AMES, Iowa — Practical Farmers of Iowa’s 2017 field day guide is now available for free in print. The 64-page guide features full-color listings of 32 Practical Farmers field days and other learning events taking place across Iowa – and beyond – from late-spring through mid-autumn. The events feature farmers’ knowledge on topics across the agricultural spectrum, from cover crops to cheese production; managed grazing to farm machinery; small grains to soil health; urban farming to flower production; and more.
Events are color-coded by region of the state to make it easier for readers to find events near them, with a corresponding map of locations, and each listing includes detailed information about the event, including driving directions. The guide also lists more than 20 additional farm-focused events organized by partner organizations.
To request a guide by mail, call the Practical Farmers office at (515) 232-5661. The guide is also available online at practicalfarmers.org.
All Practical Farmers field days are open to everyone, occur rain or shine and most are free to attend. Practical Farmers of Iowa field days bring farmers and the public together to learn, share knowledge and build a vibrant community working together to strengthen farms and communities in Iowa. All field days feature farmer-led discussions and farm or field tours, and many feature local foods and potlucks.
In addition to the events listed in the guide, Practical Farmers also hosts several late-winter and early-spring events that occur outside the timeline of this guide.
A complete list of PFI events in Practical Farmers’ 2017 field day guide is below, along with field day locations.
2017 Practical Farmers of Iowa Field Days:
May 21 – Two-Wheel Tractors: Old Technology, New Inspiration – Chariton
May 30 – Grazing Cover Crops – Sioux Center
June 8 – Strip-Till and Cover Crop Field Day – Holland
June 9 – Tractors and Tools With T.D. – Coggon
June 14 – Grafting, Summer Pruning and New Fruits at Berry Patch – Nevada
June 15 – Gaining Resilience, One Conservation Step at a Time – Red Oak
June 22 – Using Managed Grazing and CSP to Enhance Biodiversity – McGregor
June 24 – Earning a Living with Urban Farming: CSA and Lifestyle – Iowa City
June 27 – Parasite Management in Goat Production With FAMACHA Training – State Center
June 28 – Ridge-Till, Weed Management and Oat Production – Minburn
June 29 – Two New Grains and Their Uses: Hybrid Rye and Kernza – New Hampton
July 11 – Transitioning to Organic Crop Farming: Tips to Help You Succeed – Ida Grove
July 15 – Vegetables: Growing Giants for the Fair . . . and “Regular” Ones, Too – Mt. Pleasant
July 19 – Cover Crops: Different Methods for Different Folks – Grundy Center
Aug. 3-6 – Bus Trip to Dave Brandt’s Farm in Ohio – Carroll, Ohio
Aug. 3 – Managing Potholes and Matching Conservation Efforts to Farm Goals – Charles City
Aug. 8 – Oyster Mushroom Production – Columbus Junction
Aug. 13 – Farmer-Led Local Food Aggregation – Clear Lake
Aug. 14 – Grass-Based Dairy Farming and Value-Added Cheese Production – Jewell
Aug. 17 – Grazing Goats: From Pasture to Market – Walker
Aug. 17 – CONFERENCE: Rotationally Raised – Making Small Grains Work – Ames
Aug. 21 – Grazing Heritage Cattle & Sheep on Converted Crop Ground and Prairie – Bedford
Aug. 24 – Farmland Owner Legacy Award Celebration – Des Moines
Aug. 29 – A Look at Soil Regeneration With Jill Clapperton – Shenandoah
Aug. 31 – Profitability of Farming Prairie Potholes – Jefferson
Sept. 7 – Oat, Hay and Feed Production and Direct-Marketing – Dunkerton
Sept. 9 – Organic Crop and Hog Production + Water Quality Practices – Harlan
Sept. 14 – A Little Bit of Everything in Everly – Everly
Sept. 16 – Regenerative Grazing to Produce Gourmet Grass-Fed Beef – Bellevue
Sept. 23 – Dried Flower Production – Cumming
Oct. 21 – Looking Back at the First Year of Farming With Experienced Eyes – Hancock
Nov. 5 – Hand Tools and Implements for Small Vegetable Farms – Iowa City
Practical Farmers’ 2017 field days are supported by several sustaining and major sponsors, including: Ag Ventures Alliance; Albert Lea Seed; Center for Rural Affairs; Fertrell; Gandy Cover Crop Seeders; Grain Millers, Inc.; Iowa Beef Center; Iowa Environmental Council; Iowa State University Department of Agronomy; Iowa Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE); ISU Extension and Outreach; La Crosse Forage and Turf Seed; Lemken; Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture; MOSA Organic Certification; Natural Resources Defense Council; Organic Valley / Organic Prairie; Riverside Feeds, LLC; The Scoular Company; Trees Forever; Unilever; University of Iowa College of Public Health (I-CASH); Upper Iowa Audubon Society; USDA: Natural Resources Conservation Service; Wallace Chair for Sustainable Agriculture; and Welter Seed & Honey Co.
— Practical Farmers of Iowa
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