Cooking With Kristin

Le Sueur organic, sustainable farm gets national attention

By TIM KROHN

The Free Press Mankato

LE SUEUR, Minn. — When Tim and Tom Nuessmeier were growing up on the family farm east of Le Sueur, the terms “organic” and “sustainable” weren’t really a recognized concept. But their parents liked to farm as naturally as possible.

“My parents farmed conventionally,” Tim Nuessmeier said. “But they were reluctant to use agricultural chemicals and things of that sort. But my father wasn’t interested in making the jump to organic farming — that wasn’t even on the radar then.”

pork, beef and lamb and is the largest network in North America to be certified humane. They sell meats to restaurants and grocers. “It’s a nice recognition,” Nuessmeier said. “I admire the company for trying to encourage wild land restoration and things of that sort. I think it’s much needed.” The Nuessmeier farm, going on 150 years in the family, is a haven for livestock, animals and bugs. In the 1990s the brothers installed terraces to reduce erosion. They put land in the Conservation Reserve Program where they have seen robust pollinator life. They have dubbed the area a “songbird commons” because of the many ground-nesting songbirds among the native plants. “We have always believed that wild nature — birds, insects, mammals — should have a place to coexist on a working farm,” Nuessmeier said. Their pigs are pampered. “To be ‘sustainably raised’ you have a number of protocols — no antibiotics, no animal byproducts in the feed, animals need to be able to go indoors and outdoors and have straw to nest on.” The Nuessmeiers didn’t take the added step of raising “organic” hogs, which would also require they eat only organic feed, something that is twice the cost of normal feed. They do raise organic crops, which they market to a number of buyers in the Midwest With just 200 acres of land, the family members who have a hand in the farm all work off the farm. “A lot of people say you can’t make a farm this small work, but we regarded it as a challenge to see if we could make a go of it on that Photos submitted Left to right: Tom, Judy, Claire and Tim Nuessmeier are part of the family farm. size farm,” Nuessmeier said. He said the premium price paid for organic and humane-raised crops and livestock pro-

But the respect for the land and love of bees and vides the added income needed to make it work. songbirds and animals were passed on to the broth- With the brothers in their early 60s, they’re not ers. When Tim took over the main operations, he and exactly sure who will have a hand in the farm in the several other family members involved went organic future. Tim and his wife, Judy, have a daughter, and sustainable. Their commitment to pampered Claire, who is attending college and has a deep conhogs, growing organic grain and providing critical nection to the farm. “She would be the sixth generahabitat for pollinators and birds recently earned tion. But it’s too early to tell if she’ll be an active them the first ever Niman Ranch Sustainable Farmer participant in the farm or not.”of the Year Award. Organic network

Last year Colorado-based Niman Ranch announced Nuessmeier said the many businesses that supply a $200,000 fund to help farmers in the network various organic and sustainable inputs to farmers expand or adopt new sustainable farming practices are a good resource for organic farmers, particularly to protect pollinators, build soil health and preserve those just starting out. One of the suppliers he relied water quality. Niman works with more than 750 on was the staff at Albert Lea Seed, which sells independent family farmers and ranchers who raise organic seed. Nuessmeiers’ philosophy for raising hogs involves indoor and outdoor space and plenty of bedding.

Co-owner Mac Ehrhardt said his grandpa started Albert Lea Seed in 1923 and in the late ‘90s they added organic seed to their inventory. That was a few years before the USDA even had an organic seed certification program.

“We were maybe a little too ahead of our time. That first year we had one organic customer,” Ehrhardt said. “Now about half of all the seed we sell goes to organic farms.”

He said they like to be a resource for starting organic farmers but are careful not to give advice on topics they’re not knowledgeable about.

“We talk about agronomics and crop rotations and that side of it. There are a lot of resources available to organic farmers now, a lot more than there used to be.”

Albert Lea Seed gets most of its organic seeds from area growers, but for some seed they have to source from other states, Europe and Brazil.

Ehrhardt said farming will always be dominated by large operations, but he thinks the growth in demand for organics, including from small and medium farms is promising.

