Northern Research and Demonstration Farm
Location
Hancock County
Directions:
Just south of Kanawha on County Road R-35.
Northern Research Farm
310 S. Main Street
Kanawha, IA 50447
(641) 762-3247
Map view of Northern Research and Demonstration Farm
Size
173 acres
Owners
North Central Iowa Research Association
History
The North Iowa Experimental Association, the oldest in Iowa, was formed in 1930 and purchased 93 acres. The Clarion- Webster Experimental Association was formed in 1952 and purchased 80 acres. In 1995, the associations merged.
Soils
Terrain is gently sloping, broken by a rectangular gridwork of roads and fields. Much of the land is drained by tile systems and open ditches because the land has poor natural drainage. Predominant soils are:
Clarion:
2-5 percent slope, very well drained, occurs on upland slopes
Nicollet:
1-3 percent slope, poorly drained, occurs between uplands and low areas
Webster:
0-3 percent slope, poorly drained, occurs on low-lying uplands
Research and Demonstration
Crops. The farm is a site for small grain variety tests, corn and specialty soybean breeding, studies of nitrogen fertilization rates and timing on corn and breeding soybeans with resistance to soybean cyst nematode. Researchers conduct extensive tests on corn and soybean weed management. Evaluation of cover crops and strip tillage also is underway.
Soils. Researchers study soil fertility and management systems. Agronomists study nutrient requirements of area crops and apply nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and lime to observe crop yield response.