Smith Family Farms

For nearly 175 years, the Smith family has been raising crops and livestock in the hills of rural Dubuque County. Located in the heart of Iowa’s driftless region, Jack, Nick, and Ted Smith put great focus on preserving the state’s soil while remaining profitable. Growing roughly 600 acres of corn and soybeans along 425 head of cattle, the family takes great pride in working to diversify the landscape to build opportunities for generations to come.

Practicing no-till and planting cover crops are key to the Smith Farm. Jack remembers first using cover crops more than 40 years ago to reduce erosion on their corn silage ground. The family continues to use cover crops today, benefitting both the land and their cattle. The Smith Family puts great attention towards responsible grazing. Their cattle are moved between permanent pasture, fields of sorghum-sudangrass, corn stalks, and cover crops depending on the season. By grazing, the cattle are able to use the forage available while cycling nutrients back to the soil.

With a long lineage in the hills of the driftless region, the Smith family understands how critical it is to protect Iowa’s fertile soils. By combining no-till, cover crops, and cattle on the land, they have created a system that reduces their impact while remaining profitable.

Building a Culture of Conservation:
“There are small decisions you make every day, that over time have a big impact on the environment.”

Contact Information

Smith Family Farms
26129 Tivoli Ln
Epworth, IA 52045
Nick: 563-543-5318
Jack: 563-599-3061
nick@steelecapital.com
jackwsmith@icloud.com