“I think it’s good for rural America to have more smaller organic farms.”

The Free Press and The Land are sister publications owned by The Free Press Media. v

Strip tillage generates soil and dollar benefits

By DICK HAGEN

The Land Staff Writer Emeritus

Several things influence the use of insecticides, herbicides, seeding rates, timing, and especially technology tillage systems in today’s agriculture. The Minnesota Association Water Resources Council hosted a “Virtual 4R Technology Review” on Nov. 11. The 4R’s of nutrient stewBrian Ryberg ardship, or nutrient management, are commonly referred to when talking about proper nutrient application. The 4R’s stand for right source, right rate, right time, and right place and serve to guide farmers to the management practices which help keep nutrients on and in the field.

Brian Ryberg is now a six-year veteran of zero tillage on his Renville County farm. During the Nov. 11 virtual review, Ryberg shared some of his experiences.

A key component to Ryberg’s system is a Soil Warrior, manufactured at Faribault, Minn. This machine can be used in the fall and/or spring. For fall tillage, 30-inch diameter cogwheels and serrated coulters produce a 10-inch wide tilled zone 8 to 12 inches deep. The coulters and cogwheel also mix fertilizer and residue with the soil. In the spring, each cogwheel is taken off and replaced with two 20-inch diameter wavy coulters. These smaller coulters till the soil only 2 to 6 inches deep in the same 10-inch wide zone.

MAWRC spokesperson Warren Formo commented, “Brian has become an innovator in strip tillage and cover crops. USDA Census of Agriculture data indicates strip till and no till/ridge till increased about 30 percent in a five-year period (2012 to 2017). Cover crop acres increased about 40 percent during that same time frame. So we know a lot of farmers are innovating new strategies in their faming. And Brian, with five year’s experience, has lots to share. Those 4 R’s of time, rate, source and place continually come into play … and fewer field trips are a big player for the Rybergs.” “Yes, the way we farm is somewhat unique I suppose … my word, though others might have different words,” said Ryberg. “I respect their judgment and know many are curious about how we make it work. We run a 24-row, 22-inch row-width machine. With the Warrior each fall, we do our P and K and microbes; then in the spring behind our corn planter we do our liquid nitrogen program — two or three applications.

“We’ve been playing around with cover crops for seven or eight years, primarily after our sugar beet acres (corn, soybeans, sugar beets is the rotation). I’ve seen too many open winters with winds moving dirt. We started with cereal rye in our regular program and continued with rye when we transitioned into strip till six years ago. Cereal rye continues our basic cover crop; though mixes are now intermingled with other options depending upon the field. Cereal rye you can’t actually plant till late August and early September because it won’t survive summer heat. We “So definitely a higher-priced machine; but considuse an annual rye in a five-way mix. And if you get ering the fewer field trips and overall reductions in enough snow cover it usually survives our winters. manpower per acre compared with our field cultiva “With cover crops we’ve had mixed results doing interseeding. Used with corn in our 22-inch rowwidth configuration, that corn canopy often shuts out sunlight. That slows photosynthesis which drastically tor, ripper and other equipment we formerly needed, the economics worked. Plus the big bonus: significant rebuilding of soil health mostly due to these fewer field trips.’’ slows growth of your cover crop. We’re seeing better How does Ryberg measure soil health? results with cover crops between our soybean rows. “My explanation would be cover crops take up those

