Tuesday February 21, 2012, a 90-minute farminar was held hosted by Practical Farmers of Iowa. Beginning farmer, Wade Dooley, of Albion, IA led questions to experienced farmer Tom Frantzen of New Hampton, Iowa. 20 others joined in to hear more about extending the rotation, adding more value to the same number of acres of land.

This latest Farminar was focused on adding a small grain crop to a a corn and soybean crop rotation.

• What markets are best for Iowa small grains?
• Oats, Barley, and Wheat are typical “small grain” crops, what ones work best on different soils?
• What equipment is needed to produce and harvest them?
• Can you improve marginal land with adding a small grain to the rotation on those soils?
• Can you grow your own seed for your farm?

Tom Frantzen highlighted the importance of small grains in this statement:

If fossil fuels go away, I’m still here, if combines and big tractors go away, I’m still here, but if you remove my small grains, my farm system doesn’t work. That is how important they are to my weed management strategies and alfalfa establishment.

View the complete farminar recording at https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/p8fs4ln0tzi/

Next week, February 28, 2012, Kim Alexander and Garrett Caryl will lead a new Farminar on Pricing Poultry: Eggs, Broilers, and Turkeys. Join us online at 7:00PM CST! www.practicalfarmers.org/farminar

Supported by the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA, Grant # 2010-49400-21843

According to a recent article by Derek Singleton, ERP Analyst, the typical food item travels roughly 5,000 miles before it reaches our plates. He looks at why an increased demand for locally-grown organic foods, a renewed interest in urban living and high gas prices may soon force U.S. food distributors to adopt a more local, regional approach. Ultimately, this would push the U.S. toward a new form of food distribution. Do you agree? Check out the article on his blog: http://blog.softwareadvice.com/articles/distribution/the-future-of-u-s-food-distribution-1022112/

Did You Miss the 2012 Organic Seed Growers Conference?

Organic Seed Alliance and eOrganic bring you selected recordings from the 2012 Organic Seed Growers Conference held in Port Townsend, WA, on January 19 – 21, 2012. The conference brought together hundreds of farmers, seed production and distribution companies, researchers, plant breeders, pathologists, and university extension in two days of informative presentations, panel discussions, and networking events. The recordings cover the organic plant breeding track of the conference, including:
Introduction to On-Farm Plant Breeding
Organic Wheat Breeding
Breeding Peas, Sweet Corn, Broccoli, Winter Squash and Carrots as part of NOVIC
Organic Corn Breeding
Breeding for Nutrition

The full list of recordings is here.

–

Kristina Hubbard
Director of Advocacy & Communications
Organic Seed Alliance

(406) 493-6965
kristina@seedalliance.org
www.seedalliance.org

Follow us on Facebook & Seed Broadcast

PFI staff were invited to a wonderful meal at our member farmer Gary Guthrie’s home in Nevada on Monday. Last year, Gary initiated a generous new tradition to treat us to lunch after Cooperators’ Meeting.

He prepared the following grand menu, and all the food except for a few items (such as sugar, flour, salt, Parmesan cheese, Picket Fence cream…) came from his farm.

-  French bread (made from scratch!)
-  Gary’s signature Bolero carrot sticks
-  Pesto with basil, garlic, walnuts and Parmesan cheese
-  Peperonata (stewed peppers) with Carmen sweet peppers
-  Roasted leg of lam
-  Black Aztec corn polenta (with some sweet corn)
-  Rhubarb, strawberry and blueberry pie with Picket Fence whipped cream

There is always magic in Gary’s cooking. If you eat at his table, you’ll learn something. But there is no definite or authoritative teaching involved (what “good” food should be, what nutritional values we need to consider, etc.). Rather, because the food is so delicious and it is obvious a lot of thoughts and care were put into each dish, it inspires you to think and imagine. I remember one lunch that I had at Gary’s two summers ago. I was not doing very well that summer to the extent I didn’t have a good appetite (if you know how I’m almost always ready to eat, you know how serious it was). But after eating lunch at Gary’s house, which menu I still remember precisely, I felt a lot healthier physically and mentally. That meal reminded me of the saying that I think all the Japanese people know, “ishoku dogen,” which literally means food and medicine are of the same source.

Hearty lunch plate

PFI staff with Gary (How can you not smile when your stomach is filled with delicious food?)

PFI farmer Mark Quee gave a wonderful closing to the PFI Cooperators’ Meeting last week. At the meeting, more than 70 farmers met to set their research and demonstration projects for the year.

Said Mark: “As farmers we know the cycles of nature: birth life dormancy and death then birth or resurrection and over again. Cold warming to hot cooling to cold. Resting, hoarding calories, exerting, losing weight.
As Cooperators we have added another element to the cycles that guide us: through cultivation, relationship and reciprocity, we will bend ever so slightly, the shoot toward the light.

“So, with apologies to [4H founder] Jesse Field Shambaugh, I’m going to steal that 4H pledge seemingly embedded in my DNA and adapt it for us today.

“Let’s pledge:
Our Heads to better farming
Our Hearts to better sharing
Our Hands to greater sustainability and
Our health for a better self, a better community, a better state, a better country, and a better planet.”

John Wesselius from Sioux Center, IA along with Dru Montri from Bath, MI led the latest Farminar (February 7, 2012) on how to “Increase your Farmers Market Sales”. 80 live viewers attended to share ideas and ask questions of the farmers.

