AgriEnergy Teams with Kalona Community to Teach about Sustainable Agriculture

Sustainable Living students from MIU went out to the nearby town of Kalona, IA to learn about soil testing and sustainable agriculture products and techniques promoted by AgriEnergy Resources. Kalona is predominately populated by Amish and Mennonite citizens, many of which have taken up organic farming. Some members of their community teamed up with AgriEnergy Resources to run a comparison study on organic corn grown with products that are promoted by AgriEnergy, organic corn grown without it, and conventional (GMO) corn.

A representative talked talked about how encouraging the natural microbiology in the soil aided the growth and abundance of the crops. Keeping the soil oxygenated was a key point, as the microbial organisms need it to thrive just as we do. This means keeping the soil looser so that air can easily pass through it. They talked about how you can differentiate between different types of plant diseases in corn, find the signs of different pests such as corn borers, and they talked about how using their products could help reduce the risk of such problems. The farmers that came to the event were also incredibly knowledgeable regarding growing quality crops, so the conversations that resulted from their interactions were complex and very interesting. I never knew corn could be so interesting! Every one of them seemed like expert biologists; they’re conversations were both impressive and daunting to this layman.

It was obvious from the get-go that the organic corn grown using sustainable techniques and products generated a healthier, more vibrant and resilient crop. They displayed the differences by mainly focusing on the condition of the soil around the roots. The high quality corn had moist, rich soil that fell apart easily when the corn stalk’s roots were shaken, showing that air could easily move through the soil and support microbial health. The control corn was healthy too, but was nitrogen deficient compared to the AgriEnergy corn (which can be caused by a variety of things). The conventional corn was somewhat of a joke, as the soil around its roots was hard, dry and compacted. It wouldn’t fall off of the roots easily, signifying poor air circulation, an obvious sign of how conventional chemicals can disrupt overall plant production and soil health.

It was a beautiful day to share with some talented and caring fellow nature-lovers, and we want to thank both the community of Kalona and AgriEnergy Resources for holding the event! It was definitely eye-opening! Find out more about AgriEnergy Resources by visiting their website here.