“We’re trying interseeding between our sugar beet additional nutrients floating around in your soil profile. rows — which are also in 22-inch rowsm” Ryberg These cover crops tie them up; and then as that cover went on to say. “So far, haven’t found anything sur- crop dies, those nutrients get released for the following viving wheel damage from the beet lifting process, so crop. And cover crops don’t just gather up nitrogen. maybe giving up on that idea. Some guys have tried They gather all soil nutrients that might enhance your late oats in August and I’ve heard some okay results.” own subsequent crop. Plus this additional bonus: cover “Our budget shows a $15-an-acre expense for cover crops. Sure, we’re after better soil health, but that crops keep these nutrients from leaching into ground water supplies and public water ways. $15 cash flow is real with no direct ROI to cover. So “Cover crops are doing a lot of root health activities you have to convince yourself, and perhaps your too. Cereal rye’s root mass is amazing. Agronomists lender, that you’re doing this cover crop strategy for tell us that if cereal rye grows one-inch tall, its root the right reasons. mass stretches two feet deep. That much root mass in “We’ve been involved with the EQIP programs,” Ryberg said. (The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides financial and technical your soil profile means your soil textures are being enriched in many ways. Cereal rye sort of works like tile in the soil profile.” assistance to agricultural producers to address natural Speaking of tile, Ryberg said he still has some tiling resource concerns and deliver environmental benefits to do. “Yes indeed, still a lot of ground waiting to be such as improved water and air quality, conserved tiled. We bought our own tile plow a couple years ground and surface water, increased soil health and back. We can’t get enough in the ground. If we had reduced soil erosion and sedimentation, improved or an open winter like our Illinois farmers often have, created wildlife habitat, and mitigation against we’d likely be tiling all winter.” drought and increasing weather volatility. To learn more about EQIP, contact your local Natural Resource Conservation Services office.) “This year I signed up some acres to help offset some of the cover-crop costs. The Minnesota Association Water Resources Council’s “Virtual 4R Technology Review” is available for viewing on YouTube. v But after we finished our seeding we found out they had run out of funding — so no payments. Guess I’ll chalk that up as a cost-of-learning experience.”

“We’ve used multiple vendors for these cover crop seeds. Yes, seed costs do vary, so our advice: Do some shopping around when adding cover crops into your cropping program.”

Ryberg stated maintenance costs have not been an issue on the Soil Warrior. “It’s a bit pricey up front. Ours was about $300,000 six years ago with all the LG Seeds, Legacy Seeds, Rob-See-Co bells and whistles we put on. Yes, a substantial amount of money, but partially offset by a substantial Corn: Soybeans: amount of equipment we could then sell. Conv to BT Conv, Enlist & RR2X d Great Products and Prices

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Waibel believes there’s plenty of room for corn’s future

By KRISTIN KVENO

The Land Staff Writer

COURTLAND, Minn. — With his many goals and priorities in tow, Tim Waibel was elected president of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association. His term began Oct. 1 and will last one year. What started as Waibel filling a vacancy on the Tim Waibel MCGA board in 2012 has led him to serve as secretary, treasurer and now president. Waibel is ready to take on the challenges and opportunities in growing demand for Minnesota corn in the state and beyond.

Waibel and his wife, Mary have been farming full time since 1994 and are the parents of five children. They now farm alongside sons Justin and Jonathan and raise 24,000 pigs a year in a wean-to-finish operation. The Waibels also grow corn and soybeans near Courtland, Minn.

E15’s future is now

Waibel’s number-one goal as MCGA president is to move E15 forward. “It’s such a no-brainer to do it.” He believes the time has come for implementation of E15. Waibel points out the E15 plants are in rural communities, offering not only an economic boost to the farmers but to their neighbors as well. “Ethanol cleans up the environment, it helps the local farmer,” Waibel said.

Advances in corn-based products

There have been many new innovations when it comes to the usage of corn. According to Waibel, researchers from the University of Minnesota Center for Sustainable Polymers have developed tires made from corn-based rubber instead of a petroleum-base. The research also continues in utilizing corn-based plastics on a broader scope. Waibel would like to see the corn industry be part of the creation of more plastics. He’s proud of the ongoing collaborative effort that the MCGA and the University of Minnesota

ASSUMPTION, Ill. — For farmers, evaluating their grain system following harvest is a sound strategy to make any necessary upgrades for the following season.

“That’s especially true this season, considering the big yields experienced in many parts of the country,” said Gary Woodruff, GSI district manager and grain management expert. “Having an efficient, properly sized grain system is key to protecting grain quality and maximizing profitability.”

