For National Soil Health Day on June 23, 2025, the Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) organized a Soil Health Field Day at McLaughlin Farms in rural Cumming, Iowa.
Dennis McLaughlin, a 5 th generation farmer on his family’s farm that was established in 1854, hosted the field day. The farm operation includes corn and soybeans, alfalfa, pasture, and 40 head of beef cattle (cow/calf herd). McLaughlin Farms provides many examples of management practices that incorporate the principles of soil health:
minimizing disturbance, maximizing soil cover, maximizing the presence of living roots, maximizing biodiversity, and incorporating livestock.
The field day began with approximately 50 attendees gathering in the shade on the farmstead for introductions. Everyone was encouraged to ask questions and share comments, which contributed to a rich discussion throughout the field day.
Presentations began with the Iowa Learning Farms Conservation Station. Alena Whitaker, a Water and Natural Resource Specialist with Iowa Learning Farms and Water Rocks!, gave a demonstration of the rainfall simulator. The rainfall simulator had trays representing Intense Tillage, Conservation Tillage, No-Till, Cover Crops, and
Permeable Pavers (an urban/stormwater best management practice). After running the sprinkler system for a few minutes, attendees could see the difference in the amount of water runoff and infiltration from each land management example.
Next, Ruth Blomquist, the Area Soil Health Specialist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in southwest Iowa, gave an overview of soil health. She discussed soil aggregates and the two things that create aggregation: biotic glues from soil organisms and exudates from plant roots. She also demonstrated the slake test to show the difference in aggregate stability for the same soil type under two different management systems.
Dennis shared information about the farm operation and how the McLaughlin family is protecting their farming legacy through an Agricultural Land Easement. Erin Van Waus, Conservation Easement Director with the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF), explained more about the process of working with McLaughlin Farms on the easement.
After the presentations at the farmstead, attendees loaded onto hayracks to tour one of the pastures protected by the Agricultural Land Easement. Dennis McLaughlin spoke about the grazing operation, including the cattle waters and electric fence used for rotational grazing. Ruth Blomquist and Hillary Olson, NRCS State Soil Health Specialist
for Iowa, discussed the qualities of the soil in the pasture, and Jeff Matthias, NRCS State Grassland Specialist, helped answer questions.
After the tour of the pasture, the hayracks returned to the farmstead where the Madison County Cattlemen provided burgers and all-beef hot dogs for lunch, and conversations continued over the meal.
While many soil health field days and workshops focus on cropland, this field day provided an opportunity to explore the topic of soil health in the context of pastures and grazing management.
Madison County SWCD would like to thank the Iowa Forage and Grassland Council, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, and Madison County Cattlemen for their support in making this field day possible.
Day at McLaughlin Farms on June 23, 2025
