For decades, preserving the soil has been a top priority in Nebraska. Farmers are committed to reducing their use of chemicals, retaining water, increasing yields, and capturing and storing carbon from the atmosphere.
Cyclone Farms, located in east central Nebraska, is one of the leading organic producers in the area. They are committed to being sustainable and environmentally responsible, a philosophy they apply to all their crops.
Their ‘farm outside the box’ approach harnesses the unique properties of the land to ensure that it is as sustainable, profitable, and responsible as possible. “The key to our success is in the land. That’s why we work very hard to maximize soil balance and health using the Albrecht/Kinsey method,” said Tyler and Amy Bruch, the sixth generation of the family to run the business.
The farm uses center pivot or gravity irrigation systems, and they grow a wide variety of organic crops, such as corn, wheat, peas, oats, alfalfa, sunflower, and soybeans. They also work very closely with different types of cover crops.
Amy and Tyler’s commitment to sustainability starts with the soil, which they see as ‘the stomach of the plant’. “It is key to balance the soil so that a root develops through crops, intercropping, and cover crops. All of this leads to better quality, nutrient-rich yields,” they said.
For soil analysis, Cyclone Farms uses an electroconductivity mapping machine, which provides detailed information on structures and textures. This facilitates precise management of the fields which are divided into zones, since they are a considerable size in Nebraska. This approach enables them to achieve overall balance, ensuring that each plant grows according to the desired organic criteria and can produce quality grains at a high level of production.
This is a translation of an article by Spanish agricultural journalist Ángel Pérez, which first appeared as part of a feature in Maquinaria Agricola from Interempresas.
Access the website version here: Interempresas in Nebraska (II): The soil, that great resource to preserve – Agriculture