Woodruff suggests that farmers grade their systems based on these criteria:

Storage space — Determine if existing bin capacity is sufficient or if you need to improve your grain storage position. “Many farmers not only lacked enough on-farm storage this harvest, but also found have for broadening the usage of corn in everyday products.

Cover crops, not right for all

With many farmers growing cover crops to improve soil health, Waibel sees both the benefit and the challenging logistical situations cover crops offer. “We don’t use cover crops on our farm.”

Waibel covers 700 to 800 acres with hog manure. The state prohibits manure application until the soil temperature is below 60 degrees. A cover crop won’t work on Waibel’s farm as he wouldn’t have enough time in the fall to get the manure applied and plant the cover crops before the temperatures drop. “I hope the state never mandates us to grow cover crops.”

Waibel recognizes that each farm is unique, and a one-size-fits-all mandate wouldn’t work in this situation. “My farm certainly isn’t the same as a farm 30, 40, 50 miles away from us,” Waibel said.

Issue with U.S.D.A. corn totals

Does the United States grow too much corn? Waibel doesn’t think so. The numbers released by the USDA have been confusing though. “The USDA got some numbers wrong.” Whether that was the usage numbers or the inventory numbers. “It’s frustrating as a producer. We’d like to go into harvest with our bins empty.” Those overestimated numbers earlier in the year led to farmers having to hold onto supply until later on when the market improved.

On the political front

Waibel believes losing lawmakers who stood strong for agriculture is a tough blow for Minnesotans. That sentiment has certainly been felt by many with the defeat of Rep. Collin Peterson in the November elections. Waibel felt that Rep. Peterson had extensive knowledge on ag issues. “He understood ag policy on the federal level.” On Rep. Peterson’s side of the aisle, that their local elevators were full,” he said. “This meant they were forced to find temporary storage or rely on unconventional storage solutions which can sacrifice grain quality.” Woodruff said if farmers want to add storage, they should contact their dealers as soon as possible because many are getting booked quickly.

Drying capacity — If your wet storage bin was full before the end of each day during harvest, it may be time to increase drying capacity.

Grain handling — High yields put additional stress on grain receiving equipment. “Yields continue to grow every year,” Woodruff noted. “If your existing dump pit and bucket elevator can’t keep up with the inflow of grain, the result will be a bottleneck to your harvest. Increasing the capacity of your grain hanmany looked to him regarding decision making in ag legislation.

At the state level, Rep. Jeanne Poppe (District 27B), chair of the Minnesota Agriculture and Food Finance and Policy Division lost her re-election bid. “She was a strong voice for the corn farmer.” Waibel explains that the MCGA will continue to work on forging strong connections with legislative representatives. “We’ve always had good relationships with our policy makers.”

Waibel encourages lawmakers from the Twin Cities metro area to come out and visit a farm or two and ask questions. MCGA tries to get policymakers out to farms and Waibel notes they have had great success in that. “We have hosted a lot of people.” Having the opportunity to share concerns, talk about the issues and explore solutions have all happened while simply having a chat in the field. “Everyone wants to make Minnesota a better place.”

Last March, Waibel went to Washington D.C. to meet with Minnesota lawmakers. The trip started with handshakes; but in those next few days Covid19 surged, the handshakes quickly ended. That was the last trip to Washington D.C. Waibel has been on so far this year. While virtual meetings are the norm for now, that in-person connection is something Waibel has certainly missed in these last nine months. “There’s nothing better than going into someone’s office and visiting with them.” He doesn’t hold out much hope that the annual meeting with Minnesota senators and representatives will happen next March. He is optimistic that Corn Congress and congressional visits can happen in July.

The opportunities for corn continue to grow, along with the challenges. Waibel is excited for the future of corn and is proud of MCGA’s strong role in that fut

www.TheLandOnline.com Give your grain system a post-harvest performance review

ure. v dling equipment will improve harvest speed and efficiency.”

Safety — Post-harvest is also a good time to consider possible safety enhancements while it is fresh in your mind. “This can include installing roof stairs or peak platforms on bins, checking to see if bin safety cages are secure, and making sure all safety shields on motor drives and dump points are in good condition,” he said.

