Local Farm Led Research- A Deeper Dive

By DKO Pike & Tina Barone 

As spring takes hold in northeast Dunn County, a drive through the countryside reveals a welcome sight: many farm fields are still blanketed in last year’s crop stubble. In some, a green layer of cover crops—planted last fall—has already emerged. The lighter brown tones across the landscape, rather than bare, dark soil, hint at a shift in farming practices.

Cover crops are a tool that can help improve soil health, defined as the soil’s ability to function as a vital, living ecosystem that supports plants, animals, and humans. Maintaining living roots, minimizing disturbance, keeping the soil covered, and rotating crops with diverse plantings are all key principles for sustainable agriculture. Additionally, cover crops play a role in protecting surface water quality by slowing runoff and reducing soil erosion into lakes and rivers.

Our region is fortunate to have farmer-led research efforts underway, focusing on practical, real-world applications of these practices. Several local producers are testing methods on their farms and sharing what they learn with others.

One focus has been cereal rye cover crops. In partnership with university researchers, farmers have been studying their impact on the nitrogen cycle, crop yields, and weed suppression. However, cover crops can be tricky—weather plays a big role. Seeds planted in the fall may not germinate until there’s enough moisture. Last year, many seeds sat dormant on the soil surface, waiting for rain. Though rye is hardy, delayed harvests and sudden cold snaps can prevent visible growth before winter.

Termination of rye cover crops also presents challenges. If not adequately managed, rye can become a weed and negatively affect the following crop.

The Red Cedar Conservation Farmers, a producer-led watershed group, partnered with Dunn County Land and Water Conservation, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP), and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension for research during the 2023-2024 period. Their goal: to explore how the timing of cover crop termination affects nitrogen needs.

Key findings included:

• Later-terminated cereal rye cover crops produced significantly more biomass and absorbed more nitrogen due to higher carbon-to-nitrogen ratios.

• Multispecies mixes planted in early August yielded more biomass than cereal rye planted in late fall.

• Later-terminated cover crops left less nitrogen available to corn initially, but yield losses were offset by nitrogen fertilizer in 2023.

• Yield differences between early and late termination were not statistically significant across all nitrogen levels; however, earlier termination generally yielded higher yields, especially at lower nitrogen rates.

What’s Next?

Have you considered adding small grains to your rotation?

The Hay River Farmer-led Watershed Council recently hosted an event introducing farmers to Kernza—a perennial grain bred from intermediate wheatgrass. Kernza offers benefits for water quality, reducing erosion, nitrate leaching, and phosphorus loss, while improving soil health. It can be harvested for grain, used as forage, or baled for straw after harvest.

The council is now offering incentives for farms within the watershed to incorporate small grains into their crop rotations. Adding a small grain not only increases crop diversity but also allows earlier cover crop planting, giving them a better chance to establish before winter. It also offers opportunities to explore other cover crop species beyond cereal rye.

Interested in Rotational Grazing?

Thanks to funding from The Nature Conservancy, the Hay River Farmer-led Watershed Council now has resources available for producers interested in trying out rotational grazing systems. Participating farmers will be partnered with experienced mentors from the area.

Get Involved

These efforts are made possible through strong collaboration between farmers and conservation professionals, supported by producer-led watershed groups. In Dunn County, the Red Cedar Conservation Farmers serve the northeastern part of the county, as well as part of Chippewa County. The Hay River Farmer-led Watershed Council covers the northwest part of Dunn County, along with portions of Barron, Polk, and St. Croix counties.

Interested in attending a meeting or learning more? Contact Tina Barone, Dunn County’s conservation staff member dedicated to farmer-led work. She’s available to meet on-site at your farm or answer questions.

Reach her at 715-231-6533 or tbarone@co.dunn.wi.us.

Photo by Tina Barone