By Jason Johnson, State Public Affairs Specialist, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Des Moines, Iowa

Conservation, diversification and resilience are setting Pine Hill Farm operators Jacob and Cassandra Kubik up for a successful future even as obstacles such as a farm injury and damaging hailstorms caused setbacks.

The Kubiks have farmed since 2011 near Walker in the northern part of Linn County. Cassandra generally oversees the cut flower part of the business, while Jacob operates the cropping system and manages sheep and a few other animals. 

Jacob, who has an agricultural systems technology degree from Iowa State University, farms about 160 row crop acres on the home farm, another 160 acres on his grandparent’s farm nearby and several hundred more acres around the area. The Kubiks also plant many varieties of pumpkins, sweetcorn, and other produce which they sell out of a self-serve stand at their farm.

High Tunnels Help Flower Crop

Cassandra grows flowers in three high tunnels that provide a controlled weather environment and a longer growing season. The couple worked with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to help offset the cost of the high tunnels with assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). 

“We can control moisture and wind in the high tunnels, and protect flowers from hail,” said Jacob. “The high tunnels also allow us to grow certain perennials that you typically can’t grow in May and June in Iowa when annuals aren’t ready yet.”

The Kubiks sell flowers at the Cedar Rapids Downtown Farmers Market throughout the summer out of their retro truck stand, and Cassandra even creates wedding bouquets. They grow about 60 flower varieties in their high tunnels including lilies, dahlias, lisianthus, phlox, snap dragons and sunflowers.

Overcoming the Unforeseen

A farm injury in October 2019 nearly ended Jacob’s farming career, causing severe damage to his left hand and forcing a six-month recovery. He spent nearly three weeks in the hospital and underwent four full reconstructive surgeries.

The accident occurred while combining when he smashed his hand between a head cart and a header on a combine. “I was within a few inches of smashing myself. I almost lost a whole arm,” said Kubik. “I lost about 75 percent mobility in my hand.”

The Kubiks have also endured crop damage from three recent hailstorms. “It’s happened every four years since 2017,” said Jacob. “We’re hoping last year stops that trend.”

Crop Diversity, Management Increase Resilience

Diversification on Pine Hill Farm doesn’t stop with what they grow, it includes the way they manage their crops. For example, on his 160-acre farm Jacob no-tills, strip-tills, and performs relay-cropping with wheat or cereal rye and soybeans. He says relay-cropping helps suppress weeds, improves soil health and helps generate additional revenue. 

The Kubiks qualified for financial incentives to adopt crop management practices, like no-till, strip-till and cover crops, working with NRCS on several EQIP contracts. “Jacob is always looking for ways to take the next step forward, and that’s what programs like EQIP are all about,” said District Conservationist Levi Schwartz with NRCS in Linn County. “The Kubik’s diverse operation allows them to take more risks and increases their resiliency.”

The Kubiks have worked with NRCS to implement practices like grassed waterways, cover crops, conservation crop rotations, and critical area plantings. “I am constantly impressed by the myriads of conservation practices the Kubiks successfully implement on their farm,” said Schwartz.

They are also implementing conservation practices through their third Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) contract, in which they have focused on nutrient management, improved forages, and wildlife habitat through tree plantings and native plant and grass plantings for pollinators.

Jacob says he’s always evolving, even getting into more regenerative agriculture by interseeding covers into standing corn. “We’re trying to grow some nitrogen naturally for next year and graze that in the fall with our sheep,” he said. 

Conservation Helps Sustainability

Conservation practices are the number one priority for the Kubiks. “My goal is to leave my farm for my children better than when I took it over,” said Jacob. “We’re building soil, putting waterways in, seeding down areas that need to be, and not just reducing erosion but getting to a positive gain in all areas.”

He says he’s making headway using no-till and strip-till and now cover crops. “The next thing I would recommend to other farmers is to use cover crops, which help build your soil and control erosion,” he said. “From my experience, you get a way better cover crop stand applying seed with a drone. You don’t damage the corn and beans during the growing season, and you can apply the seed early for fall establishment.”

Nutrient Management for Water Quality

Jacob says he is using nutrient management best practices such as split nitrogen applications in the spring – even on his strip-till ground – to help ensure he is doing his part to keep water that leaves his farm as clean as possible. “Fertilizer costs too much to blindly apply it in the fall, risking losses,” he said. “I apply nitrogen when the crop needs it most, which helps reduce the potential for leaching. In the end, I am more focused on net profits than yields anyway.”

He bands all his fertilizer, placing concentrated nutrients in strips near the seeds rather than broadcasting them across the entire field. “In the fall, I band P and K, all my dry fertilizer, six inches into the ground with a single disc, low invasive opener,” he said. “Springtime, I put 75 units of nitrogen and sulfur on with my planter and “Y” drop the remaining nitrogen and sulfur with my “Y” drop bar,” he said.

Social Media and Sharing Experiences

The Kubiks market their products, promote events, provide tips, and even share their cat videos on Facebook and Instagram. They also host events and field days throughout the year on their farm.

Known as the “Modified Farmer” on social media, Jacob can be seen on Facebook and Instagram sharing updates and information about Pine Hill Farm. He says he calls himself the “Modified Farmer” for two reasons. “My life was modified when I smashed my hand and I had to look at doing things a little differently, and it changed me as a person. I am concentrating more my children now,” he said. “A lot of the practices we do are different than other farmers. I’m not your stereotypical farmer. I’m proof that a person can be a cut flower farmer and a crop farmer.”

Schwartz says one of the great things about working with Jacob is that he is so willing to share his experiences about conservation. “He is always innovating and sharing his perspective, so I always learn something new when I work with him,” he said.

Kubik says he receives mostly positive feedback from his social media followers. “I get private messages and questions every day, and that’s why I started it,” he said. “I want to share the knowledge that I’ve gained from my EQIP, CSP, and NRCS programs with people and hopefully get them to try something that we’re doing.”

You can follow Pine Hill Farm and The Modified Farmer on Facebook and Instagram. For more information about conservation practices and programs for your operation, visit www.nrcs.usda.gov or your local NRCS office.

• Photos: 2026 (Flickr)
• Photos: 2023 (Flickr)