ILF Cooperator Barbara Johnson
Producer: Barbara Johnson
Location: Villisca, Page County
Soil Region: 4, Southern Iowa Plains
ILF Demonstration: No-tillage compared to minimum tillage, compared to conventional tillage
Bio: Barbara farms with her husband, Stanley. They have several farms that are divided into CRP, crop acres and pasture. Some of their land is rented to area farmers.
Barbara and Stanley have put several different conservation practices on their farm: planted numerous trees and shrubs, buffers, terraces, and minimum tillage. They are working in improving the ponds on their land. Barbara is doing what she can to improve the health of the watershed on her land and is experimenting with new terracing that will spread the water out and allow it to filter and drain slower.
In addition to farming, Barbara is involved as a Page Soil and Water District Commissioner, serves on the state boards for soil and water and is on the National Association of Conservation Districts Water Resource Committee. She is very active in her church and gives talks on stained class symbolism in her area.
Building a Culture of Conservation: “We’ve used minimum tillage, trying to use no-till as much as possible. And the reason we’re doing that is economics. Fewer passes through the field equates to less fuel usage and less compaction, but also better management of natural resources.”
“This land has been in our family for two generations, and we hope to have two or three more generations follow us and be here. If I don’t take care of the soil and its fertility, it’s not going to be economically feasible for the families that follow to produce a living off the land.”
Contact Information:
Barbara Johnson ~ Page County
1237 O Avenue
Villisca, IA 50864
712/586-4554
frmrjhsn@netins.net
Agronomic Data: