Ben Hoksch of Front Yard Sugar hosted a field day at Onion Creek Farm on Saturday, where he demonstrated how to tap and process maple syrup. Field day attendees discussed everything from timing to equipment to cooking to marketing. Ben has a unique business model, tapping maple trees throughout central Iowa and teaching community members about maple syrup in the process.

We are recruiting 18 graziers to receive $5,000 each to help pay for mobile fence and water for grazing.

Over the last couple of weeks, we've added two new faces to PFI staff.

Kayla Koether is our senior farm viability manager. She'll lead the new farm viability team that tackles an array of emerging initiatives at PFI: providing personalized assistance to farmers to meet their farm goals; working with agricultural supply chain partners to grow key markets; and shaping the policies that encourage resilient farms to thrive.

Mike Roelf joins us as information systems manager. Mike will manage and improve PFI's IT platforms, equipping our staff with the digital tools we need to carry out our mission.

Sign up for "The Practical Horticulturist" to receive resources on timely fruit and vegetable management, upcoming events and the latest on-farm research all delivered straight to your inbox.

Grazing cover crops? Check out our new Grazing Cover Crops Toolkit.

In this one-stop shop for grazing cover crop information, you'll find videos, calculator tools, factsheets, how-to guides, on-farm research and more!

Escuche a Sharon Badilla compartir su experiencia de experimentos de campo, pruebas de demostración en fincas y experiencias de agricultores para optimizar los sistemas de mesotúnel en la producción orgánica de cucurbitáceas.

Hannah Bernhardt raises grass-fed beef and lamb, pastured pork and eggs and livestock guardian dog puppies alongside running a growing agritourism business.

With a background in marketing and communications, she will share how she has grown her business by direct-marketing her products solely online through her website. She will also offer advice on ways to prioritize your marketing time and energy.

Friday, March 25 | 9-11 a.m. | Waterloo, Iowa

Shaffer Ridgeway will host this meet-up at the Waterloo Career Center.

Practical Farmers of Iowa’s mission is to equip farmers to build resilient farms and communities. Welcoming everyone and creating a culture of mutual respect have always been core PFI values.

We are committed to ensuring that everyone – regardless of race, ethnicity, cultural background, social or political identity, education, economic status or ability – feels not just welcome but invited to engage with PFI, and has equal access to our network, programs and resources.

Wayne Fredericks of Osage, IA, was featured on Ag Web: Accidental Conservationist: Iowa farmer turns tillage happenstance into a way of life

Ranae Dietzel of Jewell, IA, was featured on Feast and Field: Meet the women leading us to a world with better food

Jorgen Rose of Bondurant, IA, was featured in AgriPulse: Despite billion-dollar budgets, conservation programs can't keep up with producer demand

Justin Boot of Tracy, IA, was featured in Successful Farming: A retiring couple's journey to find a successor to the family farm

Barb and Keith Sexton and James and Paige Hepp of Rockwell City, IA, were featured in Wallaces Farmer: Off-farm experience, work pay

Kate Edwards of Solon, IA, was featured on Ag Update: Q&A with one state’s single largest CSA grower

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.

Contact: maggie_n@practicalfarmers.org