From Field to Future: Harvest Season at Our Field Research Site
Like most farmers this time of year, Farm Manager & Field Research Operations Coordinator Terry Beeler is wrapping up the season’s harvest at our Field Research Site in St. Charles, MO. But on our plant science-focused farm, harvest time looks a little different. The primary goal is to collect data from our experimental plots. Our scientists gather information on the weight, appearance, height, moisture, overall health, and more to understand exactly how their crops performed.
What do we harvest?
This year, 16 field experiments were conducted at the Field Research Site, including the Maize-10-Maze outreach project and countless collaborations with colleagues. The experiments focused on a range of plants, including staple crops like maize, potential biofuel sources like sorghum, and perennials like Kernza™️ that support sustainability in agriculture.
The Topp Lab’s Subterranean Influences on Nitrogen and Carbon (SINC) Center project is investigating the influence of three dozen cover crop species and mixtures on soil health, nitrogen cycling, and subsequent corn productivity. The Shakoor Lab’s ongoing CONSERVE Climate Smart project continued to explore the long-term impact of various management practices—including no-till farming, precision nitrogen management, and cover cropping—on sorghum traits and soil health.
Above: Farm Manager & Field Research Operations Coordinator Terry Beeler harvests corn and sorghum using the Field Research Site’s new combine.
Beeler also plants a cash crop—either corn or soy—each year that is sold to help offset the cost of operations on the Field Research Site. Some of the experimental crops, like sorghum, can also be sold to buyers to support this endeavor.
“It’s not even a drop in the bucket, but it does help us with the cost of things like inputs and fertilization,” Beeler explains. “As a research farm, we plant differently and harvest differently. We’re not here to make money farming. We’re here to fulfill the mission.”
How do we harvest?
This year’s harvest featured an exciting new tool: a Massey Ferguson twin plot combine featuring a data collection system. It collects information on things like yield weight and moisture levels, allowing for data to be collected in real time as the combine harvests. This has been a game-changer, allowing our scientists to analyze the data more quickly.
“For example,” Beeler explains, “last year, to get the same data, scientists in the Topp Lab had to hand-pick, hand-shuck, hand-count, and hand-record all the data from their plot. Harvest season begins in August and September, and it took until February for them to get the same results that we got instantaneously this year thanks to the new combine.”
The Field Research Site’s new combine collects data as it harvests, a major boost for the speed at which scientists can review results from their field experiments, draw conclusions, and proceed with projects.
Who does the harvesting?
In addition to Beeler, harvesting efforts are led by our Field Research Site team: Assistant Farm Manager Nelson Curran and Field Research Technician Kevin Hava. This year, research projects from the Shakoor Lab and Topp Lab made up the bulk of the harvest. The farm was buzzing with activity as scientists wrapped up their projects and collected any pre-harvest samples of interest.
There was support from the surrounding farming community as well. Harvest time has long been a season of lending a hand to a neighbor, and that holds true at the Field Research Site. While the new research combine is an excellent fit for our experimental plots, it lacks the speed and efficiency ideal for commercial harvest. Beeler worked closely with the Boscherts, who own the family farm next door and farmed the Field Research Site ground for years before the Danforth Center purchased it. They worked with Beeler to harvest the Field Research Site’s limited cash crop plots using their commercial combine and were able to knock it out quickly.
What comes after harvesting?
As harvest season winds down, the focus shifts to preparations for next season. Up next, the team will begin tillage for cover crop planting. Then, the winter off-season offers the perfect time for administrative tasks, restoration and upkeep of the buildings and equipment, and planning for springtime.
“Harvesting always has its challenges, but when everything goes well, it’s fun,” Beeler says. “You can collect a lot of data in a short amount of time, and it feels good to see the end result of the whole season. It’s like the last chapter of a book.”