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Location
Lewis, Pottawattamie County
Directions: 11 miles southwest of Atlantic on Highway 6, .5 mile south on M53 and .75 mile east on gravel.
Size
400 acres
Owners
Wallace Foundation for Rural Research and Development
History
The Wallace Foundation was formed in 1990 to enhance agricultural research and education for Southwest Iowa. The Armstrong Research and Demonstration Farm was established by a donation of 40 acres and the sale of 360 acres to the foundation by Gail and Glendale Armstrong in 1993. The Neely-Kinyon Research and Demonstration Farm and the Lauren Christian Swine Research and Demonstration Farm are managed as satellites of this farm. The Wallace Learning Center building was completed in 1997 and houses office staff for ISU Southwest Area Extension, the farm and Precision Beef Alliance.
Superintendent
Bernie Havlovic
(712) 769-2402 office
Agro-Climatic Zone
Southwest Iowa
Soils
Gently to strongly sloping well-drained loess soils
characterize the Armstrong farm area. Predominant soils
are:
Marshall:
2-14 percent slope, very well drained, occurs on upland ridges and side slopes, loess soil
Sharpsburg:
0-18 percent slope, well to moderately well drained loess soils, occurs on upland ridges and side slopes
Research
Crops. Row crop and forage management studies focus on corn and soybean row spacing, strip-cropping, insecticide and herbicide trials, planting dates and populations, and weed managment.
Soil. Agronomists study potassium and phosphorus application rates and placement and their effect on soil fertility and crop yields. They also study timing and rates of nitrogen, lime and manure on row crops. The topography of the area makes soil erosion and tillage work important.
Livestock. Researchers study sustainable livestock production methods. Animal scientists conduct beef nutrition, health and management studies. Beef cattle are in rotational grazing and forage utilization trials. An alternate deep-bedded breed-to-wean swine production system is studied at the farm.
Facilities
A cattle-feeding research unit was completed in 1995.
Pastures and forage feeding equipment support rotational
grazing studies. The 9,500 square foot Wallace Learning
Center features an Iowa Communication Network classroom and
meeting place for up to 150 people.
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