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

The Rookie Season of Roller-Crimping 

Saturday, June 11 (11:30am-2:30pm)

K&K Acres, 20902 J Ave, Holland, IA 50642

Seasoned cover cropper Fred Abels and his wife, Vicki, welcome field day attendees to their farm near Holland, Iowa, to talk about roller-crimping cover crops on a conventional farm. Fred farms corn, soybeans and cover crops for seed, and employs a range of conservation practices. Among them, he uses buffer and filter strips to protect water quality, and participates in local watershed projects, reserve programs and more.

Fred will discuss his cover crop practices, including termination with a roller-crimper following both corn and soybeans, and how this impacts his use of herbicides. Fred will have his roller-crimper and no-till drill on display during the field day, alongside crimped covers among growing field crops. We’ll unpack what cover crop strategies work for Fred, as well as the lessons he’s learned along the way. Join us in June!

For more information and to register, click here by June 6.


Myth: “Cover Crops Are Just Another Input” – Agronomic Benefits of a Soil Health System

Monday, June 13 (1pm-2:30pm)

Webinar Series Part 1

The first webinar in the series will take on the myth that “Cover Crops Are Just Another Input,” exploring the agronomic benefits of taking a systems approach to improving soil health. How nutrients cycle in a biologically active soil will be discussed, followed by 2 examples from the field on how the use of soil health systems have changed farmers’ agronomic approach to nutrient management and weed control.

For more information and to register, click here.


In Season Dairy Manure Management System

Tuesday, June 14 (11:30am)

ISU Dairy Farm, 52470 260th St, Ames, IA 5001

Register by June 10 by calling Iowa State University Story County Extension Office at 515-337-1601 or email mvandb@iastate.edu.

For more information click here.


Iowa Learning Farms Webinar: Improving Soil Health – What to Measure and Why

Wednesday, June 15 (12pm)

Live Webinar

The Iowa Learning Farms conservation webinar taking place June 15 at noon CDT will feature Dr. Matt Ruark, professor and extension state specialist in soil biology and fertility at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Abigail Augarten, research assistant in the Nutrient Cycling and Agroecosystems Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Ruark’s research program focuses on nitrogen, manure, and cover crop management. Augarten is currently conducting on-farm research connecting pasture management to soil health.

In the webinar, Ruark and Augarten will discuss the current state of soil health assessments, why they are important to agriculture, and what more could be done. They will also highlight recent developments related to soil health management and measurement across different production systems in Wisconsin and the Midwest. Drawing on these new approaches, the team will provide insights into how soil assessments should be approached in the future.

For more information, click here. 


Making USDA Programs Work for You

Monday, June 20 (4pm-7pm)

Big Creek Farms, 30608 S Smith St, Lamoni, IA 50140

What do hoop houses, tree plantings and grazing infrastructure all have in common? They can all be funded in part through working lands conservation programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). Join Chad and Katie Hensley to learn how they’ve funded a range projects on their diverse Decatur County cut flower, produce and grass-fed heritage beef farm.

For more information and to register, click here by June 15.


Myth: “Conservation Cost Too Much” – Economics of Transitioning to a Soil Health System

Tuesday, June 21 (1pm-2:30)

Webinar Series Part 2

The second session will review the economic benefits of transitioning to a soil health system, busting the myth that “Conservation Costs Too Much.” Discover tools ag economists and commercial lenders use to assist farmers in any transition, and how to value the long term improvements a soil health system provides.

For more information and to register, click here.


Iowa Learning Farms Conservation Webinar Series

Wednesday, June 22 (12pm)

Live Webinar

The Iowa Learning Farms conservation webinar taking place June 22 at noon CDT will feature Chad J. Penn from USDA – ARS.

For more information, click here.