Our crops.
At Poltermann Farms, we manage thousands of acres of corn and soybeans with a deep focus on conservation and soil health.
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Growing with conservation in mind
We believe that healthy crops start with healthy soil. That’s why we take a proactive approach to land stewardship — balancing tradition with sustainable farming practices that protect and enrich the land for generations to come.
Soil health
Our crops are at the heart of our business, and preserving the health of our soil is one of our top priorities.
Each year, we review and adjust our nutrient and manure management plan to ensure our soil remains in the best possible condition.
While tilling soil can sometimes be necessary to loosen it up for planting, it can also lead to soil erosion and a loss of nutrients. To minimize these issues, we have embraced no-till, minimum-tillage, and zone-tillage practices, which help conserve and protect the soil. The choice of tillage method depends on various factors, including soil type, crop rotation, and proximity to waterways.
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In addition to our tillage practices, we plant cover crops like cereal rye during the winter months to help prevent erosion and retain nutrients. We recognize that soil is one of the most valuable components of our agricultural ecosystem, and we are committed to maintaining and enhancing its quality.
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Strategies such as leaving crop residues in the field after harvest, plowing under cover crops, and adding composted plant material or animal manure all contribute to improving the health of our soil.
GMOs
​One of the most important pieces of information to know about your food is that whether it is organic, genetically modified, or conventionally grown, they are all equally nutritious. Numerous studies over decades and multiple generations (livestock) have been done by reputable scientists. They have concluded time and time again that GMO's are safe. On our farm we grow conventional (genetically modified) field corn and soybeans. GMO crops afford us the opportunity to use less to grow more.
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FUN FACTS: Sweet potatoes were genetically modified 8,000 years ago... AND broccoli didn't occur naturally, humans bred it to wild mustard seed almost 100 years ago!
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For more information on GMOs:
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USFRA (U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance)
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Sustainability
Sustainability is a word you hear quite often these days. To the consumer, it means "eco-friendly". For us farmers, it is a way of farming, through modern technology, that allows us to plant more with less - less water, less herbicides, less pesticides, on less land.
Some of the most common sustainable agriculture techniques employed by farmers today to achieve the key goals of weed control, pest control, disease control, erosion control and high soil quality include crop rotation, cover crops, and soil enrichment. In crop rotations, farmers can plant soybeans after a corn crop to naturally replenish the nitrogen in the soil, thereby reducing the need for chemical fertilizers.
Many farmers also take advantage of the benefits of having plants growing in the soil at all times (cover crops), rather than leaving the ground bare between cropping periods. The planting of cover crops such as wheat, rye, or oats helps farmers prevent soil erosion, suppressing weeds, and enhancing soil quality. Using appropriate cover crops is worth the extra effort because it reduces the need for chemical inputs like herbicides, insecticides, and fertilizers.
