Regenerative Practices in Row Crop Farming – Polk Soil and Water Conservation District

Regenerative Practices in Row Crop Farming – Polk Soil and Water Conservation District
Polk Soil and water conservation district
Regenerative Practices in Row Crop Farming
Field Day
Details
July 9, 2025 9am-3pm
Location
Regenerative Practices in Row Crop Farming:
How to reduce cost, increase fertility & create resilience in row crop farming
Learn from Farmers and Professionals:
How to use regenerative agriculture & soil health practices to support robust plants, retain moisture, resist pests, and reliably increase yields.
How to test and evaluate your soil’s health.
Environmental benefits of sustainable practices.
Learn about making and using the Johnson-Su biological amendment on your farm.
Soil Biologicals: Practices & Benefits.
Bonus: Bring your soil samples! Staff will be available to review them under a microscope.
Lunch
Enjoy an outdoor lunch catered by Comfort Foods LLC out of Huxley.
Lunch includes:
Main Course Item and Sides
Drinks
Water Coolers Available
RSVP for lunch
Presentations
Toby Adjuik, PhD
Iowa State University
What research has taught us about regenerative farming practices
Hillary Olson
Soil Health Specialist NRCS
Soil Testing methods for the biological farm system
Jim Ristau
ElevateAg
The step-by-step process toward more Regenerative Farming Practices
Kelly Garrett
Garrett Land and Cattle
Farming in tune with Mother Nature – From our gate to your plate
Steve Shivvers
Midwest Soil Restore
Johnson Su Compost extract – a biological amendment for the row crop system
Dr. Toby Adjuik is a Research Scientist in the Department of Agronomy at Iowa State University with expertise in soil science, agroecological modeling, and sustainable agriculture. He holds a Ph.D. in Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering from the University of Kentucky, where he developed lignin-based hydrogels for soil water retention and microbial immobilization. His research blends lab and field experimentation, environmental modeling, and machine learning to address greenhouse gas emissions, nutrient cycling, and soil health in bioenergy and regenerative cropping systems. Dr. Adjuik has authored over a dozen peer-reviewed publications and has mentored students at both undergraduate and graduate levels. He actively contributes to the scientific community through professional service, including roles as a journal reviewer and guest editor. With a strong foundation in digital agriculture and bioproducts, he is committed to developing data-driven and nature-based solutions for resilient agroecosystem.
Dr. Toby Adjuik, Ph.D.
Research Scientist, Iowa State University
Hillary Olson was raised on a family grain and farrow-to-finish hog farm in Central Iowa. She received a BS in Animal Science and an MS in Soil Science at Iowa State University. She has worked for Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) as a Soil Conservationist in various field offices across the state of Iowa. She and her husband farm in Central Iowa. She has been in the State Soil Health Specialist role for Iowa NRCS since 2020.
Hillary Olson
NRCS Soil Health Specialist
Jim Ristau brings decades of experience as a biologist, conservationist, and regenerative agriculture advocate to his role as Crop Advisor and Education Specialist with ElevateAg. A South Dakota native with a deep-rooted background in habitat management, soil biology, and agricultural education, Jim has served in key roles with Pheasants Forever, South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks, and the South Dakota Corn Growers Association. His career has focused on empowering farmers with practical tools and knowledge to enhance soil functionality, crop health, and long-term land stewardship. At ElevateAg, Jim supports producers at every stage of their regenerative journey by teaching the strategic use of biological amendments that revitalize soil and reduce input dependency. A husband and father of five, Jim finds joy in hunting, fishing, composting, and malting grain—and sees his work as a calling to fulfill a greater purpose: “God instructs us to be stewards of His garden. At ElevateAg, we strive to help producers do just that.”
Jim Ristau
Crop Advisor and Education Specialist, ElevateAg
Kelly Garrett is a sixth-generation Iowa farmer and nationally recognized leader in regenerative agriculture. Operating 7,000 acres of no-till corn, soybeans, and winter wheat in western Iowa, Garrett has earned top honors from the National Corn Growers Association and was named Field to Market’s 2022 Farmer of the Year. As a pioneer in carbon markets, Kelly was the first farmer in the U.S. to sell carbon credits to a corporate buyer. His operation integrates cover crops, drip irrigation, precision nutrient management, and upcycled organic byproducts to reduce synthetic inputs, enhance water quality, and build soil health. Through Garrett Land & Cattle and as co-founder of XtremeAg, Kelly advances a vision of agriculture rooted in innovation, sustainability, and profitability. His latest initiative—the XtremeAg Soil Health Initiative—continues his commitment to helping farmers across the country improve their ROI through biologically driven systems.

“There are many environmental benefits from the sustainable practices that we do, and it all relates back to carbon. The more carbon I put into the soil, the healthier my microbial system becomes, the more plant available nutrition I have, and the better my yields are.”
Kelly Garrett
Iowa Farmer
Steve Shivvers, co-founder of Midwest Soil Restore along with Kari Noble, combines an engineering mind with a farmer’s heart to advance the regenerative agriculture movement across the Midwest. A southern Iowa native and Northwestern University-graduate mechanical engineer, Steve spent decades leading Shivvers Manufacturing as Chief Engineer and CEO before turning his focus to restoring soil health. His experience as an organic sweet corn grower and his passion for open-source, biologically driven soil solutions now fuel his work promoting technologies that reestablish vital microbial-plant partnerships. Through practices like multi-species cover cropping and the use of fungal-rich Johnson-Su compost inoculants, Steve helps producers reduce input costs, increase resilience, and unlock the full potential of living soils.
Steve Shivvers
Midwest Soil Restore
Beginner Soil Health & Regenerative Farming Techniques
Beginner Soil Health & Regenerative Farming Techniques
14 Videos
8:04
1:28:29
15:23
55:49
13:05
3:54
5:19
10:55
25:59
31:42
34:28
24:05
1:02:16
18:44
Advanced Soil Health & Regenerative Farming Techniques
Advanced Soil Health & Regenerative Farming Techniques​
7 Videos
10:19
10:35
13:15
13:35
15:16
1:39:26
1:36:57
All About Cover Crops
All About Cover Crops
4 Videos
50:36
54:51
43:35
53:45
Podcasts
Hand picked podcasts harvested by our Project Coordinators for your use.
Use the tabs to advance to each category to see a list of relevant podcasts full of valuable information about Cover Crops, Regenerative Farming, and Soil Health.
What to Bring
This is an indoor event. We will hold the Field Day rain or shine.  We suggest that you bring soil samples that you would like to evaluate, a water bottle and a notebook to write in. Make sure to RSVP for Lunch!
Sponsors
Polk Soil and Water Conservation District works in closely with many Conservation Partners.
Contact us to become a sponsor!
July 9, 2025 9am-3pm
RSVP
The goal of Polk SWCD is to protect water quality and conserve soil resources in Iowa.
To provide leadership that helps people improve, conserve, and sustain our natural resources while educating them on the importance and practicality of maintaining our environment and quality of life.
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Contact
Office Hours
Monday-Friday: 8:00am - 4:30pm
Saturday-Sunday: Closed
Get In Touch
Polkswcdiowa@gmail.com
515.694.1883 ext 3
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