Equipping farmers to build resilient farms and communities.
Lifetime member Tom Frantzen harvests a plot of hybrid rye that's involved in a PFI Cooperators' Program trial on his farm near New Hampton.

Tom's research is looking at the difference between no-till frost-seeding of red clover in the early spring into overwintered hybrid rye versus seeding a green manure cover crop mix post-harvest.

In this photo, you can see the green strips of clover that were growing in the understory of the cereal rye next to strips where no clover was seeded. Learn more about PFI's on-farm research program.
ON THE BLOG
The last thing one expects during a field day is a tour through the farmers' house!

But to provide the full experience of their newly built combination home and vegetable packhouse, Beany Bode and Joanne Roepke Bode of Bode’s Moonlight Gardens graciously led the group through the packhouse and into their home.
NEWS
Practical Farmers of Iowa will serve as a host site for one full-time Land and Water Steward with Green Iowa AmeriCorps, in partnership with University of Northern Iowa’s Center for Energy and Environmental Education.

The position is one of several Green Iowa AmeriCorps is currently recruiting for at sites across Iowa. All are full-time, 11-month positions that will begin in September 2019.

Read more about the program -- and if you're interested in the position at Practical Farmers, make sure you check the "Ames (LWS)" box under location.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Saturday, August 3 | 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Maxwell, IA
Hosted by: Bruce Carney

Tuesday, August 6 | 2-7 p.m. | Buckingham, IA
Hosted by: Adam Nechanicky

Wednesday, August 7 | 1-3 p.m. | Columbus Junction, IA
Hosted by: Roger and Kay Smith
Sunday, Aug. 4 | 1:30 – 5:30 p.m. |
Van Meter, IA

With land access and farm transfer an increasingly daunting obstacle for farmers in Iowa, Practical Farmers of Iowa launched this event as a way to ignite dialogue, networking and greater understanding among beginning farmers, experienced farmers and landowners working toward farm succession.

The event is free, and will feature two workshops – one for beginning and aspiring farmers, another for farmland owners – that are meant to help participants better understand their goals and farm visions. The afternoon will also feature ample opportunities for conversation and networking.
Twelve breakout sessions throughout the day will include sessions on integrating animals with a small-grains operation, marketing small grains, the agronomy behind successfully raising small grains and more.

Join us in the beautiful Wisconsin Dells to learn about growing small grains and the benefits of an extended rotation!
Join us next Tuesday for a beginning farmer shared learning call
We have created a shared learning call for beginning farmers who are in years 6-10 of their operation. This call is designed to allow farmers to share their experience and foster a peer-to-peer learning environment.

Donna Warhover of Mt. Vernon and Aaron White of Carlisle have volunteered to start this conversation. They will share the tips and tricks they found to work in acquiring the land they needed. This conversation cannot happen without you. Join us at noon on Aug. 6!

You can join via internet or by phone. Click here to join, or call (929) 205-6099 and enter meeting ID: 742 248 210#.
Aug. 3: Field Day - Agroforestry
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Maxwell

Aug. 4: Workshop - Next Generation Summit
1:30-5:30 p.m. | Van Meter

Aug. 6: Field Day - Soil Health
2-7 p.m. | Buckingham

Aug. 7: Field Day - Growing Chestnuts
1-3 p.m. | Columbus Junction

Aug. 14: Field Day - Transition to Organic
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Remsen

Aug. 15-16: Conference - Small Grains Conference
Wisconsin Dells
Aug. 16: Field Day - Cultivating Farm Resilience
1-4:30 p.m. | Harlan

Aug. 18: Field Day - U-Pick Cut Flowers
2-4 p.m. | Donahue

Aug. 22: Field Day - Grazing Cover Crops
1-4 p.m. | Frederick, IL

Aug. 24: Field Day - Organic Apple Orchard
10 a.m.-Noon | Adel
MEMBERS IN THE NEWS
Lisa Schulte Moore, J. Arbuckle and Omar de Kok-Mercado, all of Ames, were featured in Morning Ag Clips: Poll shows farmers aware of prairie strips

Kim and Steve Andersen, of Brighton, were featured in the Washington Evening Journal: Blueberry Bottom opens in Brighton, only organic farm of its kind in Iowa

Seth Watkins of Clarinda was featured in Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation's Blog: Nature knows best

Tom Arnold of Elizabeth, IL, Lara Mangialardi of Strawberry Point and Adrian White of Garber were featured in Wisconsin State Farmer: Some Iowa producers question value of organic certification

Paul Mugge of Sutherland and Robert and Eliott Alexander of Remsen were featured in N'West Iowa Review: Organic farm draws crowd to Sutherland

Jack Boyer of Reinbeck and Sarah Carlson of Pleasant Hill were featured in The New Food Economy: If crop insurance rewarded conservation practices, would more farmers go no-till?
Have you been featured in the media? Tell us when and where to find a link to the article, and we'll feature you in a future issue of Practical News.