Field edge surface water and in-stream monitoring
on an organic MIG dairy

Name of farm:
Heisner Family Farms

Discovery Farm since:
2002

Family:
Jim and Jane Heisner, along with their sons and families

Location:
Mineral Point, Iowa County, WI

Enterprises:
Certified organic dairy/milk
Certified organic cropland to support dairy

Farm photo tour - view here.

Research and advisory team:
Jim Heisner
Adam Heisner
Ben Heisner
Peggie James County, NRCS District Conservationist
Rhonda Gildersleeve, UW Extension
Phil Christianson, Ag Lender
Dr. Jim Heth, Veterinarian
Duane Sigenthaler, Agronomist /Nutritionist
Allen Bauman, Retired HS biology teacher
Kevin Raisbeck, WI Technical College Agriculture Instructor
Kevan Klingberg, UW Extension/Discovery Farms
Fred Madison, UW Extension/Discovery Farms

Research opportunities:
This farm was chosen to represent medium sized organic dairy operations that have associated cropland devoted to corn grain, corn silage, small grain and new seeding alfalfa /grass hay, and alfalfa/grass hay.

Farm location is in the southern end of Wisconsin's Driftless region.

Gentle, moderate sloping, steep landscape and field configurations. More rugged areas (steep or shallow soil or stream bottom) of this farm are managed via rotational grazing for the dairy herd; typical of this area of WI.

Surface water monitoring site designed to study nutrient and soil sediment loss from organic (dairy based) crop production, with and without livestock manure.

In-stream water monitoring site designed to studying managed intensive grazing (MIG) influence on stream water quality where cattle have limited access, and to study the potential influence of milking and housing facility on stream water quality.

Monitoring in place:
One edge-of-field surface water monitoring station, placed at lower end of grassed waterway. This is placed to collect water from a unique 15-acre watershed that is 100 percent farmed and controlled by participating farmer, managed as organic cropland.

Two in-stream surface water monitoring stations, placed at the upper and lower reach of small stream bisecting MIG pasture land, and in close proximity to milking parlor and winter housing. This is placed to collect water from a 190-acre watershed that is 75 percent farmed and controlled by participating farmer. This area is managed as MIG pastureland, with associated cattle travel lanes. Cattle have limited access to the stream through a series of 10 paddocks, each grazed for 24 hours once every 30 days.