I shared this presentation at the National Agronomy meetings in Pittsburgh, PA in November 2009

1. Experience with University Organic Research Farms I can’t find my way back to campus ! Dr. Joel Gruver School of Agriculture Western Illinois University [email_address] (309) 298 - 1215

2. Center for Environmental Farming Systems - Goldsboro, NC (2000-2006) Central Carolina Community College Land Lab - Pittsboro, NC (2001-2005) Hampshire College Farm Center Amherst, MA (1994) WIU Allison Organic Research Farm Roseville, IL (2007 – 2050 :->) * * * *

3. Farm manager/instructor, 1994-95

4. The mission of the Center is to provide students with an experiential education in applied design, invention, and entrepreneurship through engagement in applied design problem solving for social responsibility.

8. Farm manager/internship coordinator/instructor 2000-2006

9. Instructor 2001-2005

10. Cheryl was a student in my second class

12. The WIU Agriculture Department began renting a historically pesticide-free 80 acre farm in 1989. Multi-year leases have been negotiated in the past but currently we renegotiate our rent each year.

13. The WIU/Allison Organic Research Farm is located in southern Warren County, ~ 15 miles north-west of Macomb * 77 acres

14. No permanent storage structures may be constructed or maintained on the property.

15. On-farm storage in 2009

16. Sable silty clay loam Muscatune silt loam U of I productivity ratings for the farm’s dominant soils Corn = 180 bu/ac Soybean = 57 bu/ac Wheat = 68 bu/ac Corn = 180 bu/ac Soybean = 57 bu/ac Wheat = 68 bu/ac Neighboring farms have had whole farm averages > 220 bu/ac for corn in recent years

18. Field Map (2008) corn corn corn corn corn corn wheat wheat wheat cereal rye -> soybean wheat corn Corn (rye) Soybean Wheat (red clover) Standard crop rotation Soybean variety trial Wheat severely damaged by flooding Wheat severely damaged by flooding cereal rye -> soybean

19. Equipment owned by the WIU Organic Program: 4 row Buffalo ridge-till planter 4 row Buffalo cultivator 10’ Howard rotavator Propane Flamer 11’ rotary hoe This equipment is stored on neighboring farms during the off-season. One tractor (~ 150 hp) is rented each season. All other equipment is rented on a short-term basis from neighboring farms. Purchased in 2008

20. Equipment rented in 2007 140 HP Agco Tractor 190 HP White Tractor 110 HP Case IHTractor 55 HP JD Tractor 33 HP Case IH Tractor ATV with spinner seeder 15’ JD 750 no-till drill 20’ Aerway 20’ Flail mower 3,000 gallon Honey Wagon 6’ Bush hog mower 20’ Batwing mower 20’ Soil Finisher 20’ Disk Gravity wagon The Agco tractor was rented for the season from a local equipment dealer. All other equipment was rented from local farmers.

21. Collaboration with neighboring farmers is essential

22. Neighboring farmers are promptly compensated at rates based on U of I or IA State Custom rate/Machinery Cost Estimates

23. We have come a long way in terms of public perception!

24. “ WIU Agriculture Research technician Andy Clayton demonstrated the farm’s new Ag Leader guidance system while Crawford and his son took aerial photos of the Allison Farm using their CropCam plane.” Local newspaper article about our 2008 summer field day: Organics = innovation!

25. Overview of research at the Allison Farm Early research focused on site characterization (chemical, physical and biological soil properties) Subsequent research has evaluated the impact of tillage systems, crop rotation, seed treatments, crop varieties, cover crops and soil amendments on agronomic crop yield, seed quality, weed pressure and cropping system economics. Most but not all research has involved large plots and standard size farm equipment.

34. Nature Safe 13-0-0 Most of the inputs that we evaluate are donated or provided at a significant discount but little funding is provided to support research

35. Detailed Enterprise Budgets Revenue ( e.g., crop sales and government payments ) Expenses ( e.g., seed, fertility inputs, field operations, grain hauling ) Net income ( not including cash rent ) - calculated on a per acre basis for most fields since 2000.

