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 

Iowa Learning Farms Wetland and Cover Crop Field Day

Tuesday, November 22 (12pm-2pm)

Lagos Acres Golf & Country Club - 2012 Keokuk Washington Rd. Keota, IA 52248

Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, will host a wetland and cover crop field day Tuesday, November 22 from 12-2:00 p.m. at the Lagos Acres Golf & Country Club near Keota. The free event is open to farmers and landowners and includes a complimentary meal. 

Field Day attendees will have the opportunity to hear from Keokuk County farmer Denny Lyle about how he has incorporated cover crops into his system, alongside no-till soybeans and corn, and how he manages the water quality enhancement wetland constructed on his farm. Shane Wulf and Matt McDonald with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will share how to get involved with the Water Quality Initiative and details about the water quality enhancement wetland program. Liz Ripley, Iowa Learning Farms conservation and cover crop outreach specialist, will share results from on-farm cover crop demonstration trails and resources available to help farmers and land owners make a successful transition to a cover crop and no-till system.

For more information and to RSVP, click here.

 

Iowa Learning Farms Conservation Webinar

Wednesday, November 23 (12pm)

Live Webinar

The Iowa Learning Farms will be hosting a live webinar featuring Jaqueline Comito with Iowa Learning Farms.
For more information, click here.

 

Iowa Learning Farms No-Till and Cover Crop Field Day

Tuesday, November 29 (12pm-2pm)

2476 260th St. Greenfield, IA 50849

Iowa Learning Farms will host a cover crop and no-till field day Tuesday, November 29 from 12:00-2:00 p.m. at the Caviness Farm near Greenfield. The free event is open to farmers and landowners and includes a complimentary meal.

Cover crops offer many benefits to farmers and landowners including reduced soil erosion, weed suppression potential, reduced nitrogen and phosphorus loads entering water bodies, and increased organic matter in the soil. When paired with no-tillage additional benefits include increased water infiltration and reduced erosion during heavy rain events. This field day aims to equip attendees with best management practices for establishing and managing cover crops to maintain yields during the transition to a higher residue system of no-tillage and cover crops.

For more information and to RSVP, click here.

 

Iowa Learning Farms Conservation Webinar

Wednesday, November 30 (12pm)

Live Webinar

The Iowa Learning Farms will be hosting a live webinar featuring Lauren Salvato with Upper Mississippi River Basin Association.
For more information, click here.

 

Iowa Learning Farms Conservation on Tap

Wednesday, November 30 (6pm-7pm)

Iowa Distilling Company, 4349 Cumming Ave. Cumming, IA 50061

Iowa Learning Farms in partnership with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in Madison County, will host “Conservation On Tap,” Wednesday, November 30, from 6-7 p.m. at Iowa Distilling Company in Cumming, Iowa. The in-person event will provide local farmers, landowners and interested Iowans with a chance to discuss conservation practices and ask questions.

“Our intent with this event is to help build community through encouraging farmers and landowners to talk with their neighbors and ILF about topics important within the community, what keeps them up at night, what challenges they see with conservation practices, and what they want to learn more about,” said Liz Ripley, ILF conservation and cover crop outreach specialist. “There will be no formal presentations or agenda, just a chance to talk, ask questions, listen and learn while enjoying a beverage and provided food. We are looking forward to learning alongside everyone else who attends.”

For more information and to RSVP, click here.

 

Iowa Learning Farms Cover Crop, Relay Cropping, and No-Till Workshop

Thursday, December 1 (12pm-2pm)

Jackson Building on Madison County Fairgrounds, 1146 West Summit St. Winterset, IA 50273

Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with Madison County Soil & Water Conservation District, will host a cover crop workshop Thursday, December 1 from 12:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. at the Jackson Building on the Madison County Fairgrounds in Winterset. The free event is open to farmers and landowners and includes a complimentary meal.  

Cover crops offer many benefits to farmers and landowners including reduced soil erosion, weed suppression potential, reduced nitrogen and phosphorus loads entering water bodies, and increased organic matter in the soil. When paired with no-tillage additional benefits include increased water infiltration and reduced erosion during heavy rain events. 

With changes to recent Risk Management Agency federal crop insurance guidelines, interest is growing in the area of relay cropping a winter cereal grain like rye or wheat with soybeans. Relay cropping is a system where a second crop is planted into an established crop before harvesting the first crop. 

 Workshop attendees will have the opportunity to hear from a panel of local Madison County farmers: Dennis McLaughlin, Jon Peterson, and Randy Gamble. They are going to discuss their experiences with cover crops and no-till as well as answer any questions from an operator perspective. 

For more information and to RSVP, click here.