There were 6 field days announced during the week of August 6. For more details about these and 16 more field days, visit here.

Recently Announced

August 21 | Field Day to Help Farmers Focus on Nitrogen

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host the next in its Focus on Nitrogen: Managing Nitrogen for Maximum Profit and Minimum Water Quality Impact workshop series on Aug. 21 at the Iowa State Northwest Research Farm near Sutherland. The workshop is part of a statewide series of events this summer and fall that focus on managing nitrogen. Joel DeJong and Paul Kassel, field agronomists with ISU Extension and Outreach, will host the event and highlight nitrogen management strategies and water quality testing practices being conducted at the farm and the results the studies have shown. They will also discuss research on rate selection, split applications, time of application, nitrogen additives, manure nitrogen and using nitrogen in wet years.

August 22 | Edge of Field Conservation Field Day

Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with Polk County Soil and Water Conservation District and Iowa Corn, will host a wetland and saturated buffer field day on Wednesday, August 22nd from 5:30-7:30 pm at Tim Minton farm, rural Dallas Center. The event is free and open to the whole family and includes a complimentary meal. The field day will be held at Tim Minton’s farm 29595 240th St, Dallas Center.

August 23 | What's the Scoop on Soil Health, Cover Crops and Economics?

This free event will explore the relationships between plants, soil and biology. This is a concept key to soil health and improved water quality. Featured speaker will be Keith Berns, a Nebraska farmer and entrepreneur. Berns will speak on “Carbonomics.” He takes a unique approach to looking at the big picture of soil health. He does this by comparing the economy of a country to the underground economy of the soil. Economic fundamentals of supply, demand, currency, capital, energy, resources, infrastructure, and defense to apply.

August 23 | Bioreactor Field Day

Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with Poweshiek County Soil and Water Conservation District, Iowa Soybean Association, Poweshiek County Farm Bureau and Iowa Corn, will host a bioreactor field day on Thursday, August 23rd from 5:30-7:30pm at Roger and Louise Van Ersvelde’s farm, rural Brooklyn. The event is free and open to the whole family and includes a complimentary meal. Edge of field practices like wetlands, saturated buffers and bioreactors are key to reducing nitrate loss from agricultural land in Iowa. Through a natural biological process microorganisms living in the systems use the incoming nitrate for respiration and reduce the nitrate levels from incoming tile drainage. Together with in-field practices like cover crops and no-tillage, these practices will help reach the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy goals.

September 5 | Roemke Field Day

Topics will include cover crop species, herbicide impact on cover crops, reductions of slugs and interseeding and the latest cover crop equipment. This field day counts for PARP credits. Register for the field day here.

September 6 | Ross/Seipold Soil Health Field Day

Topics will include practical uses of cover crops, cover crop plot tour and a soil health partnership update. Dinner will be provided for registrants. Register for the event here.

Upcoming

August 7 | McNay Research Farm Annual Field Day

The 2018 field day of the Iowa State University McNay Memorial Research Farm southwest of Chariton will provide updates on grazing cover crops, summer annual and alfalfa trials, pasture renovation and Canadian thistle control. Joe Sellers, extension beef specialist with Iowa State University, said the Aug. 7 event will provide plant-based information, the latest in selected beef cattle research projects at the farm, Iowa Beef Center cow systems project, and some local on-farm soil health demonstrations.

August 7 | Saturated Buffer Field Day

Iowa Learning Farms, along with Scott County Soil and Water Conservation District and Iowa Natural Resource Conservation Service, will host a saturated buffer and soil health field day on Tuesday, August 7th from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at the Paustian Family Farm, rural Walcott. The event is free and open to the whole family and includes a complimentary meal. The workshop agenda will feature the new Iowa Learning Farms Conservation Station On The Edge that includes both a saturated buffer and bioreactor model to demonstrate how these edge of field practices can reduce nitrate losses to Iowa waterways. Jason Steele, NRCS Soil Scientist, and Steve Berger, Washington County Farmer, will lead a discussion on the importance of soil health and practices like no-till and cover crops that can help improve and protect soil health.

August 7 | Gangwish Soil Health Field Day

The speaker for the event is Dan O’Bryan from Seed House. Register for the event here.

August 8 | Carter Soil Health Field Day

Topics will include cover crops, cattle and grazing and the speaker will be Steve Brinkman. Register for the event here.

August 8 | Focus on Nitrogen Field Day

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host a workshop titled Focus on Nitrogen: Managing Nitrogen for Maximum Profit and Minimum Water Quality Impact on Aug. 9 at the Iowa State Northeast Research Farm near Nashua. The workshop is part of a statewide series of events this summer and fall that focus on managing nitrogen. The event is targeted to farmers and those who advise farmers and is hosted by a team of ISU Extension and Outreach field agronomists, ag engineering specialists and water quality researchers. Presenters will share research-based information on maximizing profitability with nitrogen management while also increasing the understanding of the practices that minimize and reduce nitrate-nitrogen loss.

August 8 | Cover Crop Field Day

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host a cover crop, water quality and cost share field day on August 8 in Roland. The workshop will be held at the Roland Community Center and run from 5:30-8 p.m. It will allow ISU Extension and Outreach specialists to share research-based information on how cover crops can improve nitrogen management while also increasing the understanding of practices that minimize nitrate-nitrogen loss.

August 9 | Edge of Field Conservation Field Day

Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with the Prairie Lakes Conference and Dickinson County Soil and Water Conservation District, will host a wetland, saturated buffer and bioreactor field day on Thursday, August 9th from 9:00-11:30 near the Okoboji View Golf Course, near Spirit Lake. The event is free and open to the whole family and includes a complimentary meal. Edge of field practices like wetland, saturated buffers and bioreactors are key to reducing nitrate loss from agricultural land in Iowa. Through a natural biological process microorganisms living in the systems use the incoming nitrate for respiration and reduce the nitrates levels from incoming tile drainage. Together with in-field practices like cover crops and no-tillage, these practices will help reach the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy goals.

August 9 | Andrew Reuschel Cover Crop Diversity and Soil Health

Speakers and topics will include: Andrew Reuschel - Farm Cover Crop Tour; Nick Seiter - University of Illinois Field Crop Entomology; Abigail Peterson - Soil Health Partnership. Register for the event here.