36. 2006 budget Field # 4-1 Planted 6/8/06, 30” rows Notes Management Conventional Till; Commercial organic fertilizers Corn–Soybean-Wheat/clover rotation Soybean Yield 36 bu/acre Variety: “ J-30” from Clarkson Grain Revenue Soybean Sales $488.88/acre $14.75/bu (food-grade contract) (actual price paid = $13.58/bu) Govt. Payment $31.63/acre DCP = $18.48/ac & CC = $13.15/ac Total Revenue $520.51/acre Expenses Seed: Soybeans Rye $0/acre Free from Clarkson Grain for contract $11.34/acre 81 lb/ac @ $0.14/lb Fertilizer(s) $24.96/acre Amortized cost of previous applications Field operations $117.80/acre (no-till rye 11/05 = $12.65) (disk 2X = $18.10) (soil finish = $9.20) (plant = $11.45) (rotary hoe 2X = $11.40) (cultivate 2X = $15) (walk beans $15)(harvest = $25) Grain Hauling $0/acre FOB Total expenses $154.10/acre Net Income $366.41/acre

37. 10 - 15 soybean varieties and 4-6 corn hybrids are evaluated each year

38. What crop is this?

39. Field Pennycress ( Thlaspi arvense ) World’s first N rate study on field pennycress 4 reps x 5 rates 0 > 25 > 50 = 75 = 100 lbs N/acre

40. Field Pennycress ( Thlaspi arvense ) World’s first N rate study on field pennycress ??? 4 reps x 5 rates 0 > 25 > 50 = 75 = 100 lbs N/acre

41. Cover crop experiment at the WIU/Allison Farm Forage radish drilled 1 st week of August ’07 following wheat

42. Early January 2008

43. The experiment was planted to corn Blue River 66P32 30,000 seeds/acre on May 29 2008 No N was added Weed pressure was lower in the solid radish plots but there were no clear differences with respect to crop appearance

44. Some very interesting yield results !! Treatment Rep Yield monitor (bu/acre) Trt Average clover/oats 1 160.3 clover/oats 2 164.3 160.8 clover/oats 3 157.9 clover/ radish 1 170.6 clover/ radish 2 178.4 174.6 clover/ radish 3 174.7 clover/ radish /oats 1 179.0 clover/ radish /oats 2 191.4 170.2 clover/ radish /oats 3 140.4 radish 1 187.0 radish 2 178.7 183.5 radish 3 184.8

45. Some very interesting yield results !! slightly less impressive but more realistic Some contrasts are significant at 0.05 Treatment Rep Weigh wagon (bu/acre) Trt Average clover/oats 1 132.1 clover/oats 2 133.9 131.9 clover/oats 3 129.6 clover/ radish 1 137.2 clover/ radish 2 144.7 142.2 clover/ radish 3 144.7 clover/ radish /oats 1 145.4 clover/ radish /oats 2 156.5 139.5 clover/ radish /oats 3 116.5 radish 1 150.4 radish 2 147.5 149.0 radish 3 149.0

46. Tillage System experiment Conventional till Minimum till No-till Established in fall 08

48. October 2009

49. November 2009

50. January 2009

51. March 2009

52. April 2009

53. May 2009

54. Late May 2009

55. Early June 2009

58. ~1 week after planting

59. ~2 weeks after planting

60. July 2009

62. Early August 2009

63. Late August 2009

64. Late September 2009

65. 2 days ago

66. Early September 2009

67. Tillage radish on 30” rows with oats in inter-row 2 days ago

68. Tillage radish on 7.5” rows (~ 10 lbs/ac) 2 days ago

69. Where are the soybeans?? Traditional organic weed management often comes up short during wet years

70. 2010 Field Day theme = Systems Strategies for Weed Management New experiment comparing organic no-till vs. organic ridge-till soybeans

71. Our latest purchase??

72. Our summer intern borrowed this 24’ Salford RTS so that we could demo it :->

73. Student involvement with the Allison Farm Brent Bowen – 2009 Summer Intern

74. 2 “Twilight Tours” in 2008 and 3 in 2009 brought over 100 people to the farm including over 60 students and 20 farmers

75. IL State Rep Rich Myers

76. So why did so many students with conventional ag backgrounds decide to come out to an organic research farm? I talk about and show pics of the farm in every class!

77. WIU Cover Crop Innovator Project

78. Student: Which cover crops have you tried? how many acres? following/preceding which crops? Joe Nester replied: We just inter-seeded 14,000 acres of corn and soybeans with annual rye. We used a helicopter service out of Minnesota to seed it. We have used annual rye a year ago, seeding with drills after wheat and soybeans, but the planting date was too late to wait after beans. Excellent where seeded after wheat about Sept. 1. Our experience is limited, but the idea is really taking off, to hold the soil in place over the winter, keep nutrients within the field, and help with timely no-till planting in the spring.

80. Continuous no-till corn planted into hairy vetch Terry Taylor’s farm Geff, IL

81. http://talk.newagtalk.com/

83. 5 of the “Cover Crop Innovators” and 3 of the student interviewers attended our 2009 Summer Field Day

84. If you can’t get the farmers to come to your farm, bring your students to the farmers…

93. Teaching methods Building learning communities of agricultural innovators INNOVATION Farming practices Research ORGANIC

94. You are all invited to attend the WIU Allison Organic Farm field day in August 2010 (or visit any other time).

95. Any questions?