Below is a listing of upcoming conservation field days around the state. For a complete listing of future conservation field days, click here.  

Upcoming Field Days

Cover Crop Workshop 

Tuesday, February 21 (12pm-2pm)

Walnut Community Room, 415 Antique City Dr, Walnut IA 51577

Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with Consortium for Cultivating Human And Naturally reGenerative Enterprises (C-CHANGE), will host a cover crop workshop on Wednesday, February 21 from 12:00-2:00 p.m. We welcome farmers and landowners to attend the free event, which includes a complimentary meal and will be held at the Bridge View Center in Ottumwa.

Cover crops offer many benefits to farmers and landowners, including reduced soil erosion, weed suppression potential, reduced nitrogen and phosphorus loads entering water bodies, increased organic matter in the soil and forage potential for livestock. When paired with no-tillage or strip-tillage, additional benefits include increased water infiltration to further reduce erosion during heavy rain events. Workshop attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about these opportunities, ask questions, and share their experiences.

For more information and to rsvp, click here.


Iowa Learning Farms Conservation Webinar 

Wednesday, February 22 (12pm)

Live Webinar 

The Iowa Learning Farms will be hosting a live webinar featuring Greg LaBarge with The Ohio State University.

For more information, click here.


Cover Crop Workshop

Wednesday, February 22 (12pm-2pm)

West Union Event Center, 10201 Harding Road, West Union, IA 52175

Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with Consortium for Cultivating Human And Naturally reGenerative Enterprises (C-CHANGE), will host a cover crop workshop on Wednesday, February 22 from 12:00-2:00 p.m. We welcome farmers and landowners to attend the free event, which includes a complimentary meal and will be held at the Bridge View Center in Ottumwa.

Cover crops offer many benefits to farmers and landowners, including reduced soil erosion, weed suppression potential, reduced nitrogen and phosphorus loads entering water bodies, increased organic matter in the soil and forage potential for livestock. When paired with no-tillage or strip-tillage, additional benefits include increased water infiltration to further reduce erosion during heavy rain events. Workshop attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about these opportunities, ask questions, and share their experiences.

For more information and to rsvp, click here.


Iowa Learning Farms Conservation Webinar 

Wednesday, March 1 (12pm) 

Live Webinar 

The Iowa Learning Farms will be hosting a live webinar featuring Justin Gilsan with Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. 

For more information, click here. 


Edge of Field Batch and Build Workshop 

Thursday, March 2 (11:30am-1:30pm)

Ames Water Treatment Plant 

1800 East 13th Street, Ames, IA, 50010

Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with Story County, City of Ames and Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, is hosting a bioreactor and saturated buffer workshop on Thursday, March 2 from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the Ames Water Treatment Plant to discuss the new batch and build project kicking off in Story County. The free event is open to farmers and landowners and includes a complimentary meal.

Saturated buffers and bioreactors have been prioritized by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship as they are some of the most cost-effective methods to improve water quality. These practices can be located within existing filter strips and are designed to work with the drainage system of the field. In Story County there is a new program with financial and technical assistance available offering 100% cost share for these practices to be installed.

Join us to learn more about how these practices work through the demonstration of the Conservation On The Edge trailer. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig will share update on water quality efforts in the state and opportunities for farmers and landowners to get involved. Sara Carmichael, watershed coordinator for Story County, Megan Volkens, environmental specialist with Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and Dustin Albrecht, environmental specialist for City of Ames, will provide information and technical assistance to help decide if a bioreactor or saturated buffer could work on your land and discuss possible funding opportunities to assist with installation. Weather permitting, there will be an optional tour of current bioreactor and saturated buffers installations in Story County.

For more information and to RSVP, click here.