A drone takes off to plant rye in a Lima campus field

One of the tactics in regenerative agriculture is to keep a cover on the fields throughout the year. For farmer Todd Mason, the first two tries to put rye in as a follow-on to corn at the Lima Regenerative Farm didn’t feel successful. The rye just didn’t have a chance to germinate when it was planted after the corn came off.

Due to topography and other hardscape items, planes are not an option on the campus fields. In autumn 2023, Mason called in the drones to plant the rye while the corn was still standing.