#FarmWeird - It's Worth It

How many times have you heard it: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” Not only is that saying true about life, but it’s true about farming, too.

If you want different results—whether that be higher yields, better return on investment, or even improved soil health—you’re going to have to do things differently. That’s why Ashland Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is partnering with the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District and several other SWCDs and Farm Bureaus from surrounding counties to bring Jason Mauck from Constant Canopy to the Ohio Theater in Loudonville on December 15 for Conservation Chats: Keep It Together.

Mauck makes a living off of his ability to think outside the box and is known on social media for his posts bearing the hashtag #farmweird. With a professional background in landscaping before he stepped into the role of full-time farmer, Mauck is not afraid to mix things up and challenge agriculture’s monoculture mold. And that mixture has grown into a recipe for success. In fact, Successful Farming named Mauck as one of its “10 Up & Comers in Agriculture” list in 2017 for his eagerness to research, innovate, collaborate and experiment with methods to keep his soil busy growing and interplanting crops.

Mauck believe in growing a sustainable agricultural industry but that modern standard production practices are broken; he believes things like soil health, clean water, healthy ecosystems of plants and bugs, and properly managed livestock matter.

Through trial and error, Mauck has developed what he calls “constant canopy” cropping systems that produce more profits from less inputs with the byproduct of creating healthier soils and a reduced environmental footprint. He says the key is all about time, space and sunlight.

In fact, Mauck holds the Indiana state record for soybean yield per acre, and he’s used those key principles to achieve that record through relay cropping. Essentially, relay cropping is a special version of cover cropping, where the second crop is planted into the first crop before harvest, as opposed to waiting until after harvest as in true double cropping.

So if record-breaking soybean yields, healthier soils, cleaner water and an improved bottom line sound like things you’re interested in adding to your farming operation, mark your calendars for December 15. The meeting is free and will include dinner, but pre-registration is required to make sure we have enough delicious pizza on-hand from Trail’s End. Call Ashland SWCD at 419-281-7645 to make your reservation to Keep It Together.