This year, PFI’s annual conference is coming home. Registration is now open!
Field Days
Welcome to Practical Farmers of Iowa’s 2020 field day season. As we enjoy the beauty of summer and fall in Iowa, and look forward to the abundance of food, feed, fiber and grain the land bestows, we are reminded that some things in the world are not cancelled or delayed by a pandemic. The land continues its seasonal cycles, and farmers continue their work to plant, tend and care for their crops and livestock.
As we all observe restrictions this summer to protect our families and communities from COVID-19, we at Practical Farmers remain committed to connecting farmers with one another to share knowledge and build resilient farms and communities. As this pandemic has revealed, this knowledge and spirit of cooperation is needed now more than ever as we work to ensure all farms can withstand the unexpected, and all communities have strong local food systems they can rely on.
Field days remain a foundation of PFI. Even in this time of precaution and social distancing, they provide an opportunity for us all to connect with one another: for farmers to learn from their peers; for non-farmers to deepen their connections to local food and farmers; and for us all to share in PFI’s vision of an Iowa with healthy soil, healthy food, clean air, clean water, resilient farms and vibrant communities.
While our field days will look different this year, we are confident these events will help you stay connected as you learn from one another about production, business and conservation strategies.
Read about how to attend virtual events
2020 Field Day Season
All events are in central time unless otherwise noted.
View the list of events below or check out the PDF version of the field day guide.
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May – June
May 30: Equipment and Automation Tools for Mechanical Weed Control
June 2: Multiple Benefits of Rye: Calving, Grazing, Harvesting
June 2: Keeping up with the Johnsons at Buffalo Ridge Orchard – Food Safety and Packhouse Sanitation (1/3)
June 2: Roller-Crimping Cereal Rye – A Live Demonstration
June 3: Garlic Production at Grade A Garden – Weed Management & Varieties (1/3)
June 5: Integrating Sheep and Vegetables at Sundog Farm – Pest & Disease Management (1/3)
June 8: Botany Beginners: Exploring Iowa’s Native Plants (1/5)
June 11: Working With Neighbors to Integrate Livestock and Improve Soil
June 11: Botany Beginners: Exploring Iowa’s Native Plants (2/5)
June 12: Pasture Farrowing: Infrastructure, Scheduling and Seeding
June 17: Botany Beginners: Exploring Iowa’s Native Plants (3/5)
June 17: Termination Dates for Cereal Rye In Soybeans
June 18: Prairie Strips and Conservation on Rented Ground – Management & Prescribed Fire (1/2)
June 18: Beginning Farmer Virtual Social
June 24: Harvesting Fruit and Nut Crops at Red Fern Farm – Honeyberry (1/3)
June 24: No-Till Oat and Rye Production
June 24: Botany Beginners: Exploring Iowa’s Native Plants (4/5)
June 25: Garlic Production at Grade A Garden – Scape Harvest, Bundling & Marketing (2/3)
June 25: Early-Season Organic Weed Control
June 26: Early Interseeding of Cover Crops for Grazing
June 27: Using Conservation to Improve Farm Profitability – 60-Inch-Row Corn + Interseeded Cover Crops (1/2)
June 29: Cover Crops and Forage in Mahaska County
June 30: Flame-Weeding and Crop Rotation for Weed Control
June 30: Working Towards Farm Succession
July
July 1: Approaching Oats as a Cash Crop
July 1: Botany Beginners: Exploring Iowa’s Native Plants (5/5)
July 2: Impact of Roller-Crimping Cereal Rye + Live Weed Zapper Demonstration (2/2)
July 3: Integrating Sheep and Vegetables at Sundog Farm – Celebrating 25 Years of Local Harvest CSA (2/3)
July 10: Garlic Production at Grade A Garden: Harvest, Bunching, Hanging & Curing (3/3)
July 13: Rotational Pasture Series: Watering Systems (1/3)
July 14: Making the Land Affordable for the Next Generation of Farmers
July 16: Beginning Farmer Virtual Social
July 17: Farm Manager Panel
July 20: Integrating Cover Crops on a Vegetable and Poultry Farm – Termination & Turnaround to Planting (1/3)
July 20: Rotational Pasture Series: Laying Hens (2/3)
July 23: Producción Avícola en un Sistema Perenne con Main Street Project
July 24: Native Plants at Snyder Heritage Farm
July 27: Rotational Pasture Series: Goat Paddock Moves (3/3)
July 28: Keeping up with the Johnsons at Buffalo Ridge Orchard – High Tunnel Cherry Tomatoes (2/3)
July 28: Restoring Rare Habitats for Wildlife and Water Quality – Oxbows (1/3)
August
Aug. 4: Next Generation Summit – Farm Succession
Aug. 4: Restoring Rare Habitats for Wildlife and Water Quality – Beaver Habitat (2/3)
Aug. 5: Next Generation Summit – Land Seeker Workshop
Aug. 6: Bison 101: Raising and Selling Bison
Aug. 7: Next Generation Summit – Farm Access Connections
Aug. 7: Small Grain Silage as a Feed Source for a Dairy Farm
Aug. 7: Integrating Sheep and Vegetables at Sundog Farm – Grazing Cover Crops & Field Cleaning (3/3)
Aug. 10: POSTPONED – Integrating Cover Crops on a Vegetable and Poultry Farm – Interseeded & Quick-Turnaround Covers (2/3)
Aug. 11: Growing High-Quality Food-Grade Oats
Aug. 13: Wheat: A Gateway Crop to Soil Health, Resilience and More
Aug. 20: Beginning Farmer Virtual Social
Aug. 24: Integrating Cover Crops on a Vegetable and Poultry Farm – Covers for Poultry (3/3)
Aug. 29: Using Conservation to Improve Farm Profitability – Edge-of-Field Conservation (2/2)
September
Sept. 5: The Art of Grass-Finishing Cattle
Sept 8: Restoring Rare Habitats for Wildlife and Water Quality – Long-Term Habitat Management (3/3)
Sept. 11: 4th Annual Midwest Mechanical Weed Control Field Day – Episode 1: Drone Wars
Sept. 16: Harvesting Fruit and Nut Crops at Red Fern Farm – Cornelian Cherries & Asian Pears (2/3)
Sept. 17: Beginning Farmer Virtual Social
Sept. 18: 4th Annual Midwest Mechanical Weed Control Field Day – Episode 2: The Awakening
Sept. 22: Keeping up with the Johnsons at Buffalo Ridge Orchard – Testing Apple Varieties for Readiness (3/3)
Sept. 25: 4th Annual Midwest Mechanical Weed Control Field Day – Episode 3: The First Encounter
October – December
Oct. 7: Harvesting Fruit and Nut Crops at Red Fern Farm – Chestnut, Pawpaw & American Persimmon (3/3)
Oct. 13: Fall Lambing: Management and Marketing Opportunities
Oct. 27: Raising Sheep for Wool – Sheep Facilities (1/3)
Dec 15: Raising Sheep for Wool – Shearing & Processing (3/3)
Jan. TBD: Raising Sheep for Wool – Building Community Around Wool (2/3)
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