Keota farmer to talk about farming practices at history center

KEOTA — Levi Lyle is a sixth-generation farmer and a poet in Keota.

Like most Iowa farmers, he grows corn and soybeans, but his aspirations to support more resilience in rural communities and our ecosystem have led to a vision for agriculture that is more diverse.

Levi has transitioned some of his family’s land to organic farming and has adopted regenerative agriculture practices on the rest of the farm. In a presentation at the English Valleys History Center Sunday, Aug. 31 at 2 p.m., he will discuss some of his current practices.

As a farmer, Levi is using regenerative practices that range from use of cover crops and roller crimping to weed zapping and eliminating chemicals. For inputs, reducing nitrogen use by substituting animal manure, but also making use of the benefits of compost are important ideas he will discuss.

Levi is an advocate for local food production, growing crops such as aronia berries and tart cherries, and for developing those markets.

As a writer, Levi shares his experiences as a farmer and offers a call to action for regenerating farming and rural communities. During his Aug. 31 presentation, he will share stories from his book, “So God Made A Farmer: A Retrospective on the Living Words of Paul Harvey by an Organic Farmer.”

The public is invited to attend. The event is free, but donations are accepted.