly says they were able to produce 200-256 pounds of hydroponically-grown wheat per day at a cost of $101-$120.75 per ton for seed. Their hydroponic forage production system for the project was based on a Héctor M. León Gallegos design. It consisted of tenfoot racks with three shelves on each side that held sprouting/growing trays (pictured first page, left), which they set up in a garage without supplemental lighting. With assistance from Chad Beman at the Gerald Grain Center, they selected their wheat seed. They seeded each tray with 10 pounds of soaked wheat kernels, and they watered it once every 24 hours. After 5-10-day growth periods, each shelf held approximately 50-60 pounds of hydronponic green forage (pictured first page, right).

For the project, the Donnellys raised three batches of 15 feeder hogs each. Each batch was separated into a control group (seven hogs) and a test group (eight hogs). The control groups were fed traditional pork rations (18% protein finisher shelf diets or 16% ground meal diets) and the test groups were fed the hydroponic forage. They took monthly weight measurements of the control and the test batches, compared the grades and weights that the batches received at the processor, and conducted blind taste tests.

According to Donnelly, both the control and the test batches recorded similar weight gains, and averaged 6-8 months to market (with the 8-month timeframe occurring in colder months). Donnelly says the test batch resulted in more uniform weight gain (all of the hogs were within 5-10 pounds of one another) while the control group had obvious winners and runts.

The Donnellys conducted several blind taste tests, offering meat samples of hydroponic forage fed pork to existing customers. Donnelly says their customers were able to tell the difference between the hydroponic forage fed pork and the traditionally fed pork, and all of their customers specifically requested pork raised on hydropnic forage after the taste test.

Donnelly said he would recommend the system to a small farmer. He was able to substantially reduce feed his outlay implementing this hydroponic forage production, which has allowed them to remain competitive in the market. However, he warns that it comes with distinct trade-offs.

“The obvious advantages are the reduced production cost, reduced finishing time, more uniform product, and, of course, improved taste. The trade-off is increased labor,” explained Donnelly. “Keep in mind hydroponic feed might not integrate well with existing automatic hog feeding systems...it has a quite higher water content which makes it more palatable to the hogs (but it also makes it more difficult to handle and dispense)...and it requires you to produce a fresh batch daily.”

Sustainable Renewable Energy Training for Agriculture and Natural Resource Professionals

Posted on November 20, 2012August 1, 2020 by NCR SARE Intern

The multiple benefits that a sustainable bioenergy system can provide underscore the need for its development in a manner that assures that the expansion of this sector provides not just new energy but broader environmental and community benefits as well (Kleinschmit, 2007; Jordan et al, 2007; Kleinschmit and Muller, 2005). It will require that farmers understand sustainability issues, which in turn requires educators to become more familiar with the various aspects of sustainable bioenergy and energy efficient production technologies.

Marin Byrne and Jim Kleinschmit’s series of six training sessions for more than 340 attendees focused on sustainability and renewable energy for natural resource and agriculture educators throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin. Farm field days, tours, and workshops addressed topics such as alternative bioenergy crops and production methods, whole farm planning for renewable energy, and on-farm energy production and efficiency.

Researchers and practitioners also addressed farm economics, community impacts, business models, climate change, water quality, natural resources management, and technologies such as gasification, oilseed pressing, and pelletizing. The Biomass Crops for Renewable Energy workshop in Wisconsin brought together a diverse mix of UW-Extension faculty that has continued to work together as a result. Surveys indicated that lessons from the workshops were being transferred to participants’ clients, and respondents reported that they planned to add new components to their educational curricula and materials.

Educational Curricula and Professional Development Training for Energy Efficient Production Practices

Posted on November 20, 2012August 1, 2020 by NCR SARE Intern

In response to the shift in some crop acres from providing food and fiber to an increased emphasis in energy farming, concerns have been raised about potential problems from crop monocultures or high rates of residue removal. David Clay’s long-term goals for his project were to increase producers’ awareness of the importance of determining costs of production, as well as conducting energy efficiency and environmental sustainability assessments during long-term planning. Clay edited curricula suitable for use in training sessions and conducted seven related workshops and 31 presentations, including the two reference materials below:

GIS Applications in Agricultu re: Nutrient Management for Improved Energy Efficiency provides an outline of how management recommendations are developed and how a ground-based active sensor can be used.

South Dakota Corn Best Management Practices provides a guide for selecting management practices that consider both production and environmental-sustainability goals.

