Farmers, conservation professionals, and community members gathered at Klondike Farms for the Yahara Pride Farms Twilight Meeting, an evening focused on current and future technologies shaping conservation and farm management in the Yahara Watershed. The event offered hands-on learning, peer-to-peer insights, and updates from regional conservation partners committed to advancing practical, data-driven stewardship.
Kevin Klahn and family members opened the program by sharing experiences with drone technology, on-farm rye seed production, evolving cover crop strategies, and their use of the John Deere Operations Center to support field-level decision making. Their remarks highlighted how technology and thoughtful management can work together to improve efficiency, soil health, and long-term resilience.
Kim Meyer, agronomist with Dane County Land and Water Resources, provided updates from the Dane Demo Farm Network and shared key findings from the 2025 Yahara Pride Farms Phosphorus Reduction Report. She emphasized the importance of farmer-led innovation and collaborative, data-driven strategies to reduce nutrient loss across the watershed.
Guests enjoyed dinner sponsored by Insight FS and catered by North and South Smokehouse Catering before settling in for additional presentations highlighting both local and national conservation momentum. Yahara Pride Farms Chair Jeff Endres offered closing comments, thanking sponsors, partners, and attendees for their continued commitment to watershed stewardship.
Attendees also participated in a Save Yourself emergency readiness session. The session was led by Cross Plains EMS and Dane County Emergency Management staff. It underscored the importance of safety and preparedness on today’s farms.
Yahara Pride Farms continues to champion conservation practices that support long-term watershed resilience, reduce phosphorus loss, and strengthen the agricultural community. Events like the Twilight Meeting provide a platform for peer learning, innovation sharing, and building momentum toward a healthier future for the Yahara Watershed.
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