Neely-Kinyon Research and Demonstration Farm

Location

Greenfield, Adair County

Directions: Go 2 miles south of Greenfield on Highway 25, 1 mile east and a half mile north.

Size

160 acres

Owner

Wallace Foundation for Rural Research and Development

History

The Wallace Foundation was formed in 1990 to enhance agricultural research and education for southwest Iowa. A donation of a 160-acre farm in Adair County by Wayne and Margaret Neely in 1994 established the Neely-Kinyon Research Farm. The farm is managed as a satellite of the Armstrong Research Farm.

Agro-Climatic Zone

Southwest Iowa

Soils

Gently to strongly sloping well-drained loess soils characterize the area. Predominant soils are:

Shelby:
9-30 percent slope, moderately well drained glacial till derived soil, occurring on upland side slopes.

Macksburg:
0-4 percent slope, somewhat poorly drained loess derived soil, occurring on upland ridges.

Research & Demonstrations

The farm is an innovative working farm that researches and demonstrates alternative agricultural approaches that are environmentally sound and have a positive impact on the community.

Organic crops. A 17-acre block of 40 quarter-acre plots is dedicated to organic research. Plant, soil, pest, grain quality and economic performance of organic and conventional systems are studied.

Soils. The topography of the area makes soil erosion, cropping rotation and tillage research important. There is ongoing monitoring of soil quality for the organic research study.

Livestock. Researchers study sustainable livestock production. Studies include winter grazing of stockpiled forages and cornstalks, rotational grazing of dairy heifers and pasture improvements.

Facilities

An erosion control structure was completed in 1997 and new fencing was recently constructed.