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Catching Up
RSVPs are required for all Catching Up events to ensure we maintain the small, conversational environment for which these events are designed. Anyone is welcome to RSVP for a Catching Up event! To learn more about a specific event or to RSVP, email the PFI staffer indicated, or call the PFI office at (515) 232-5661.
Winter Greens Production in Heated High Tunnels
Friday, November 12 | 1-3 p.m.
Host: Lee Matteson, Lee’s Greens | Story County
To RSVP for this event and receive full event details, email Jacqueline Venner Senske at jacqueline@practicalfarmers.org or call the PFI office at (515) 232-5661.
Past Catching Up Events
Restoring and Managing Oxbows and Wetlands, and Working with Easements (In Partnership with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
Friday, June 11 | 9-11 a.m.
Craig Wallace Darrick Weissenfluh, US Fish & Wildlife Service | Sac County
Working with EQIP and CSP to Improve Pasture and Infrastructure for Goats
Thursday, June 17 | 10 a.m. – noon
Cheryl Hopkins, Frog Hollow Farm Helen Leavenworth, NRCS | Linn County
Strip-Tilled Corn Following a Cover Crop
Thursday, June 17 | 4-6 p.m.
Vaughn Borchardt | Kossuth County
Greenhouse Infrastructure, Operations, and Integration with Vegetable Farming
Wednesday, June 23 | 1-3 p.m.
Pete Kerns & Natasha Hegmann, Turkey River Farm | Clayton County
Wheat Production and Cover Crops
Thursday, June 24 | 10 a.m. – noon
Nancy Brannaman | LaSelle County, IL
Roll-crimping Rye for Soybeans
Thursday, June 24 | 4-6 p.m.
Landon Brown | Hardin County
Climate-smart pollinator habitat in Sand Cove (In Partnership with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
Thursday, June 24 9-11 a.m.
Armund Bartz Gregg Pattison, US Fish & Wildlife Service | Allamakee County
Managing Farmland with Family: Conservation Practices and Farm Transfer (In Partnership with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
Friday, June 25 9-11 a.m.
Peg Bouska, Carol Bouska, Sally McCoy, Ann Novak, Highland Farm Gregg Pattison, US Fish & Wildlife Service & Brian Sauer, Iowa DNR Wildlife Bureau | Winneshiek County
En Espanol: Small-Scale Vegetable Production at Grow Johnson County
Saturday, June 26 5-7 p.m.
Michi Lopez, Grow Johnson County | Johnson County
Corn Planted into Clover Cover Crop
Tuesday, June 29 2-4 p.m.
Dick & Diana Sloan | Buchanan County
Wheat and Oat Production with Clover
Wednesday, June 30 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Doug Linker, Linker Farms, Inc | Carrol County, IL
Clover Management and Summer Cover Crops With Small Grains
Thursday, July 8 | 9-11 a.m.
Host: Martin Larsen, Larsen Farm | Olmstead County, MN
Corn After a Cover Crop Mix
Friday, July 9 | 10 a.m. – noon
Host: Jon Bakehouse, Maple Edge Farm, Inc | Mills County
To RSVP for this event and receive full event details, email Stefan Gailans at stefan@practicalfarmers.org or call the PFI office at (515) 232-5661.
Practical Integration and Rotation with Sheep and Cattle on a Vegetable Farm
Wednesday, July 14 | 4-6 p.m.
Host: Mark Quee, Scattergood Friends School | Cedar County
To RSVP for this event and receive full event details, email Jacqueline Venner Senske at jacqueline@practicalfarmers.org or call the PFI office at (515) 232-5661.
Organic Small Grains and Relay-Cropping Soybeans, Barley and Rye
Thursday, July 15 | 10 a.m. – noon
Host: Scott & Catherine Wedemeier, Grassway Farm | Fayette County
To RSVP for this event and receive full event details, email Lydia English at lydia@practicalfarmers.org or call the PFI office at (515) 232-5661.
Relay-Cropping Rye and Soybeans
RESCHEDULED: Monday, July 19 | 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Host: Michael Vittetoe, Long Creek Pastures | Washington County
To RSVP for this event and receive full event details, email Stefan Gailans at stefan@practicalfarmers.org or call the PFI office at (515) 232-5661.
