Floyd County — Farmer Partners — Iowa Learning Farms

Wendy and her husband John started Jóia Food Farm where they farm holistically and implement new conservation ideas. In addition, Wendy co-manages the family’s farm, Center View Farms Co, with her father. She originally farmed organic row crops but decided to rotate the land to pasture for soil health and water quality and drainage concerns. Wendy has also helped to expand conservation practices on her family’s farm, a much larger traditional row-crop farm, to become more sustainable and regenerative by implementing 100% no-till, adding cover crops, and reducing costly inputs.

North Central IowaLiz RipleyOctober 3, 2022Floyd County

Jon Gisleson

ILF farmer partner Jon Gisleson runs a century farm in rural Floyd, Iowa, growing corn and soybeans. He has been a no-tiller/strip-tiller for over 20 years and is proud of it. But it wasn’t an easy transition

North Central IowaLiz RipleySeptember 8, 2022Floyd County

Dennis and Patty Staudt

The 160-acre in Floyd County where Dennis and Patty Staudt raise corn and soybeans has been farmed by Staudts since 1877. When Dennis took over from his father in 1981, both he and Patty (formerly Heithoff) had been math teachers in Fort Dodge. Their love of math transferred well to a joy in finding efficiencies on his farm. Similarly, his Catholic faith informs his desire to leave the land better than when he began farming.

North Central IowaLiz RipleyJuly 19, 2022Floyd County

Ben and Andy Johnson

Seven generations have farmed in Floyd County, and Ben Johnson and Andy Johnson hope their sons will continue this legacy. Together they farm and share equipment, while their father, who began no-tilling his beans in the '90s, still has his own operation down the road. Ben, who returned to the farm first, immediately ran with his father’s use of no-till, while also experimenting with practices to achieve greater levels of soil health and water quality.

North Central IowaLiz RipleyJuly 19, 2022Floyd County