Prairie strips could serve as a source of hay if harvested later in the summer, but the plant species composition may shift. Managers may find it difficult to maintain a diversity of grass and forb species.
This is an open question for the STRIPS team, which we hope to answer soon. At least two of our farmer cooperators are planning to graze their prairie strips: one is developing a method to rotationally graze the prairie strips and another releases cattle onto his whole field after fall corn harvest. Stay tuned for research results; in the meantime, you might try it, being careful not to allow livestock to congregate in any area long enough to create bare ground.
Read more about FAQ: Can I graze cattle on my prairie strips?
Read more about FAQ: How do we choose native species for our grass waterway?
Access to a variety of inexpensive, safe, and high quality foods can be credited to the productivity and efficiency of grain crop production techniques used today. However, the agronomic techniques used to manage the majority of grain acres are associated with some negative effects, including soil erosion, impaired water quality, and declining biodiversity in the Midwestern United States. Read more about Chapter 2: Introduction
“The Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy is a science and technology-based framework to assess and reduce nutrients to Iowa waters and the Gulf of Mexico. It is designed to direct efforts to reduce nutrients in surface water from both point and nonpoint sources in a scientific, reasonable and cost effective manner” (ISU, 2017b). Read more about A Nutrient Reduction Strategy with Matt Helmers
The integration of prairie strips into row crops is one possible solution to address the challenges facing Midwest farmers. Read more about Chapter 4: Prairie Strips - One Possible Solution
Read more about Video: A Difference You Can See with Lisa Schulte Moore
During the first year of establishment prairie plant species will use their energy mainly for root growth. It is important to allow sunlight to reach the soil surface and the prairie plants (STRIPS, 2017b). Annual weed pressure will be the greatest during the first year and will decrease in subsequent years. Read more about Maintenance - Ongoing Management
