Winter Farminar Series
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Powerpoint Slides (Blue Circle) Slideshow
features text, charts, photos.
Correction: "Farminars" occur from 7:00-8:30 pm. NOT 7:00-8:30 am as listed in the Des Moines Register.
What's a Farminar?
An interactive seminar broadcast over the internet with information slideshow, and audio presentation on farming topics.
90-minute farminars Tuesday nights this Winter feature topics of interest to beginning farmers.
To participate just go to http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/farminar
Tuesdays at 7:00 to 8:30pm Central Standard Time.
Interactions with Farminars: How-To Guide (8 Minutes)
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| Date |
Farminar Topic (Archive link available the day after) |
| 26-Jan |
Whole Farm Soil Planning |
| 2-Feb | Ramp Up Vegetable Production |
| 9-Feb | Grow Vegetables Year-Round |
| 16-Feb | Opportunities in Agroforestry |
| 2-Mar | Pastured Poultry |
| 9-Mar | Vegetable Production |
| 16-Mar | Vegetable Marketing |
| 23-Mar | Grass-Fed Beef |
26-Jan Whole Farm Soil Planning
Learn how to use the online Web Soil Survey to access valuable soils information for your Farm. Learn the best place to put perennials, annuals, and building structures. Led by a PFI member who grew up on a diverse crop/livestock farm in northwest Iowa. Now a soils lecturer at Marshalltown Community College and staff at Iowa Farmers Union, Amber holds a master's degree from Iowa State University's Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture. (Archive)
2-Feb Ramp up Vegetable Production
Martin Stosiek and his wife Christa have farmed near Hillsdale, NY since 1988. Martin will provide a virtual tour of his Markristo Farm while discussing areas he has ramped up production, and how he made decisions to scale up in these areas. Martin will also discuss to which markets he sells his products and why. (Archive)
http://www.berkshirefoodjournal.com/markristo-farm-2#comments
9-Feb Grow Vegetables Year-Round
Adam Montri, Outreach Specialist for Michigan State University, and operator of Ten Hen Farms, a year round farm near Bath, MI, will share how crops are grown all year in Michigan. He will provide detailed crop schedules. (Archive)
High Tunnel Crop Schedule PDF's
http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/p38975163/
http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/p45095775/
http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/p17863052/
16-Feb Opportunities in Agroforestry
Tom Wahl will overview the potential for various high value tree crops suitable for Iowa’s climate, including cultural practices, production, prices, markets, pests and diseases. Tree fruits to discuss include chestnut, persimmon, heartnut, paw paw, and more. Tom and his wife Kathy have grown high value tree crops since 1986 and also operate a small tree nursery which provides high quality varieties. (Archive)
2-Mar Beginner Fishbowl - Pastured Poultry
Farmer Tim Daley produces and markets poultry on pasture. He will share his extensive knowledge on this topic with beginning farmers Brian and Cheryl Ness. Join in with all your questions will be answered - ensuring you will not fowl-up your beginning operation. (Archive)
9-Mar Beginner Fishbowl - Vegetable Production
Farmer Gary Guthrie, Growing Harmony Farm, the "Carrot King" of Iowa, has 12 years of experience producing vegetables on about 2 acres of intensively managed land in a five-year rotation near Nevada, IA. Come with your small-scale "high intensity" questions and learn the system of roto-tiller/hand tool vegetable production. Will discuss cover crops and mulching to manage weeds and add organic matter to soil. Sorry, no free samples of carrots available over the web, but visitors are welcome to sample carrots anytime at the farm. Joining Gary will be beginning vegetable farmer Jennifer Zieser from Marion, IA. (Archive)
16-Mar Beginner Fishbowl - Vegetable Marketing
Farmer Susan Jutz, ZJ Farms, has produced vegetables on her farm near Solon, IA for years supplying a large weekly delivered share-based CSA market. Learn from her all the marketing techniques that she finds to be worthwhile. Beginning Farmer Chris Corbin will lead questions and share his input. (Archive)
23-Mar Beginner Fishbowl - Grass-Fed Beef