Impact of Biomass Removal for Bioenergy

Posted on November 20, 2012August 1, 2020 by NCR SARE Intern

The rapid increase in ethanol production from corn rain, and the proposed use of crop residues for ethanol production poses significant challenges in increasing awareness and providing needed training to extension educators and agency staff to address the potential environmental impacts of intensive corn production and corn residue use.

Mahdi Al-Kaisi conducted an educational training program on residue management through a series of workshops, webinars, and field training sessions across Iowa for this project. Based on a 2009 survey, Al-Kaisi estimated this training would affect over 4,000 individuals and 500,000 acres across Iowa. The level of understanding the basic role of residue in improving soil and water quality improved from 37% before the training to 86% after the training was completed.

Greenhouse Energy Conservation Strategies and Alternative Fuels

Posted on November 20, 2012August 1, 2020 by NCR SARE Intern

Many greenhouse growers are looking for options to reduce their energy costs, but they don’t always understand which options will provide the greatest return on investment. For his project, Scott Sanford developed curriculum materials, extension bulletins, resource lists, and a spreadsheet model for educators to use for delivering programming on energy management and conservation for greenhouse production.

A workshop for high school instructors and three webinars were attended by 42 participants from six different states, and 64 additional people were trained using the materials Sanford developed. Presentations covered all aspects of greenhouse energy efficiency, thermal/shade curtain systems, energy efficient plant production methods, and heating greenhouses with biomass fuel sources. Greenhouse Energy Conservation Strategies and Alternative Fuels is available online.

Biofuels and Community Participation

Posted on November 19, 2012August 1, 2020 by NCR SARE Intern

Extension and other natural resource educators can provide educational programming on renewable energy and potential impacts at the community level, and can be facilitators of community discussions about renewable energy. Sharon Lezberg provided training materials to approximately 100 extension, NRCS educators, and community stakeholders on ways to engage community members and stakeholders in assessing proposed bioenergy developments. The toolkit Lezburg developed provides a decision-making tool to guide communities toward developing their own standard of sustainability and criteria for meeting that standard. It’s

available online.

One evaluator noted, “There is strength in a tool that allows developers and communities to objectively assess a renewable energy project...Ultimately, the interaction between developer and community generated by this tool will result in citing renewable energy projects that are profitable for developers, compatible with neighbors, and consistent with local community values.”

Integrated Alternative Energy and Livestock Production Systems

Posted on November 19, 2012August 1, 2020 by NCR SARE Intern

Agricultural production capacity, as well as transportation, storage, and marketing infrastructure for alternative biomass feedstocks and other renewable energy sources often presents challenges. In some cases, farmers and ranchers can find themselves at a disadvantage, operating in a knowledge vacuum as they encounter developers moving to position themselves for future energy development.

Michael Siepel’s project provided training on selected alternative energy topics, emphasizing interconnections between livestock production, renewable energy, and energy conservation. With 107 attendees, the first annual conference featured 13 speakers addressing grassy biomass, woody biomass, wind energy, financing bioenergy projects, and case studies of bioenergy enterprises. A second conference with 70 attendees addressed oilseeds for biofuels, anaerobic digestion/methane capture from livestock manure, algae for biofuel, biomass feedstocks handling, and bioenergy policy, with 12 presenters and six additional demonstrations or exhibits. A follow-up survey demonstrated the most utilized topic areas were grassy biomass, wind energy, anaerobic digesters/methane capture, alternative oilseeds, and bioenergy policy.

Storage and Utilization of Ethanol Co-Products by Small Cattle Operations

Posted on November 5, 2012August 1, 2020 by NCR SARE Intern

While perennial biomass crops have both environmental and energy benefits over corn ethanol, there are limited commercialscale facilities utilizing biomass feedstocks for liquid fuel production. The expansion of corn ethanol has provided Nebraska with several million tons of animal feeds from ethanol co-products annually. According to Francis John Hay, these ethanol co-product feeds have excellent feed value and high palatability to cattle. Feeding the coproduct wet has the greatest feed value and is most cost effective for the ethanol facilities, since they are high in moisture and can degrade quickly. Hay's project focused on storage techniques for wet ethanol co-products and how those co-products could be used in small cattle operations.

For his project, Hay prepared educators to teach ethanol co-products storage techniques. Conferences attracted nearly 300 educators from ten states. Written materials and videos extended the reach of this project through the internet with more than 30,000 individual downloads of educational materials. Hay noted that his project was undertaken at time when there was great interest in storage which increased the interest and impact of his educational outreach.