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 CropsAnn Staudtwater quality, soil health, relay cropping, social science, cereal rye, corn, soybeans
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