Discovery Farms > Current Projects

Saxon Homestead

Discovery Farm since:
Original sites: Fall 2004, 3 surface water and 1 tile site -- all discontinued in Fall 2007
Supplementary sites: Fall 2007, 2 surface water and 1 tile site; Fall 2008, 1 surface water site

Family:
Karl and Elizabeth Klessig family
Robert and Kathleen Block-Klessig family
Gerald and Elise Klessig-Heimerl family

Location:
West of Cleveland, Manitowoc County, WI

Enterprises:
Milk
Corn, Forage, and other crops for on-farm feeding
Management intensive rotational grazing (MIRG)
Specialty cheese from creamery

Twilight Meetings Teach the Public About Agriculture

Video courtesy of Wisconsin Dairy News.

Spring is calving time at Saxon Homestead

Video courtesy of Wisconsin Dairy News.

Research Opportunities:
This farm was chosen to represent rotational grazing, medium-scale dairy operations that have associated cropland. Farm location is in the Great Lakes Basin, a region once glaciated.

Gentle to moderate sloping (2-6 percent slopes) landscape and field configurations led to a large (495 to 641 acre) watershed upstream/downsteram design mainly controlled and farmed by Saxon Homestead to collect data on possible sources of nonpoint source pollution. Subsequent research was comprised of smaller (5 to 15 acre) watersheds completely controlled and farmed by participant, which was ideal for studying this farming system.

Nutrient and soil sediment runoff from the surface and tile-line discharge of fields with grazing manure deposition and liquid dairy manure applications were other research opportunities present.

Conservation Practices:
Follows USDA-590 nutrient management standards-phosphorus based
Grassed waterways
Manure storage system

Monitoring in Place:
Edge-of-field surface and tile drainage water monitoring stations were placed at the lower end of grazing paddock waterways. Three surface and one tile site are in place, each collecting water from a unique watershed that is 100 percent farmed and controlled by the participating farmer. Watershed sizes on Saxon Homestead range between 5 and 15 acres.

A paired surface water and tile-line site for overwintering cattle plus two other surface sites for monitoring runoff quality, as impacted by a 12+ year history of rotational grazing. Manure is applied to paddocks in summer after cutting. Manure is held in a pit when conditions warrant no spreading.

Saxon Homestead Creamery Website

Slideshow of Saxon Homestead Pictures

View USGS Real Time Data

Related Materials

10 Documents


SHF. Understanding Nutrient & Sediment Loss at Saxon Homestead Farm: Project Summary Factsheet (12 pages) An article summarizing nutrient runoff data performed on a Wisconsin dairy farm by UW Discovery Farms and its on farm research. Distributed in April 2011 to 92,000 readers through the Wisconsin agricultural papers.
SHF1. History of the Manitowoc County Discovery Farms Project Area Brief (2 pages) Factsheet (4 pages) Short history of the project in Manitowoc County and the two Discovery Farms there. Discusses the problems of agricultural expansion and nearby Lake Michigan.
SHF2. Farm, Site and Study Design Brief (2 pages) Factsheet (4 pages) Discover a management intensive grazing Wisconsin dairy farm operation and why UW Discovery Farms performed water and nutrient runoff on farm research here.
SHF3. Equipment Procedures and Sampling Brief (2 pages) Factsheet (6 pages) Detailed information on equipment used and protocols in place for surface and tile water monitoring at Saxon Homestead Farm.
SHF4. Water Budget at Saxon Homestead Farm Brief (2 pages) Factsheet (4 pages) Annual surface and tile water flow losses from monitored areas from December 2004 through November 2006 at Saxon Homestead Farm to better understand nutrient runoff losses.
SHF5. Understanding Water Loss at Saxon Homestead Farm, LLC: Surface and Tile Water Brief (2 pages) Factsheet (4 pages) Information on annual precipitation and surface and tile water runoff, including the time periods when runoff occurred.
SHF6. Sediment Loss at Saxon Homestead Farm Brief (2 pages) Factsheet (4 pages) Data and information showing annual suspended sediment losses from surface and tile flow. Includes comparison of losses from intensively tilled field and grazed paddocks.
SHF7. Phosphorus and Nitrogen Loss at Saxon Homestead Farm Brief (2 pages) Factsheet (6 pages) Annual losses of phosphorus and nitrogen from monitored areas at Saxon Homestead Farm are presented. Also includes information on speciation of phosphorus and nitrogen loss through surface and tile water flow.
SHF8. Challenges with Experimental Design and Tile Monitoring at Saxon Homestead Farm Brief (2 pages) Factsheet (6 pages) Details on challenges involved with monitoring tile and surface water flow in Northeastern Wisconsin. Includes information useful for better design of studies and use of monitoring equipment.
SHF9. Impact of UW-Discovery Farms Research on: Ag Mgmnt at SHF, Public Perception & Future Research Brief (2 pages) Factsheet (6 pages) A summary of lessons learned through research on Saxon Homestead Farm. Includes information aimed at improvement of future studies, engagement of local community, and any changes made to the operation based on actual data collected at the farm.