Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm

Location

Nashua, Floyd County

Directions: The research farm is located 1.2 miles west of Nashua on Highway B60. After taking the Nashua exit off of Highway 27 (218), go one mile south on gravel (Windfall Avenue), and 0.2 miles east on 290th Street.

Northeast Research Farm
3321 290th Street
Nashua, IA 50658

click here for a map view

Size

260 acres

Owner

Northeast Iowa Experimental Association

Association President

Mark Mueller
1146 220th Street
Waverly, IA 50677

History

The farm was established by the association in 1976.

Superintendent

Ken Pecinovsky
(641) 435-4864 office

Agro-Climatic Zone

Northeast Iowa

Soils

The land is nearly level to undulating with low swells rising gradually between intervening lowlands that drain poorly. Numerous soil types have formed in loamy material overlying glacial till. Predominant soils are:

Kenyon:
1-2 percent slope, moderately well drained, occurs on ridges and swells

Floyd:
1-3 percent slope, somewhat poorly drained, occurs on lower slopes

Clyde:
0-2 percent slope, poorly drained, located in drainage ways

Research

Crops. Experiments focus mainly on corn and soybean production, such as planting dates, row spacings, plant populations and long-term tillage practices. Agronomists and plant breeders conduct breeding programs and variety evaluations on small grains, corn, soybeans and forages. Weed, insect and disease control strategies are studied and evaluated annually.

Horticultural Crops. Horticulturists conduct garden produce evaluations for yield potential and pest control. They use a demonstration garden to display new horticultural varieties and cultural practices that can be adopted by home gardeners.

Soils. Researchers study soil fertility and soil management systems. Agronomists study nutrient requirements of area crops and crop rotations, and evaluate fertilizer and lime rates and placement to observe crop yield response.

Water quality. Researchers from ISU and the USDA's National Soil Tilth Laboratory carry out extensive water quality testing based on timing, rate and placement of fertilizer, pesticide and animal manure applications. Field drainage tile lines and groundwater wells from more than 40 one-acre plots are monitored and sampled to determine the extent of chemical, nutrient and pesticide leaching. The farm is a regional site for USDA groundwater research.

Facilities

The tiled plots are fitted with individual computerized groundwater sampling equipment for surface and subsurface water quality monitoring. Irrigation allows controlled intensity and timing of rainfall to occur for research studies looking at runoff and leaching of pesticides and fertilizer.