Infrastructure, Equipment and Regulations for Wine Making and Alcohol Sales
Wednesday, July 28 | 3-5 p.m.
Host: Preston & Amber Gable, Backcountry Winery | Hamilton County
To RSVP for this event and receive full event details, email Jacqueline Venner Senske at jacqueline@practicalfarmers.org or call the PFI office at (515) 232-5661.
Equipment and Infrastructure for High Density Apple Production
Thursday, July 29 | 2-4 p.m.
Host: Mike Malik, Long Lane Orchard | Johnson County
To RSVP for this event and receive full event details, email Jacqueline Venner Senske at jacqueline@practicalfarmers.org or call the PFI office at (515) 232-5661.
Investigating Reduced-Till Vegetable Production at Middle Way Farm
Friday, July 30 | 3-5 p.m.
Host: Jordan Scheibel, Middle Way Farm | Poweshiek County
To RSVP for this event and receive full event details, email Jacqueline Venner Senske at jacqueline@practicalfarmers.org or call the PFI office at (515) 232-5661.
Learning About Cover Crops, 60-inch Row Corn and Grazing Cover Crops
Wednesday, August 4 | 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Host: Bronson Allred | Wayne County
To RSVP for this event and receive full event details, email Rebecca Clay at rebecca@practicalfarmers.org or call the PFI office at (515) 232-5661.
Transitioning Ground from Row Crops to Vegetable Production
Thursday, August 5 | 5-7 p.m.
Host: Shaffer Ridgeway, Southern Goods | Black Hawk County
To RSVP for this event and receive full event details, email Jacqueline Venner Senske at jacqueline@practicalfarmers.org or call the PFI office at (515) 232-5661.
RESCHEDULED to 2022: Beginning Farmer Focus: Flower CSAs and Building New Enterprises
Sunday, August 8 | 10 a.m. – noon
Host: Anna Hankins & Shae Pesek, Over the Moon Farm & Flowers, LLC | Linn County
To RSVP for this event and receive full event details, email Celize Christy at celize@practicalfarmers.org or call the PFI office at (515) 232-5661.
Getting It All Done: Managing Time, Labor and Money at The Cornucopia Farm
Wednesday, August 11 | 4-6 p.m.
Host: John & Janna Wesselius, The Cornucopia | Sioux County
To RSVP for this event and receive full event details, email Jacqueline Venner Senske at jacqueline@practicalfarmers.org or call the PFI office at (515) 232-5661.
Commercial-Scale Berry Production and U-Pick Business
Tuesday, August 17 | 10 a.m. – noon
Host: Dean & Judy Henry, Berry Patch Farm | Story County
To RSVP for this event and receive full event details, email Jacqueline Venner Senske at jacqueline@practicalfarmers.org or call the PFI office at (515) 232-5661.
Profitably Raising Chestnuts and Pawpaws in an Agroforestry System
Wednesday, September 8 | 2-4 p.m.
Host: Kathy Dice & Tom Wahl, Red Fern Farm | Louisa County
To RSVP for this event and receive full event details, email Jacqueline Venner Senske at jacqueline@practicalfarmers.org or call the PFI office at (515) 232-5661.
Exploring a Community-Based Cooperative Model at Spring Lake Organic Farm / Explorando un modelo cooperativa basado en la comunidad en Spring Lake Organic Farm
Sunday, Sept. 12 | 2-4 p.m.
Host: Jenny Horner | Montgomery County
To RSVP for this event and receive full event details, email Celize Christy at celize@practicalfarmers.org or call the PFI office at (515) 232-5661.
Going to Town: Opening a Local Foods Store for the Farm
Friday, September 24 | 2-4 p.m.
Host: Danelle Myer, One Farm & One Farm Market | Harrison County
To RSVP for this event and receive full event details, email Jacqueline Venner Senske at jacqueline@practicalfarmers.org or call the PFI office at (515) 232-5661.
Organic Cropping Systems: Rotations with Small Grains, Weed Management
Wednesday, September 29 | 10 a.m. – noon
Hosts: Daniel and David Rosmann | Shelby County
To RSVP for this event and receive full event details, email Stefan Gailans at stefan@practicalfarmers.org or call the PFI office at (515) 232-5661.