We partner with farmers all around the state. Read their stories and find connections in your area by clicking on the regions below.
When Jacob Bolson was given the opportunity to rent 240 acres in Fall 2020, he and his wife jumped at the chance. In addition to 139 tillable acres, this piece of land has a 30-acre pasture, two wetlands, and Beaver Creek running through it. Knowing his newly acquired ground had been under continuous corn for 10 years and the pasture overgrazed, Jacob immediately implemented conservation management practices to help build up the land.
Read MoreJarad Weber farms amongst the hills in Lee County where he is a 5th generation farmer. He took over from his dad and uncle in 2004 and grew the family farm with the help of his brother Levi. Jarad worked in central Iowa for a few growing seasons and learned about the differences in farming a couple of hours can make. He took what he learned and implemented it on the family farm. In addition, he challenges himself by trying new practices and technologies like cover crops, planting green, grid sampling, and automatic shutoffs to preserve his soil and increase yield.
Read MoreTodd Coffelt grew up in Decatur County and now raises beef cattle with his two brothers, Chris and Paul, on their family farm. Todd classifies them all as weekend farmers and they have put in a lot of weekends over the years setting up a 21-28 day rotational grazing system across multiple pasture paddocks. They are passionate about keeping the farm they grew up on an active farm and take great pride in their cattle herd.
Read MoreJason Russell started farming 20 years ago on his family’s farm outside of Monticello, IA. His farming operation has changed over the years and today he raises corn, soybeans, cereal rye, and pigs. He also has a few cattle, timber, and custom farms for landowners in the area. He not only enjoys farming, but also enjoys sharing his knowledge with fellow farmers, students of all ages, and his own kids. His wife Sarah is a teacher, and they routinely have classes out to their farm to see and experience the crops and animals.
Read MoreMark Kenney is a 5th generation farmer in Story County where he farms corn, soybeans, and seed corn. After growing up in the 80s during the farm crisis he didn’t think he would become a farmer or have a career involved in agriculture at all. When Mark started high school, he had a great ag teacher and FFA advisor who opened students’ eyes to agriculture careers that weren’t involved in production. Mark then went to university in Missouri and majored in ag business with a minor in agronomy. He continued his learning and received a master’s degree in ag economics.
Read MoreMatt and Nancy live in Kossuth County with their three children and farm corn and soybeans as well as raise corn and soybeans for seed. Matt grew up in Kossuth County and started farming in 1999, raising cattle and custom baling. He then transitioned to full-time farming in 2001 after graduating from Iowa State University with a degree in Agricultural Business. Nancy, who grew up in Wisconsin, completed her bachelor's degree in Agricultural Education and Environmental Science in 2004 from Iowa State University and her master’s degree in Soil Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2006. She then joined Matt on the farm in Iowa and is currently obtaining her Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota.
Read MoreWith deep ties to Iowa agriculture, Andrea Benton and Ingrid Gronstal are new landowners excited to learn more about farming. From their great grandparents who farmed during the Great Depression to growing up in Carroll and playing with friends on farms, the sisters have an appreciation for Iowa’s agricultural landscape and a strong desire to protect soil and water.
Read MoreKellie and AJ Blair farm in Webster County outside of Dayton, IA. After graduating from Iowa State University in 2004, AJ started working alongside his dad on the farm, and Kellie after graduating from ISU worked in various agriculture spaces until she transitioned to farming full-time with her husband in 2017. As fourth-generation farmers, the Blairs are constantly looking for new ways to advance conservation while remaining profitable in Iowa.
Read MoreWendy and her husband John started Jóia Food Farm where they farm holistically and implement new conservation ideas. In addition, Wendy co-manages the family’s farm, Center View Farms Co, with her father. She originally farmed organic row crops but decided to rotate the land to pasture for soil health and water quality and drainage concerns. Wendy has also helped to expand conservation practices on her family’s farm, a much larger traditional row-crop farm, to become more sustainable and regenerative by implementing 100% no-till, adding cover crops, and reducing costly inputs.
Read MoreMike is a sixth-generation farmer and a scientist from Walcott, Iowa. He spent his early career obtaining a PhD and then working at the National Animal Disease Center before moving back to his family farm to operate the farm with his parents, wife, and kids. The farm consists of corn, soybeans, and farrow-to-finish hogs.
Read MoreKelly Tobin has always wanted to farm, and besides the two years he spent in the military, that is what he has spent his whole life doing. He grew up on a farm in Northwest Missouri, met and married his wife Irene who had a career as a consumer science teacher, and had four children. Later the family of six moved to a farm in Taylor County, Iowa. Kelly always wished he had the opportunity to attend college and went back at age 54 to take classes at Iowa State University while farming and earned his bachelor's degree in agricultural business and agronomy in 1987.
Read MoreRandy has been no-till farming for over 30 years. When the 1985 farm bill mandated conservation practices, Caviness purchased a planter for no-till, but didn’t think it would work. After 10 years, tests showed that the organic matter in his soil was increasing, and is ongoing.
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