For more information, Woodruff encourages farmers to contact their grain system dealer or consult ag university or other industry resources.

This article was submitted by Grain Systems Inc., a global brand of AGCO. v

Many factors to consider with cold weather transportation

Fall 2020 was a prime example of the drastic temperature changes we can expect to experience in the upper midwest. On multiple occasions, parts of Minnesota went from significant accumulations of snow to above 60 F temperatures in less than a week’s time. It’s seemingly harder and harder to find anything resembling “normal” in the world today, and that sentiment extends to weather patterns. With this in mind, transporters will need to take necessary steps in order to protect pigs from the elements, prevent stress, and bring them safely to their destination — especially as we move into winter months and colder temperatures.

Many factors are taken into consideration when planning to move pigs from one location to another, ranging from contract obligations, available space, or farm employee/transporter schedule.

Perhaps the most important factor, and one that should first be considered, is whether or not the animal is in the correct physical position to be transported. According to Effect of Transport on Meat Quality and Animal Welfare of Cattle, Pigs, Sheep, Horses, Deer and Poultry (2004), Temple Grandin concluded that one of the two main factors which contribute to the most serious animal welfare problems was the loading of unfit animals. Unfit animals, as defined by Grandin, The National Pork Board, and various other animal welfare organizations, would include those which are sick, injured or fatigued; temporarily unable to stand or bear weight on each leg; those which cannot be moved without causing additional suffering; pregnant animals during the final 10 percent of the gestational peri- SWINE & U od at the planned By Jason Ertl time of unloading; females traveling without young who have farrowed within the past 48 hours; newborns with unhealed navels; or those whose body condition would result in poor welfare because of the expected climatic conditions.

Depending on the symptoms and severity, some pigs will have the ability to recover and would be able to be loaded onto trucks at a later time. Additional influences, such as poor handling practices, or those in combination like the presence of the stress gene and high doses of ractopamine, can exacerbate underlying conditions and influence an animal’s fitness to travel. In a situation where pigs are non-ambulatory and show a low probability of recovery (even with treatment) transportation is not recommended and they should be humanely euthanized on the farm.

How many pigs to load?

The Transport Quality Assurance (TQA) handbook has a table with helpful information about space recommendations for pigs, providing an idea of space requirements in square feet based on average weight of the animal.

UniversityofMinnesota EXTENSION

SWINE&U

While helpful, this table does not take into account temperature considerations, requiring transporters to adjust these numbers with respect to current weather conditions.

It may be reasonable to assume that during colder temperatures, adding more pigs onto a truck or trailer would generate more body heat and lead to a more comfortable mirco-environment. This concept, however, is incorrect. While there may be more body heat generated, movement within the trailer space would be limited and those pigs against the sidewalls of the trailer are more likely to experience colder temperatures and a higher likelihood of frostbite.

While being nuanced, there are other ways to recognize when a loading density is too high — including responses like abnormally high amounts of vocalization; or squealing, fidgeting, or fighting within compartments.

Travel time must also be taken into account. It is recommended to provide additional space per pig for trips lasting longer than three hours — regardless of temperature. Using resources like the TQA handbook, having an understanding of pig behavior, and previous experience with the hauling equipment used will enable transporters to achieve optimal load densities given weather conditions.

Movement of pigs between the different production phases can sometimes include traveling significant distances and across different weather conditions. This makes it essential for transporters to know the current and future forecast. Today’s technology allows us to have these live and local updates at our fingertips through smartphone apps; but at a minimum, dialing in to local radio stations or local news will provide at least an idea of what to expect throughout the route.

During the winter months, the combination of cold temperatures and wind speed create windchill. A table in the TQA handbook shows the relationship of wind and temperature on pigs and provides the period of time, in minutes, for frostbite to occur if pigs are left unprotected.

Pigs are similar to humans in a number of different ways, including our sensitivity to cold temperatures. We both lack the warm, insulative coat which protects many other livestock species from the elements. Transporters, then, have the responsibility to provide an environment that will protect pigs from those conditions,

See SWINE & U, pg. 13

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