USGS Real Time Data

Click here to get Bragger Farm Data

Data Presentations

1. General Information Powerpoint with results from this farm (1.61 MB)
2. An explanation of the Trained Local Sampler program at the Bragger Farm (99 KB PDF)
3. A link to the Trained Local Sampler Program Database with data from the Bragger Farm

News Releases

1. Agri-View newspaper, March 1, 2001
2. DNR Tour Bragger Farm, October 26, 2001
3. Bragger Farm Brochure (PDF 628 KB)

The Bragger Family farm is operated by Hildegard Bragger, Joe and Noel Bragger (Rosli, John, Tessa and Allison), and Dan Bragger (Anna Marie). The farm has several enterprises, including a 180-cow dairy, 32,000 pullets raised annually under contract with Gold’n Plump Chicken, 100 dairy steers finished annually, a small cow-calf beef herd, and 1,000 acres of crops (390 owned crop acres, the balance rented). Crops grown include corn, soybeans, alfalfa, and winter wheat. All crops are no-tilled.

The Bragger’s farmstead has many spring heads. One spring head is captured and has served as a trout-rearing pond since 1946. The pond holds 3,000 brook trout and is operated in conjunction with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the local Elk Creek Rod & Gun Club.

The Braggers work hard to minimize their farm’s impact on and protect the environment. They practice no-till cropping methods, plant fields in contour strips, have incorporated grass waterways, built earthen dams, implemented stream bank riprapping and they follow a manure management plan.

Conservation is a state of mind for the Bragger Family, as well as a responsible and sustainable way of farming that’s been passed from generation to generation on their farm. Joe was one of the first farmers to participate in Wisconsin’s Nutrient Management Training Program that allows producers to develop their own nutrient management plans. He has had a nutrient management plan implemented on his operation since 1995. This plan addresses not only nitrogen but is based on the phosphorus needs of the crop.

Since becoming Wisconsin’s first Discovery Farm, the Braggers’ farm has been a flurry of activity. The stream forking the Bragger Farm provides a unique surface water monitoring opportunity. The north stream fork is surrounded by cropping acreage and the south stream fork is surrounded primarily by woodlands and unfarmed land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Two surface water monitoring stations were constructed, one on each stream fork, to compare water quality and runoff from the two systems – one natural and one farmed.

Take a photo tour of the Bragger Farm