Regenerative farming in Iowa

Many farms across Iowa are working to build healthy soils, improve water quality, and more through regenerative agricultural practices. Here are a few examples from farms we've visited recently.

Hawkeye Buffalo & Cattle Ranch near Fredericksburg has about 30 bison, 20 hereford cattle, and some crop and hay ground. Bison were the original prairie grazers, with a population in the tens of millions–possibly 100 million or more! After colonization, however, their numbers dwindled to only a few hundred. Restoration efforts, including many privately-owned ranches like Hawkeye, have increased the bison population back to a few hundred thousand.

Cattle at Hawkeye Buffalo & Cattle Ranch. Photo by Lance Brisbois

Cattle at Hawkeye Buffalo & Cattle Ranch. Photo by Lance Brisbois

Joia Food & Fiber Farm near Charles City is another regenerative Iowa farm implementing numerous innovative practices. Wendy Johnson’s grandparents owned the farm and Wendy moved back to run it. The achieved Organic certification in 2014 and have been adding more organic acres since then. The farm had been only corn and soy, but they have added oats into their rotation. They have also added pasture land, and incorporated polypay and ile-de-France sheep. Joia also has cattle that run through the paddocks after the sheep, and custom-graze some Hereford cows. Joia’s livestock are Certified Grass-fed and Animal Welfare Approved. They run about 100 chickens at a time as well.

Joia is one of the first farms in Iowa growing kernza, a perennial grain with deep root systems. They have noticed much more birds and wildlife in the kernza fields compared to other surrounding crops.    
​
In addition to livestock, Joia has a micro orchard with chestnut, pawpaw, persimmon, & other tree crops, as well as a silvopasture of hardwood species. Their enhanced windbreak also includes plums, elderberry, serviceberry, and choke berries.

Farmer Wendy Johnson at Joia Food Farm. photo by Lance Brisbois

Enhanced windbreak at Joia Food Farm. Photo by Lance Brisbois

Ancestral Farms recently moved from near Waverly to Clarke County, south of Des Moines. Owner Matt Hatala is redefining modern hog farming by rejecting the conventional use of confinement buildings, opting instead to raise pigs on pasture and in the woods. Ancestral Farms' commitment goes beyond simply returning pigs to their natural environment; they exclusively breed Heritage Old Line genetics, harkening back to an era when meat quality was paramount in the pork industry. This dedication, coupled with a diet supplemented only with non-GMO feed, results in pork with unparalleled taste and marbling, a quality rarely found in grocery stores or even most butcher shops. Looking ahead, Ancestral Farms plans to establish a silvopasture system next spring, enhancing the habitat not only for their hogs but also for the diverse wildlife that thrives on their farm.

Pigs at Ancestral Farms. photo by Lance Brisbois

Matt Hatala leading a farm tour at Ancestral Farms. photo by Lance Brisbois

Hoksey Native Seeds is based in Jasper County and grows a wide variety of native grasses and forbs. They specialize in local ecotype species and custom-design mixes for their customers. Their customers include farmers and landowners who implement Conservation Reserve Program and hunting plots, as well as smaller-scale backyard gardeners, native lawns, and more. They also have a popular conservation podcast, the Prairie Farm Pod.

Field of butterfly milkweed at Hoksey Native Seed. photo by Lance Brisbois

Field of echinacea at Hoksey Native Seed. photo by Lance Brisbois

Golden Hills is working with farmers in southwest Iowa to implement regenerative practices through our Historically Underserved Farmer program. This includes innovative practices like some of those mentioned above, including diversifying crop and livestock systems. Learn more here.