Published Jan 25, 2024

Share this post

2023 Field Day Season Photo Recap Part 2

By Practical Farmers of Iowa

Since our founding in 1985, field days have been a core element of PFI’s farmer-led model. Each year, they highlight the breadth, diversity and individuality of PFI member farms. This year, we held 42 field days across Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. If you haven’t been to a field day – or if you’ve been to only one – you might assume all field days are kind of the same. But it cannot be overstated: each is incredibly unique. Why? Because the farmers, not invited speakers or staff, are the hosts and the educators – and they often have as many questions and challenges to share as answers. We as a staff are grateful to all the field day hosts who opened their farms this year, and are proud to help make your field days successful.

Click any image in the gallery below to view some snapshots from field days. We look forward to seeing you out there next year!

The fruiting bodies of chestnut mushrooms at Flavor Country Farms seem to emit an alluring glow as they develop. (Oct. 6, Honey Creek, IA)

Field day attendees build community as they savor the umami-rich mushroom-tasting of chestnut mushroom soup, grilled lion’s mane mushrooms and oyster mushroom cakes with remoulade at Flavor Country Farms. (Oct. 6, Honey Creek, IA)

Drone operator Nate Coleman fills his drone with winter camelina cover crop seed to be flown on a soybean field at Mark Peterson’s field day. (Sept. 23, Stanton, IA)

Guests of Mark Peterson’s field day watch the drone demonstration and listen to drone operator, Nate Coleman, as he answers questions about applying cover crops with a drone. (Sept. 23, Stanton, IA)

A cover crop mix of oats and field peas awaits fall grazing on Scott Schultz’s farm in central Wisconsin. (Sept. 21, Watertown, WI)

Guests go on a stroll through newly established pasture at the field day hosted by Aaron Alons and Andy Getting. (Sept. 19, Ashton, IA)

Mariel Barreras and her daughter pose for a photo together following their Pastured Egg 101 field day. (Sept. 16, Blair, NE)

Rory Van Wyk digs for samples to demonstrate visual soil testing at his field day. (Sept. 13, Winterset, IA)

Late-summer brassicas flourish in the no-till fields at Humble Hands Harvest. (Sept. 10, Decorah, IA)

Emily Fagan describes how no-till and tarping practices at Humble Hands Harvest have resulted in fewer weeds, improved soil health, reduced labor and better crops. (Sept. 10, Decorah, IA)

A pastured pig contemplates its forage at Dayna Burtness’ field day. (Sept. 9, Spring Grove, MN)

Attendees and goats share a moment at Dayna Burtness’ field day. (Sept. 9, Spring Grove, MN)

Attendees enjoy a winding hayride to Jerry Vander Wert’s saturated buffer. Jerry has been steadily improving his water quality and riparian habitat for the last decade. (Sept. 8, Pella, IA))

A young farmer, and volunteer hayride driver, showed guests his vintage tractor at Jerry Vander Wert’s farm. (Sept. 8, Pella, IA)

An intrigued field day attendee gets close to the edge of a bioreactor being installed on host Josh Nelson’s farm. (Sept. 8, Belmond, IA)

These microgreens at Cherry Lane Farm are almost ready to be cut, washed, packed and sold at the Arnold’s Park Farmers Market or regional Hy-Vee stores. (Sept. 6, Spirit Lake, IA)

Krissy Thiessen describes how she and husband Calvin Thiessen have adapted their operations at Cherry Lane Farm, developed the market for their produce and built relationships to grow their local food system. (Sept. 6, Spirit Lake, IA)

Host Ben Moest stands in his soybean field and highlights plans for relay cropping rye and soybeans for guests. (Aug. 31, Winslow, IL)

During Zack Smith’s stock cropper field day, attendees listen to guest speaker and South Dakota farmer Rick Bieber explain what they are seeing in the freshly dug soil pit. (Aug. 26, Buffalo Center, IA)

Guests at Zack Smith’s field day hear from him about his “stock cropping” system as they rest on hay bales before an in-depth farm tour. (Aug. 26, Buffalo Center, IA)

Attendees examine the native prairie flora of Larry and Margaret Stone’s prairie strips at their Traer, Iowa, farm. The Stones participate in ISU’s STRIPS project; ISU extension specialist Tim Youngquist, who works with the project, was also present at the field day. (Aug. 23, Traer, IA)

Jim Fitkin talks with Donald Promnitz, a reporter with the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, after sharing his process for producing and marketing popcorn at his field day in August. (Aug. 21, Cedar Falls, IA)

Attendees begin their trek back to the popcorn processing facility after learning from Shaffer Ridgeway, district conservationist with Black Hawk Soil and Water Conservation District, about a perennial cover crop trial in a corn-soy-popcorn rotation on Jim Fitkin’s farm. (Aug. 21, Cedar Falls, IA)

Carmen Black teaches beginning farmers tractor basics at her hands-on field day. (Aug. 20, Solon, IA)

Kisonia Mafuta gives field day visitors a tour of her plot, recites recommended recipes for her vegetables and talks about farming at Cultivate Hope Urban Farm. (Aug. 19, Cedar Rapids, IA)

Matthew Arndt talks about Matthew 25’s Cultivate Hope Urban Farm volunteers, growers and grounds. (Aug. 20, Cedar Rapids, IA)

Tracy Skaar discusses dry conditions and his legume cover crop mix of red clover and non-dormant alfalfa that was underseeded with his oat crop. (Sept. 18, Hayward, MN)

2023 Field Day Season Photo Recap Part 2

You may also be interested in...