A Way of Life: Stories from Regional Farmers

Funding for this project, Re-Integrating Crop and Livestock Enterprises in Three Northern States:
Community Impacts Shown through Regional Farm Stories, is provided by the 2001 Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems Program from the United States Department of Agriculture.

The North Central Regional Center for Rural Development has been researching innovative farm practices through the following research project: Re-Integrating Crop and Livestock Enterprises in Three Northern States. This four-year project involves the collaboration of 10 institutions across three states in the northern United States. Maine represents the Northeast, Iowa represents the Midwest and Michigan represents the Great Lakes. The North Central Regional Center for Rural Development has been the leader in coordinating and analyzing the community impacts of the studied farming practices.

There are six objectives to this research project:

1. Identify integrated crop and livestock systems that can increase efficiency and profitability for small and mid-sized family farms.
2. Determine the marketing opportunities that arise from integrated systems.
3. Identify community infrastructure needs supporting farmer adoption of integrated systems.
4. Identify and estimate the impact of farming-systems change on natural ecosystem.
5. Evaluate the farmer adoption process and identify constraints and opportunities for more integrated systems.
6. Assist farmers to adopt appropriate integrated systems.

To reach the outcomes, the project employs a holistic systems approach that incorporates research, education and extension activities and participation by a multidisciplinary team of experts. This diversity in approaches addresses the fact that there are many different dimensions to agriculture. The outcome elements for this research project are as follows: economic impact, marketing opportunities, community impact, ecosystem impact, farmer adoption, and information transfer.

During the course of the project, the research team was able to interview several innovative farmers in the region, meet their families, and learn their farming story. In the Summer of 2004, NCRCRD contacted these farmers for more information and asked if they would share their “farm story.” The following narratives showcase seven different innovative farmers who share how they began farming and how their farming practices have changed over time. These narratives show a personal side of farming, bringing to light that this research involves real people who have great stories to share.

Lowell Anderson, Harlan, Iowa

Rodney Backhaus, Westside, Iowa

Rick and Cheryl Chipman, Harlan, Iowa

Duane and Vickie Errett, Harlan, Iowa

Chad and Wynn Goslar, Ute, Iowa

Lee and Julie Kaufmann, Harlan, Iowa

Darrell Nissen, Denison, Iowa

Scott and Cindy Renze, Manning, Iowa

Joe and Cindy Weed, Ute, Iowa, and Randy and Lori Weed, Charter Oak, Iowa

North Central Regional Center for Rural Development
Iowa State University
107 Curtiss Hall
Ames, IA 50011-1050
(515) 294-8321, (515) 294-3180 fax

For questions, comments or concerns about the NCRCRD website, contact khetland@iastate.edu.

Last updated March 24, 2006