Menoken Farm History

Concentrated on providing the basic building blocks to improve soil health; these included increasing soil cover (armor) and crop diversity by crop rolling and seeding cover crop mixes with high amounts of diversity. Feeding the soil a diverse and expanded diet was a key in jump starting the biological activity. A complete 4’ soils analysis was completed by Soil Scientist’s from ARS (Mandan) and NRCS (Bismarck), with plans for future monitoring utilizing the baseline data. Constructed the south storage building.

Sheep were added to the Menoken Farm to serve multiple purposes. First, they provided a method of weed control that eliminated the need for herbicide use. Secondly, they provided another source of diversity to the environment. Their grazing preferences differ from those of cattle which have been and will continue to be used at the Menoken Farm. Additionally, the hoof impact that the sheep administered to the land varied in form and intensity from the cattle, and therefore contributed to the increased functionality of the mineral cycle. In addition, a no-till garden was established at the Menoken Farm. The garden also serves multiple purposes. First, it serves as another educational tool. The concepts learned from gardening, cropping, and grazing can all be used to improve our understanding of the whole farm. Secondly, the garden represents the direct connection between our soil and our food source. Although it is small scale, it serves as a method of experimenting with ideas before they are taken to the larger scale cropping production level. Construction started on the north education building.

Additional plant and animal diversity and their respective production techniques highlight the plan for the coming year. An inter-seeding planter was purchased to utilize cover cropping with row crop plant species, as well as being able to put down compost tea directly with the seed. In addition, two additional growing environments are being created to produce food directly. One, a high tunnel hoop house, will allow more weather sensitive food crops, such as tomatoes and peppers, to be grown at the farm; and two, conditioned straw bales are being used to provide a carbon rich, space efficient, raised bed garden for growing onions and potatoes. Chickens and hogs are two new livestock species being explored for their ability to bring additional biology to the soil health system. Lastly, we are initiating our “conservation biological control” process. For instance, we are seeding sunflowers with an understory of plants which provide a habitat for predator and parasitoid insects; thus eliminating the need for insecticides. This companion plant community will also supply nutrients and weed suppression. Constructed a restroom in the north education building.

First year for grazing the rotational perennials. Used a twice over grazing plan, usually the paddocks were approximately half an acre in size. The top half of the forage was grazed and the bottom half was trampled to the soil surface. Seeded a second rotational perennial field, trying to maintain 20% of the land base in rotational perennials. Soil cores were taken to a 4-foot depth on all fields and archived, with the assistance of ARS-Mandan. Crop diversity continues to be expanded with sunflowers interseeded with cover crops. Soil food web comparisons are continuing on all fields; with a comparison between rolled cover crops vs grazed cover crops. Spread wood chips from the PMC on the east half of field 2; will monitor the soil impacts.

Set the stage for Planting Green by seeding rye at various fall stages. Early stages were seeded as cover crop mixtures with flowering plants; i.e. pea, radish, turnip, and phacelia. Later stages will be seeded as a rye monoculture. Will plan to seed broadleaf crops into the spring rye cover to address erosion, salinity, water quality, and lack of diversity. Will attempt to have landscapes with green plants during the usual fallow periods, before spring seeding and after harvest. Added Dry Distillers Grains to the compost process this year. Will monitor the compost when completed, appears to be an excellent fertility source. The high tunnel was converted from an overhead sprinkler system to a drip line. Greatly increasing the water use efficiency and plant survival. Captured long term Soil Food Web results from animal impact; losses, corrections, and gains. Third year of grazing the rotational perennials.

Roof runoff rainwater was captured and stored in large plastic tanks.  It was used to water the static compost/worm bins, and the high tunnel garden.  60” corn with perennial covers was introduced; along with 15” wheat planted green.  Cured compost was placed in rectangular livestock tanks, which sloped to one end.  The liquid worm juice was then collected and used as a seed coating in both the annual crop production and the garden.  A grain hopper and auger were added. The high tunnel garden now has the addition of herbs. A second year of goats also became the last year, with the decision to stay with yearling and dry ewes. Crimped a cereal rye field and then seeded soybean, with poor results due to the late date and dry condition which followed. Filled a new Urban Conservationist position with the BCSCD, working out of the Menoken Farm.   Completed a rain garden.

A second year of drought conditions with triple digit heat and a smokey atmosphere. The precipitation was once again around 45% of average. Farm tours increased compared to 2020, although Covid 19 was still making a suppressive impact.  60” corn with covers appeared to fare better than the 30” corn with no covers; the covers were seeded with the Truax drill at about the V5 stage. Sunflowers with covers also managed the dry and hot conditions.  Increased the plant diversity in the high tunnel with companion crops such as onion-carrots-flax, and cucumber-flax.  Added more fruit trees to the high tunnel, it now includes apple, cherry, and peach. The outdoor garden was planted to 8 rows of sweet corn with drip line irrigation, along with milpa in between the rows. Added a part-time Conservationist position at the Menoken Farm, assisting with gardening, produce harvest and delivery, tours, and monitoring data. Constructed a concrete compost leachate pad in the fall, which drains to an insulated livestock tank.

Menoken Farm manager position is filled.  Purchased a used combine with pickup head and a used truck.  Changed the weed fabric cover to alfalfa mulch on the leachate pad, the worms like it better. Year two of planting 60” corn with covers. Last year for trees in the high tunnel, due to heat and lack of blossoms. High tunnel and outdoor gardens rotate based on Leafy – Fruit – Root – Legume, along with flowers and cover crops. Used paper mulch in the outdoor garden. The hügelkultur was started in the fall of 2023 and seeded to rye. Year two for 60” corn with covers. First year seeded alfalfa. Second year gathered plant tissue from corn and wheat fields every two weeks and sent to a lab for plant sap analysis.