Deep in the rolling hills of the driftless region lies Solhjem Farms of Arcadia. While on the surface it seems like any Wisconsin farm, below the surface, there is much more. This farm has deep roots in history, strong family ties and a commitment to soil health and sustainable agriculture solutions.
Meet Kyle Nilsestuen, the owner and manager of Solhjem Farms. As a fifth-generation farmer, his land and homestead have been farmed for over 160 years. His family began farming in 1863 and has continued to do so ever since.
Solhjem Farms is a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to agricultural commodities. They raise soybeans, corn, wheat, and a growing beef cattle herd. The farm’s corn is marketed to Pilgrim’s Pride Poultry to be ground up and used for feed for local chicken farmers. Corn is also made into silage for their cows to eat when they are not grazing. The soybeans are exported down the river for further production or used in animal feed. The wheat is marketed to a local cooperative and used as straw, which is then sold to local farmers.
Solhjem Farms has also begun to focus on a small cow-calf beef herd.
What is “No-Till” Farming?
Being a farmer in Arcadia offers beautiful landscapes and gorgeous sunsets, but it can also pose some challenges for farming. Living in the driftless region means there are numerous bluffs, slopes, and hills, which make farming row crops challenging. Unlike other parts of the Midwest with miles of flat land, this area of Wisconsin features farmland with curves and triangles.
Farmers can combat this issue by employing innovative and efficient practices, such as utilizing equipment with four-wheel drive, allowing cows to graze on previously unusable land and adopting no-till farming practices.
Kyle explained the impact of using no-till practices on his farm.
“With the hills and slopes, the water runs. We get a lot of moisture. No-till means we basically do not put a plow, disk, or any sort of implement into the ground other than the corn planter,” Kyle said. “We maximize the amount of ground cover, so everything stays on top to protect the soil. We also minimize soil disturbance. The soil has good structure and holds together so that if rain does come, it does not take soil with it.”
Sustainable Practices to Improve Soil Health
Along with using no-till practices, farmers employ many sustainable practices daily that benefit both the economy and the environment. Some of these practices include using cover crops and Global Positioning Systems (GPS). Cover crops are a common practice on many farms worldwide.
Kyle described the benefits cover crops have on soil health.
“Cover crops, especially for [a farm] like ours, are basically a blanket or armor for the soil. It is a layer of living plants that holds that soil,” said Kyle. “Our goal is to have a living root on the acres as long as possible every year. That helps hold the soil. It also benefits the soil structure by capturing more water and using certain species of plants that help break down other nutrients and make them more available and fix more nitrogen.”
Another way crop row farmers can be sustainable is through using a GPS. Trying to plant straight rows in fields of varying shapes and sizes can be like solving an impossible puzzle. GPS allows farmers to use their land efficiently and effectively when growing crops. When spraying in the field for weeds, the GPS can help save on products and prevent overapplication to the soil.
These tools help farmers maximize the yield from their fields while also practicing sustainable methods.
“We are able to plant in situations that a generation or two ago would be a crop failure,” said Kyle. “Having the right equipment helps us make the right decisions.”
Why is sustainability important to Wisconsin farmers?
Sustainability is essential to all farmers as they are stewards of the land. As a fifth-generation farmer, Kyle is committed to keeping his land here for future generations.
“Preserving my landscape for healthier soil is where sustainability lands for me,” Kyle said. “Sustainability doesn’t necessarily mean it’s one single practice. No-till and cover crops work for me, but they might not work for everybody. We do what fits in the context of our farm.”
For him, there is no price tag on protecting the soil.
“As long as we are moving forward financially and so is the land, that is sustainable to us,” Kyle said. “I don’t want to take away from the land to make another dollar. I can still make a profit but also improve the land.”
The plans for his farm moving forward are to continue with regenerative and sustainable soil health practices.
“We continue to diversify and prepare for the next generation,” Kyle said. “It is our turn now; it will be theirs eventually, too.”
Kyle Nilsestuen featured as a part of Gather Wisconsin’s Leaders of the Land® segment, which features Wisconsin farmers moving agriculture forward through their commitment to sustainability.