GREENBOOK 2019 Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grant Project Descriptions and Results
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GREENBOOK 2019 Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grant project descriptions and results GREENBOOK 2019 It’s my honor to be able to introduce the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) 2019 edition of the annual Greenbook. As Minnesota’s new Commissioner of Agriculture, I’m proud to support these 22 projects funded through the Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grant Program, a component of the Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Program. I’ve been a long-time supporter of these programs and believe the projects presented here are great examples of the innovative ideas Minnesota farmers and researchers are exploring and testing to make farming in Minnesota more productive and sustainable. Recipients were awarded up to $25,000 for forward-thinking agricultural initiatives. I can’t highlight every project here in my introduction, but I’d like to! From finding peony varieties that can grow and flourish in the north, to determining the most effective pasture types for bringing lambs to market weight in one growing season, to determining the effects of cover crops on soil temperature and soil moisture in the southwest, these projects are fundamental to the future of agriculture. The Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grant Program is dedicated to improving and shaping the future; many of the previous grant projects have focused on practices that have become widely adopted, such as integrated pest management and cover cropping. In Greenbook 2019, you’ll meet an enthusiastic group of grantees who are focusing on ways to increase energy and labor efficiency, reduce purchased inputs, and improve both the environment and their bottom line. And, they’re willing to share their successes and challenges with you. To learn more about any of the projects, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the grantee. You’ll find contact information listed at the beginning of each project summary. If there’s a sustainable farming idea you’d like to try, please keep this opportunity in mind. To apply, please submit all application materials via the AGRI Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grant webpage at www.mda.state.mn.us/sustagdemogrant. Thom Petersen, Commissioner Minnesota Department of Agriculture l 625 Robert Street North l Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155 Inclusion of a trade name does not imply endorsement of that product by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, nor does exclusion imply non-approval. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, this information is available in alternative forms of communication upon request by calling 651-201-6000. TTY users can call the Minnesota Relay Service at 711. The MDA is an equal opportunity employer. and provider. Agricultural, Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Program MISSION STATEMENT The Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s mission is to enhance Minnesotans’ quality of life by ensuring the integrity of our food supply, the health of our environment, and the strength of our agricultural economy. Our Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grants support innovative on-farm research and demonstrations. They fund projects that explore sustainable agriculture practices and systems that are likely to make farming more profitable, resource efficient, and personally satisfying. In the Greenbook, grantees share their observations and experiences so that other citizens can benefit from them. ABOUT AGRI The Minnesota Legislature created the Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Program in 2013 to advance the state’s agricultural and renewable energy industries. The AGRI Program awards grants and other types of financial assistance to create agricultural jobs and profitable businesses. Farmers, agricultural businesses, schools, researchers, and county fairs can apply to several different AGRI grant programs. AGRI grants focus on areas of greatest opportunity and potential economic impact. These investments have resulted in increased production, employment, market expansion, and improved production and processing efficiencies since the program launched in 2013. Table of Contents Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Program............. 3 Sustainable Agriculture Grant Program........................................6 New Demonstration Grant Projects 2019 .................................... 8 Alternative Markets and Specialty Crops Sustainable Effects of Drip Irrigation on the Yields of Native Seed Production Plots Dustin Demmer, Blazing Star Gardens LLC ......................................... 16 Minnesota Hops Terroir Identification and Promotion Eric Sannerud, Mighty Axe Hops ................................................ 20 Peonies for Profitable Cut Flower Production in Northeastern Minnesota Kate Paul, Owl Forest Farm .....................................................24 Perennial Farming and Carbon Sequestration, Ecosystem Services and Innovative Entrepreneurship Michele Manske, Mashkiikii Gitigan/Pillsbury ...................................... 30 Energy Economic Feasibility of Spray Foam Insulation in a Hog Finishing Barn Jordan Vandeputte and Ryan Vandendriessche, Vande Ag Enterprises ..................36 Soil Fertility Inter-seeding Cover Crops and in Season Nitrogen Application in One Pass Keith Hartmann .............................................................. 40 Using Precision Ag Data to Maximize Economic and Environmental Benefits Tanner Bruse, Pheasants Forever ................................................ 48 Cropping Systems Agrophenology Project David Abazs, Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center ............................ 54 Cover Crop Effects on Soil Temperature and Soil Moisture Jerry and Nancy Ackermann ................................................... 60 Grazing Intermediate Wheatgrass (Kernza®) as a Dual-Use Crop for Forage and Grain Production Alan Kraus, Cannon River Watershed Partnership ...................................66 4 Impact of Two Tillage Types on Yield, Economic Profitability, and Soil Health in Polk County Minnesota Melissa Geiszler, Minnesota Wheat Research and Promotion Council ...................70 Cover Crop and Intercropping Alternatives during the Establishment Period of Perennial Fruit Crops Richard Traugott ..............................................................74 Fruits and Vegetables Testing Different Training Systems and Varieties to Improve the Profitability of Gooseberries Andy Cotter, York Farm LLC .....................................................78 Using Juneberries as a Cold Hardy Rootstock for Minnesota Pears Thaddeus McCamant, Central Lakes College .......................................82 Using Essential Oils to Repel Spotted Wing Drosophila in Blueberries Bev O’Connor, Blueberry Fields of Stillwater....................................... 90 Developing an Annual Day-Neutral Strawberry Planting System with Biodegradable Mulches Steven Poppe, U of M West Central Research and Outreach Center ................... 98 Tomato Productivity in High Tunnels Andrew Bernhardt, The Good Acre ..............................................106 Testing of a Non-traditional Process for Cleaning and Sorting Minnesota Wine Grape Varietals Arlyn Wall, KISS LLC dba Brookview Winery . 110 Livestock Testing Three Novel Sheep Specific Pasture Types to Maximize Average Daily Gains in Lambs on Pasture Anna Johnson, Keith and Anna Johnson Farm .....................................114 Goat Grazing During Winter in Minnesota: Ways to Control Vegetation on a Larger Scale While Saving on Supplemental Feed Costs John Beckwith, Hiawatha Valley RC&D ...........................................126 Integrating Silvopasture Practices into Perennial Fruit Production Hoch Orchard and Gardens ....................................................132 Comparision of Mobile Confinement and Day-range Production Systems for Pastured Broiler Chickens Randy Kleinman, Seelye Brook Farms ............................................138 Completed Grant Projects......................................................146 5 Sustainable Agriculture Grant Program PROGRAM PURPOSE The Grant Program is designed to demonstrate and publicize the energy efficiency, environmental benefit, and profitability of sustainable agriculture techniques or systems from production through marketing. Grants fund research or demonstrations on Minnesota farms. Funding is from the Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation Program (AGRI). PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Department has received over 1,187 grant applications and approved over $4.2 million in funding for 358 projects since the program began in 1989. Project categories include: Alternative Markets, Specialty Crops, Cropping Systems, Soil Fertility, Energy, and Livestock. The active grant projects, being conducted throughout the state of Minnesota in 2018, are described in Greenbook 2019. Grants provide a maximum of $25,000 for two or three year on-farm research or demonstration projects. Starting in 2019, the maximum grant can be $50,000 when the grantee provides a dollar for dollar match on the amount above $25,000. These projects by Minnesota farmers, educational institutions, individuals at educational institutions, or nonprofit organizations demonstrate farming methods or systems that increase energy efficiency or production, reduce adverse effects on the environment, and show economic benefits for a farm by reducing costs or improving marketing opportunities. A Technical Review Panel evaluates the applications on a competitive basis and makes recommendations