Eastern Iowa Farmer Spring 2017

managing your soil
the “average” conditions by
using data gathered, literally, in
the field.
“We have a ton of sensors that
are deployed all over the country,”
Wacha said. They capture
air temperature and precipitation.
The goal of the lab, which
conducts many experiments
both inside and out in the field,
is to get soil to the optimal state
so management will allow the
genetics to perform at their best,
said Hatfield, who expressed the
process as an equation.
“It’s genetics times the environment
times management,” he said.
The strategy is to take genetics
and optimize them; take the environment
and overcome obstacles;
and take soil management and
oversee the process.
“We want to get soil to its optimal
state,” he said, “so management
of it will allow genetics to
do their thing.” n
— Nancy mayfield,
eastern iowa farmer
‘Livestock’ underground
Earthworms, nematodes and other organisms
build organic material that make soil stronger
The more organic life
a farmer can cultivate
in his fields using such
practices as no till and cover
crops, the healthier the soil
will be.
That was the message Jason Steele
presented at a soil health program at
the Clinton County Fairgrounds in
late January for local farmers. Steele
is the area resource soil scientist for
the Natural Resources Conservation
Service office in Fairfield, Iowa. His
area includes Clinton County.
“It’s all about living roots. We want
those living roots growing all times of the
eastern iowa farmer photo / brooke taylor
The presence of earthworms is a sign of healthy
organic life in soil. Earthworm populations consume
two tons of dry matter per acre per year, partly
digesting and mixing it with soil.
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spring 2017 | Eastern Iowa Farmer 85