Kevin Wiltse: Hays, KS Regenerative Journey Webinar (7/17/24)

In this July 17, 2024 webinar from Green Cover Seed, Kevin Wiltse details his family's regenerative journey on their farm 45 miles south and east of Hays, Kansas. Starting with 100% no-till in 1997 and cover crops around 2008 due to dissatisfaction with annual cropping's economics, erosion, and poor infiltration, Kevin shifted to perennial systems in 2014. Implemented cool season pastures, Kernza, and diverse warm/cool season mixes with mixed results, creating a connected network of perennials, native range, and annual cropland. Significant investments in water and fence infrastructure enable livestock integration for soil health via manure and managed grazing. Transcript excerpts reveal specifics: dissatisfaction with a prairie pasture supplemented through drought, adding carbon and nutrients yet underperforming; Kernza trial in fall 2020 as a monoculture via the Farms program, harvesting seed, removing residue by swathing and baling to expose crowns to sunlight, then interseeding diverse annuals for diversity—but they failed, leading to abandonment. Earlier cover crop trials started small and low-diversity. Wiltse's evolution from no-till to perennials addresses soil organic matter stagnation and infiltration issues, offering practitioners lessons on infrastructure needs, trial-and-error with species like Kernza (requiring residue management), sequential planting, and realistic expectations for establishment. The farm mimics natural ecosystems, enhancing resilience and biodiversity, with Wiltse's candid failures and successes providing actionable insights for scaling regenerative practices profitably.