Fox Demo Farms

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Fox Demo Farms The Fox Demo Farms is a GLRI project designed to help farmers implement conservation practices.

This project is a collaborative effort between local farmers, Brown & Outagamie Counties, the USDA-NRCS, & UW-Madison Division of Extension. The Lower Fox Demonstration Farms Network (Fox Demo Farms), established in 2014, is a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) funded project utilizing Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funds. The project is designed to showcase and demonstrate the effectiveness of conservation practices on participating farms located in the Lower Fox River basin. The project aims to reduce erosion and sedimentation, restore soil health, and improve water quality by reducing phosphorus entering the Great Lakes basin. Participating farms:
- Brickstead Dairy
- Kane Farms
- Wayside Dairy
- Neighborhood Dairy
- Dairyland Farms
- Ambrosius Dairy
- Mleziva Farms
- New Horizons Dairy
- Gilson Farm
- Wavurnek Family Farm
- Vande Wettering Farm
- Van Wychen Farms

Project partners include producers, crop consultants, Brown and Outagamie County Land and Water Conservation Departments (LWCD), the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension (Extension), Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District (NEW Water), United States Geological Survey (USGS), and the Great Lakes Commission. Additional funding support comes from Brown County and NEW Water. Note:
While the University of Wisconsin Colleges and University of Wisconsin – Extension does not regularly review content posted to social media sites, the administration shall have the right to remove any content from any official site for any reason, including but not limited to content deemed threatening, obscene, a violation of intellectual property rights or privacy laws, or otherwise injurious or illegal. Public opinions/comments posted on this site do not necessarily reflect those of UW-Extension/UW Colleges.

10/10/2026

As the fall progresses, we wanted to revisit cover crop species and seeding rates. In mid-October, we are recommending you plant cover crops for soil health purposes, rather than forage (for optimal feed covers should be planted by mid-September). Given our geography, winter rye is our best option, as it’s the hardiest of all our cover crop species. In mid-October, we’re looking at seeding rye at a minimum of 40 lbs./acre. Factors to consider are planting date and fertility of a field. If a field has high fertility, you can stay on the lower end of recommended rates. As the season progresses, you’ll want to bump up your seeding rate to ensure decent growth in the spring.

There’s still lots of fall left, so get out there and get your rye planted! As always, reach out if you have questions!

10/01/2026

Next up in our video series on no-till alfalfa into cover crops is preparing the field for next spring’s new seeding.

If a field needs light tillage, fall is the time to do it. A pass with vertical tillage or light cultivation can help prepare the seedbed before planting a cover crop. Getting this work done in the fall saves time during a busy spring and reduces the risk of soil and nutrient loss from spring fieldwork and washouts—a win-win for the farm and water quality.

09/29/2026

🎉 A big congratulations to Stan Kaczmarek for being selected as the Brown County Farm Bureau's 2026 Conservation Award winner. Stan has been a conservation champion in the Lower Fox Watershed and in addition to supporting conservation growth throughout the region, he has helped incorporate conservation practices on the ground. He has been involved in field trials and cover crop plots to help grow our collective understanding of how to make these practices work in northeastern Wisconsin. We checked in with Stan to learn more about his involvement in conservation and highlight his accomplishments. Thank you for sharing your story and for leading by example for so many years! Keep up the great work!

09/24/2026

Between field days and stories, we've been hitting the no-till alfalfa into covers approach pretty hard. By prepping your fields in the fall and getting a cover crop established now, you're setting yourself up for success next spring by improving germination rates. The story doesn't end there though...

In a conventional system, new seeded alfalfa fields are some of our most vulnerable in the spring. They are highly susceptible to washouts. When those heavy rains come, farms not only lose expensive seed, but they lose their top-soil and nutrients, which end up in our local waterways. By planting a cover crop now, you're not only helping your farm, but you're having a tremendous impact on local water quality.

Check out this video to see why...

09/22/2026

Planting alfalfa next spring? Looking to improve germination rates, while minimizing soil loss and improving water quality? One of the simplest solutions is planting a cover crop this fall. Prep your fields as needed…better to do light tillage in the fall than in the spring…and then plant your cover crop!

Barry Bubolz (NRCS) and Brent Petersen (Brown County LWCD) chat about seeding options and rates. Typically, we recommend a lighter rate of winter cereal. In September, you can get a way with 30-35 lbs. As we progress into the fall, you’ll want to bump your rates up (around 40 lbs.)

09/18/2026

When we talk about conservation, no-till tends to dominate the conversation. It’s the gold standard for keeping the soil intact and maintaining a living root and surface residue. But there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to farming or to conservation. Having more tools in the toolbox not only makes us more successful, but it also makes conservation more achievable to a broader group of farmers. When it comes to the soil health principle of minimizing soil disturbance, strip-till is viewed as the “best compromise.”

Unlike conventional tillage practices, strip-till disturbs only the narrow planting strips, leaving the majority of the field undisturbed. This allows farmers to retain the many benefits of cover crops, including living roots, increased biomass production, and improved soil health. By keeping most of the soil covered and intact, strip-till and cover crops work together to reduce soil and nutrient loss, creating a win-win for both the farming operation and water quality.

Ag Water Quality/Discovery Farms - Extension

09/15/2026

Field checks! Andy Kiefer, Outagamie County agronomist, took us on a quick tour to see how the corn looks even with the lack of rain in this farm’s area.

✏Field notes:
- 5-6 years of continuous no-till and cover crops
- Planted green into rye cover crop, previously soybeans
- 180 bushel estimate. Above farm’s average.

Mark your calendars for the Wisconsin Water and Soil Health Conference December 15–16 at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsi...
09/14/2026

Mark your calendars for the Wisconsin Water and Soil Health Conference December 15–16 at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells!

Join farmers, agronomists, and researchers at the same table, talking through what's actually working in soil health and water quality.

This year 90 full scholarships are available! They will cover two-day registration, a hotel night, and dinner, so you can spend your time learning and connecting instead of worrying about logistics. Preference goes to first-time farmer attendees, but everyone's encouraged to apply.

📅 December 15–16, 2026
đź“Ť Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells
đź“‘ Scholarship applications due September 21
đź”— Apply for the scholarship: go.wisc.edu/WWASH

09/09/2026

Checking soil conditions is key to making conservation work in your fields. We checked in with Alex Krepline, Outagamie County agronomist, to see what he looks for when deciding whether a field is ready to go.

✏ Field notes:
- Winter wheat field that had oats planted mid-August
- Continuous no-till for 5 years
- Rain the day before

đźšś Field plans:
- Strip-till this fall
- Plant corn next spring into the strips

âś… Important reminders:
- Dig to the tillage zone
- Finger tip test - soil should fall apart with a light tap. If it doesn't, then the field is too wet to run equipment.

Outagamie County Land Conservation Department Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District - NEW Water

09/03/2026

Speed makes a difference when using strip-till and the good news...faster is better! Higher speeds (around 7 mph) create berms or mounds in the strips. This reduces trenches and leads to drier soils in the spring. To learn more, join us at the NEW Water Field Day on September 9th.

Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District - NEW Water Outagamie County Land Conservation Department

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Green Bay, WI
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