Happy July,

Once again we are heading into small grain harvest! Hope everyone is keeping cool while they're out in the field. Fingers crossed harvest will be wrapped up in time for you to join us in Wisconsin Dells on August 15-16 for our 2019 Small Grains Conference. The deadline to get a room in the Practical Farmers of Iowa discounted hotel block at the Wintergreen Resort and Conference Center is July 20. Reserve your hotel as soon as possible to secure the discounted rate by calling 800-648-4765.

You can check out the program and register for the small grains conference on the Practical Farmers website.

Good Luck Harvesting,
Alisha
Register by Aug 12 for Small Grains Conference
Join us for an action-packed conference in Wisconsin Dells on August 15-16. This year's small grains conference features TWO keynotes and TWELVE breakout sessions. Break out sessions will focus on small grain agronomy, livestock integration and markets. We'll convene Thursday August 15th from Noon - 5:30 p.m. and conclude the day with a facilitated buyers and sellers networking session, then pick back up again with sessions on Friday August 16th 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. The cost to attend is free for PFI members and $40 for non-members.

The conference will be held at the Wintergreen Resort and Conference Center at 60 Gasser Rd. in Wisconsin Dells, WI. A block of rooms is being held at Wintergreen Resort & Conference Center for the nights of August 14-15 under Practical Farmers of Iowa. To get yours, call (800) 648-4765 and press 1 for reservations by July 20.

To attend this event, you must register online or by calling the PFI office at (515) 232-5661 by Monday, August 12.
Shared Learning Call Aug. 2 on Accounting for Economic Value of Small Grain in Rotation
The number one question I get from farmers is whether or not small grains can be grown profitably. Dr. David Hooker, a professor of agronomy, believes the answer depends on how you account for the benefits across the entire rotation that the small grain provides. On our next shared learning call, August 2 noon-1 pm he'll discuss how he accounts for the true value of each crop in rotation as he does in this Wheat School Video .

To Join dial (605) 313-5784 and enter passcode 239000# on Friday, August 2 at noon.
Notes Available from June 28 Call on Growing Grain for Brewery and Distillery Start Ups
We were joined on our "July" shared learning call (held June 28 due to the 4th of July holiday) by Nate Gieseke, who farms near Mankato, MN. Nate was one of the first producers to grow barley for Schell's, a brewery based in New Ulm, MN, when they had just started to source local grain for their beer. His next project is launching a distillery in New Ulm. He reviewed some of the do's and don'ts about growing barley, building relationships with maltsters and breweries and his own entrepreneurship in launching a distillery in New Ulm. You can read the full notes from the call here .
EVENTS
July

Field Day: Exploring Bee Better Certified - RSVP by 7/24
July 31, 2019 | Grinnell, IA
August

August 15-16, 2019 | Wisconsin Dells, WI

August 16, 2019 | Harlan, IA

August 22, 2019 | Frederick, IL

IL Wheat Growers: Summer Wheat Forum
August 22, 2019 | Okawville, IL
IN THE FIELD
Harvest and Post-Harvest Handling
Harvest and post harvest handling are crucial to maintaining quality in your small grains. Check out these resources on how:

Marketing
If you don't already have a market lined up for your grain, here are some resources on identifying a market that lines up with the grain quality you've achieved with your crop:

And don't forget about straw!
Looking for more? Contact us today!
Alisha Bower
Strategic Initiatives Manager
(515) 232-5661
Sarah Carlson
Strategic Initiatives Director
(515) 232-5661
Celize Christy
Swine and Poultry Coordinator
515-232-5661