From Ennui to Empowerment: Farmer Boredom and the Innovation of Relay Intercropping in Iowa
From Ennui to Empowerment: Farmer Boredom and the Innovation of Relay Intercropping in Iowa

Though the back roads of Iowa on a clear July morning may reflect the beauty of a Grant Wood painting, the underlying canvas for some who methodically farm those acres of corn and soybean reveals something much less placid—boredom brought on by structural strain. A venturous group of Iowa farmers, however, has found that boredom can also be the brushstroke that inspires innovation.

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Water Conservation, Conservation Crops, Relay Intercropping, Soil ConservationAnn Staudt
Giving Clean Water the Edge Infographic Series
Giving Clean Water the Edge Infographic Series

Edge-of-field (EOF) conservation practices—established on field boundaries, outside of productive cropland—are designed to help reach Iowa’s water quality goals, especially when paired with in-field practices. The “Giving Clean Water the Edge” infographic series dives into how EOF practices work, their positions on the landscape, their impacts on water quality, and the additional co-benefits that many EOF practices offer.

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Edge of FieldAnn Staudtwater quality