Second-generation regenerative farm

AUSTIN — For the Jovaag family, the journey into regenerative organic farming is an ongoing endeavor — as well as a knowledge exchange with other farmers in the area who share their goals. With over a decade of effort in organic production behind them, the literal and figurative fruits of their labor are becoming clearer.

“It’s good to see the results of all of these practices,” Jon Jovaag said. “It’s not something that happens in a year. … Only over time, we’ve started seeing some of those progressions.”

The Jovaag farm was started by Jon’s father, Arvid Jovaag, a Lutheran pastor, and his wife, Lois Jovaag. Arvid and Lois, along with their children, Kari and Jon, moved to land along the Cedar River near Austin in the early 1980s. Jon was about 8 years old at the time. They rented until they were able to buy the property in the late 1980s. Lois was raised on a Wisconsin dairy farm. Arvid had always wanted to farm since he was a child, but not having grown up on a farm, he did not get to try it until this opportunity arose.

“He and my mom jumped in with both feet and started farming full time,” Jon said. “After a number of years, my dad also returned to the ministry part time. He still continues to be active in both.”

The farm started with about 50 sows and 400 tillable acres. The Jovaags added cattle and raised them for years; today, they raise pigs along with sheep and a few chickens, sometimes grazing cattle as well, and farm about 550 acres, owned by Arvid, Lois, Jon and his wife, Ruth.

“Most of what we do is certified organic and niche market,” Jon said. “The pigs go to Niman Ranch. We also direct market the sheep and sell some as breeding stock.”

The Jovaags started transitioning the farm to organic over a decade ago, certifying their first organic field in 2014 after Jon and Ruth came back to farm full time in 2011. After a few years of small-scale organic practice, they certified more of their farmland as organic, and now, most of their land is certified.

One factor that inclined Arvid to try regenerative farming back in the 1980s Jon said was the erosion from standard farming practices he observed while renting the land.

“I remember my dad saying, ‘We need to do something about this,’” Jon said. “He started with various conservation practices over time: changing the rows, walking in some rye and hay strips here and there, trying to do things to hold that soil and keep it in place.”

Jon also credits Ruth for encouraging the family to go organic. Before they were married, she worked at the South Pole for two years on a support team for scientists. The work there sparked her interest in healthy food, sustainable farming and how they are intertwined.

Some neighbors also dabbled in cover crops when the Jovaags started organic farming with those practices as well.

“Having a couple of neighbors around who you can lean on once in a while and they can lean on you … has been huge,” Jon said. “We share ideas and some equipment; makes it a lot easier to do.”

Along with corn, soybeans and hay, the Jovaags have grown buckwheat, winter wheat, canning peas, dried yellow peas, hulless oats, rye, sunflowers and more.

“It’s been a major learning curve over the last 12 years of growing different crops,” Jon said. “We continue to do cover crops in different rotations and try to limit the amount of off-farm inputs we bring in. … We’ve also (grown) organic produce some years (that) we’ve sold to grocery stores and co-ops.”

One of the biggest challenges the Jovaags have faced in organic farming has been finding a market for their products — aside from corn and soybeans. However, having a lot of diversity — along with livestock — mediates some of the risk Jon said when they do try new crops.

Additionally, there has been the struggle Jon said to find the equipment that simultaneously allows for organic farming while keeping down the weeds. Having crops that mature at different times and using a lot of cover crops along with practices such as planting soybeans into roller crimped rye have made a big difference Jon said in controlling the weed pressure.

“Farming organically will keep you humble,” Jon said. “Nothing works every year; some fields will look good, but there always seems to be one field that gives you grief. It just shows me every year that I have more to learn.”

Despite the difficulties, Jon said it is rewarding for the Jovaag family to see their practices pay off, especially in their soil quality.

“Healthy soil makes healthy food,” Jon said.

The Jovaags’ successes were also acknowledged when they were named the 2022 Niman Ranch Sustainable Farm of the Year.

In the future, Jon wants to continue adding fencing around more of the family’s fields, and he is also interested in bringing cattle back to the pasture.

“I’d love to expand the crops that we grow and incorporate grazing to more of our farm,” Jon said. “I (also) want to expand our direct marketing. There are always more opportunities to improve, and it’s fun to learn and try new things.”

To other farmers who are considering organic practices for their own operations, Jon said his main piece of advice is networking with other farmers who are doing the same things, whether that connection happens through organizations, conferences or a visit next door.

“Most of the farmers I’ve run across who farm regeneratively are more than happy to talk to somebody who’s getting started or thinking about it,” Jon said. “My dad always told me, ‘Education is going to cost you one way or the other.’ You can learn by making mistakes, or you can learn by taking time with other people. … As long as you make more good decisions than bad decisions, you’ll be OK.”