The farmers recommended the three big things to see greater sales:

1. Know your current Farmers Market sales and costs
2. Set Clear Expectations and Goals for your farm
3. Develop and experiment with strategies and techniques to improve sales

Strategies shared included:

• Be professional
• Focus on your display/appearance
• Set the right price
• Educate your consumers

Stand out in the crowd with:

• Eye catching display including fun signs and photos of you and your farm
• Engage in conversation with shoppers (leave your lawn chair at home)
• Always have abundant quantity and variety of products throughout the entire market
• Provide samples (being sure to follow State food safety regulations)

Further ideas:

• If you have the production to fill the space, consider reserving a double stall at market to increase sales
• Accept Food Stamps; the programs vary by state, but may include: Women Infant and Children (WIC checks) and Senior Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Pick the right market for you, do your research of all markets to see how they are managed, how they bring in customers.
• Consider offering Credit/Debit/EBT food stamp transactions

Watch the entire recorded Farminar available online! Follow this link…

Join us again for more Farminars starting February 21, 2012 through March 13, 2012

Supported by the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA, Grant # 2010-49400-21843

Need financing?

Here are two loan opportunities to think about:

1. Iowa MicroLoans
2. Iowa Small Business Loan Program (ISB Loan Program)

1. Need a loan but you struggle to get credit from a bank or other lender? Iowa MicroLoans are available with the Iowa Foundation for Microenterprise and Community Vitality based in Boone, Iowa. They are available to all entrepreneurs and offer loans up to $30,000 amortized up to 6 years. This credit can be used for almost anything for your business, including many things that other lenders are more hesitant to finance such as assets that fully depreciate before the end of the loan term.

These loans come with a high interest rate (9.875%), but don’t be scared! Folks who get a microloan can apply for a $500 credit annually for reimbursement of educational expenses (like conferences, software, etc.).

Iowa Microloans, led by President and Senior Loan Administrator, Craig Downs, is the go-to place in Iowa to access the Small Business Administration (SBA) Microloan Program. With a staff of four, the team works one-on-one as business coaches, strategists and advocates of about 35 entrepreneurs around Iowa each year (five of which this year are farming related). They are helping business managers build jobs in all industries from agriculture to technology.

Contact Craig Downs – President and Senior Loan Administrator
P.O. Box 793
915 8th Street, Suite 205
Boone, IA 50036
cdowns@iowamicroloan.org
Cell: 515-212-0182

2. The Iowa Small Business Loan Program, or ISB Loan Program, is a second loan option available with this organization. It is a course of capital to cover start up costs, working capital, business procurement, franchise fees, equipment, inventory, as well as the renovation or tenant improvements of an eligible place of business that is not for passive real estate investment purposes.

• The size of accepted loans range from $5,000 to $100,000.
• Terms at maximum, 5 years
• Interest rate is 7.5%
• Collateral must be offered equal to 100% of the loan value

Contact Jason Yates with IowaMicroLoan
Phone: 515-401-8290
Email: jyates@iowamicroloan.org

Last Tuesday, January 31, 2012, 30 folks from around Iowa and 10 from around the nation attended the live online seminar or “Farminar” by Practical Farmers of Iowa. This most recent farminar featured Ryan Herman, a grazier from New Albin, IA and beginning dairy grazier-farmer Joel Winnes, from Waukon, IA.
This discussion focused on:

1. using excel spreadsheets to plan each month’s grazing rotation.
2. Tracking income and expenses so you know how much profit (or loss) you had from each animal
3. fitting in and making time for recordkeeping

Ryan Herman shared his 10 years experience as a beginning farmer, what he would have done differently, he says, was not wait so long to get help and take a holistic management class.

To watch the whole farminar, go to https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/p78jakhdk9k/

Supported by the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA, Grant # 2010-49400-21843

Last Tuesday night, January 24th, 59 people attended a live Practical Farmers of Iowa Farminar or online seminar led by Kate Edwards and Steve Pincus. Kate, a beginning fruit and vegetable farmer near Solon, IA, brought 10 questions to discuss with experienced produce farmer Steve Pincus, of Evansville, WI.

How do you control Japanese beetles, and cabbage loopers?

Is plastic mulch and row cover worth the investment?

What times of day and frequency of applications are key to success?

Will I endanger my health or that of my customers by using organically approved sprays?

Attendees learned much more, about thrips, root worms, and flea beetles.

To view the entire farminar, go to this link.

Supported by the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA, Grant # 2010-49400-21843

What one change to Iowa agriculture could do the most good?

About 20 hearty souls gathered at the end of the PFI annual conference to talk though this question. This session was a “U-Pick” one, meaning a conference goer had suggested the topic on her registration form and PFI then organized the session. It was an interesting discussion; here are some of their comments:

Focus on food
“Aggregate local food, build food hubs” … “Feed yourself–grow 100 pounds of your own food this year” … “Take pride in your local community of food” … “Know your food and where it comes from”

Educate (there were at least four teachers in the group assembled)
“Educate on the benefits of eating local fruits and vegetables” … “Maximize value (not just profit) with our decisions” … “Help more people get connected to the land. Education is key!” ”

End policies that support high input use
“Get rid of the biofuels mandate” … “End cheap energy” “Remove all commodity subsidies and mandates”

Just enforce existing environmental regulations we do have
from a farmer whose organic crops have been hit by spray drift

Recognize there is room for all styles of agriculture
from a farmer whose operation includes both conventional and organic crops

Encourage small and mid-sized farms
“Work for smaller farms so we have more vibrant communities and schools” … “End the concentration of ownership of land that is occurring” … Educate farmers to see that they can diversity, break through mindsets to realize there is another way”