Grass-based livestock expert Doug Gunnink, Gunnink Forage Institute, and beginning farmer Dave Schmidt will talk about grass-fed beef production, setting up a system for the beginning grazier. (Archive)
| Date |
Farminar Topic (Archive link) |
| 3-Nov |
Whole Farm Planning |
| 10-Nov | Legal Issues in Succession |
| 17-Nov | Estate Planning |
| 24-Nov | Which Enterprise? Market ID |
| 1-Dec | Fitting in the New Enterprises |
| 8-Dec | Enterprise Budgets |
| 15-Dec | Product, Placement, Pricing, Promotion, People |
| 22-Dec | Financing Your Enterprise |
3-Nov Whole Farm Planning
Tips on how to manage the whole farm with the Critical Path Method. Led by Dave Baker from the Beginning Farmer Center. (Archive)
10-Nov Legal Issues in Succession
Planning the succession of a farm business and starting a farm business have a great deal in common. In both instances legal issues such as the selection of business entity, buy sell agreements, options, leases and other types of contract can and will have either a positive or negative impact on success. A basic knowledge of the legal "tools" can help those involved in either a succession or in starting a new business can help them to avoid costly mistakes. Led by John Baker from the Beginning Farmer Center. (Archive)
17-Nov Estate Planning
Led by John Baker from the Beginning Farmer Center. (Archive)
24-Nov Which Enterprise? Market ID
One starting point with selecting an enterprise is to look to the marketplace to identify unmet opportunities. This session will start with an overview of a business plan outline, with particular emphasis on the marketing plan section. Concepts to be explored include the difference between product features and product benefits, target trade area, segmenting customers, and calculating market potential. Market research concepts and findings will also be explored. Led by Gary Huber of Practical Farmers of Iowa. (Archive)
1-Dec Fitting in the New Enterprises: Grain, Beef, and Watermelons
Wade Dooley, a young farmer from central Iowa, discusses his family farm story and the challenges and opportunities of "adding an enterprise" to an exisiting operation. Features 39 full-color photos of his farm life. Dave Baker from the Beginning Farmer Center also available with pointers and suggestions for ensuring a smooth enterprise addition. (Archive)
8-Dec Enterprise Budgets - Pricing for Profit
Pricing products that do not have an established market can be difficult. For example, let's assume you are producing tomatoes and notice the local grocery store is selling California tomatoes for $1.50 per lb. In addition, you have asked potential buyers and they say they are willing to pay 10-20% above grocery store prices. From this information you sell your tomatoes for $1.80 per pound. Were you profitable? The key to long-term success is the ability to sell products at a profit. To do this you need to know your costs. We will discuss what enterprise budgets are and how to use them in pricing, production changes, and product mix decisions and ultimately how to make your business more profitable. Led by Craig Chase from Iowa State University Extension. (Archive)
Budgeting exercise w.o. answers Budgeting exercise
15-Dec Product, Placement, Pricing, Promotion, People
Rick and Stacy Hartmann own and operate a small direct-market horticultural farm. Rick will take a version of the much used marketing formula, 'the five p's' - product, placement, promotion, product and people - and apply it to their operation. Come join his discussion on how they successfully market their farm, particularly their largest enterprise, a 100 member CSA. Also, with Gary Huber from Practical Farmers of Iowa. (Archive)
22-Dec Financing Your Enterprise
How do you put together a financing plan for your new business? This webinar will describe some scenarios to consider and describe a basic strategy for assembling monetary assets for your new or expanding farm business. Utilizing resources available that might include loans or grants from government or private sources. Beginning Farming tax credits are another program for encouraging landowners to rent or lease land to beginning farmers. (Archive)
Farminars made possible with financial support from The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Ceres Foundation, & Wallace Genetic Foundation.
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