NRCS Helping Long Walk Farm Achieve Conservation Goals

by Jason Johnson, State Public Affairs Specialist, USDA-NRCS, Des Moines, Iowa

A southwest Iowa couple is benefitting from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conservation assistance to protect the soil and water resources on their small-scale farm outside Council Bluffs, allowing the operators to reach their long-term goals.

Tiffiny Clifton and Matt Johnson purchased their 17-acre farm in 2020, called Long Walk Farm, with the hopes of running a dairy goat and specialty crop operation. 

The couple purchased LaMancha dairy goats soon after their move from Omaha. LaManchas produce quality milk with high butterfat and protein over a long period of time. “We have ambitions to have a goat dairy and creamery, however that’s a long-term goal,” said Johnson. “We need to purchase a lot of infrastructure to get there.”

Clifton and Johnson, who have full-time jobs away from the farm, decided to move forward with marketing specialty crops. “The vegetable operation became ‘low hanging fruit’ that doesn’t require as much infrastructure to get started,” said Johnson. “We’ve been able to hit the ground running with that.”

They grow cold-hearty root crops such as radishes, turnips, beets and carrots on Long Walk Farm, as well as squash, tomatoes, peppers and egg plants in the summer. 

NRCS Assistance
After a few years growing specialty crops on their hilly slopes, Johnson and Clifton reached out to USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for assistance with various resource concerns on their farm. “I knew about NRCS because of the research I had done leading up to purchasing the farm,” said Johnson.

With “wacky” and inconsistent weather patterns in recent years, Johnson approached NRCS about installing a high tunnel to provide a more predictable environment for produce. “Warm loving crops like cherry tomatoes, peppers, and egg plants like that environment where things are steady,” he said.

Clifton and Johnson installed a high tunnel in 2023 with financial assistance through the NRCS-administered Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) High Tunnel Initiative. They qualified for another one in 2024. High tunnels are plastic-covered structures that provide more environmental protection for crops compared to open field conditions. High tunnels help operators cut pesticide use and reduce runoff and leaching of nitrogen into the soil.

A major benefit of a high tunnel is growing season extension. For example, Johnson said he can grow spinach nearly year-round and other cold-loving crops ten months a year in a high tunnel. “If you want to keep customers happy and sales consistent, it’s important to have those environments where you can extend the growing season,” he said.

High tunnels can vary in shape and size. The two high tunnels Clifton and Johnson contracted to install are longer than most – 120 feet and 30 feet wide. Many are 72- or 90-feet long, said District Conservationist Laura Ferguson, with NRCS in Council Bluffs.

Johnson said they grow about 25 percent of their annual crop in high tunnels. They use sprinklers and drip irrigation as a water source, and cover crops to keep the soil healthy. They contracted with NRCS to help plan and pay for a multi-species cover crop of Sunn hemp and Buckwheat. “The multi-species cover crops build soil health by promoting biological activity and adding organic matter into the system,” said Ferguson.

Buckwheat is excellent for fighting soil compaction and suppressing weeds. Sunn hemp provides a good, natural source of nitrogen.­­­

Organic Transition
Long Walk Farm will be a USDA-certified organic farm beginning in 2025. Clifton and Johnson are transitioning to organic – meaning they are following organic farming practices but are not yet certified. “We don’t use synthetic inputs for weed and pest control and we only use organic and non-GMO seeds,” said Johnson.

“Likely a large part of the issues with our health system are the sprays used in conventional farming,” he said. “Another reason is worker safety and then additional markets to be able to sell the produce. Several grocers, for example, only buy certified organic.”

NRCS is also helping Long Walk Farm with the organic transition through the EQIP Organic Transition Initiative. They have adopted practices like Organic Management to improve natural resources on land adjacent to organic production; Nutrient Management to manage the rate, source, placement, and timing of plant nutrients and soil amendments; and a Pest Management Conservation System to address pest and environmental impacts.

Marketing Produce
After five years in the industry, Long Walk Farm is making a strong impact on the local community. Johnson said they sell about 75 percent of their produce to restaurants in the Omaha Metro area. “We reached out to scratch kitchens, and since then it’s been word-of-mouth through those restaurants,” said Johnson. “Our produce is guaranteed fresh. We harvest on Tuesdays and deliver on Wednesdays. The nutritional value is greater and the scratch kitchens value that. They want to deliver that type of food to their customers.”

To help bring attention to specialty crop producers and chefs, and the scratch kitchens they represent, Johnson came up with the idea for a tournament-style cooking competition between local chefs using ingredients from specialty crop producers in the area.

Called “Battle of the Chefs,” Omaha Metro area chefs competed head-to-head on Sundays at Long Walk Farm from June 9 through Sept. 8, 2024, with a different theme each week. They served 7-course meals that included 95 percent of ingredients – by volume – from local farms and producers. 

Johnson said he sold the maximum 100 tickets per night, with proceeds going to the producers, chefs and others involved in the planning and preparation. “We worked with different producers to provide meat and other products for the chefs,” he said. “We highlighted different main ingredients each week and then had local desert makers prepare deserts. We tried to pull foods from as many different places as possible.”

Johnson said the goal of “Battle of the Chefs” was to have a fun environment for everybody involved, and to begin introducing local producers to other chefs and attendees. The event was profiled in local newspapers and on the Restaurant Hoppen Podcast series. Johnson said he plans to host the event on his farm again in 2025.

“The chefs had a good time; it got them into a different environment and able to connect with new producers,” he said. “Sometimes it’s hard to see the chef in restaurants, so this event allowed people to go talk to them and have a different experience.”

What’s Ahead for Long Walk Farm?
Clifton and Johnson are working with NRCS to implement a 3.5-acre rotational grazing system for their goats that will include permanent fencing and a watering system. “Our experience working with NRCS has been great,” said Johnson. “We feel fortunate that NRCS is focusing funding for smaller producers like us in Iowa.”

Long Walk Farm was selected for a Choose Iowa grant through the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) for a small on-farm store where they will sell their products – and items from other producers.

Johnson said he hopes the store and other ventures help build a more sustainable business. “We are trying to diversify into agritourism, plant sales, and use our commercial kitchen more to make sure we don’t have all our eggs in one basket – to be sure cash flow is always coming in,” he said.

To read more about Long Walk Farm, visit www.longwalkfarm.com. For more information about conservation practices and programs to help you reach your conservation goals, visit the Iowa NRCS website at www.nrcs.usda.gov/ia.

• Images (Flickr)