Field Days

Welcome to Practical Farmer of Iowa’s 2022 Field Day Season!

We can’t wait to get back on the farm this field day season – our first full, in-person season since 2019. With nearly 40 field days planned, there should be something for everyone.

Whether you’re new to PFI field days or a yearly attendee, you’ll find a welcoming atmosphere, a spirit of curiosity, a culture of mutual respect and farmers openly sharing their knowledge and experience. At PFI, we have a unique learning model: Our events are led by our farmer members – we know they are the experts on their specific farming systems. At PFI field days, farmers believe in sharing their knowledge, discoveries, mistakes and successes so you can learn and grow your own operation.

Please join us – we look forward to seeing you at a field day this season.

Check out all of the 2022 field days!

COVID-19 Policy

At Practical Farmers of Iowa, the safety of our staff, members and communities are our top priority.

Read our full policy

Special Instructions for Visiting Farms with Livestock

We ask that all attendees at field days where livestock are present – particularly birds and poultry – observe the following biosecurity practices.

Read our full policy

2022 Field Day Season

June | July | August | September | October

June

June 6: Field Day Season Kick-Off Social at PFI Office

Host: Practical Farmers of Iowa | Ames

June 11: The Rookie Season of Roller-Crimping

Host: Fred & Vicki Abels | K & A Acres | Holland

June 16: Honeyberries and Other Perennial Berries

Hosts: Jeff & Deb Sindelar | Deb’s Berry Farm | Newhall

June 17: Pastured Pigs and Poultry at Okoboji Organics

Host: Kate Mendenhall | Okoboji Organics | Okoboji

June 20: Making USDA Programs Work for You

Hosts: Chad & Katie Hensley | Big Creek Farms | Lamoni

June 23: Summer Beginning Farmer Social With Des Moines Urban Farmers

Hosts: Monika Owczarski & Amy Joens | Sweet Tooth Farm & Chicory Grove Farm | Des Moines

June 24: On-Farm Poultry Processing & Licensing

Host: Jason & Hannah Grimm | Grimm Family Farm | North English

June 24: Farmland Owner Legacy Award Celebration

Host: Chris Henning | Prairie Skype Productions | Jefferson

June 25: Connecting Agriculture and Conservation

Host: Heath Stolee | Nutty Farmer Chestnuts | Radcliffe

June 26: A Little of Everything: Hydroponic Tomatoes, Farmers Markets & Agritourism

Hosts: Mike & Donna Brahms & family | 3 Bee Farms | Griswold

July

July 6: Getting Started With Lavender, Flowers and Berries

Hosts: Abby Barten, Nancy & John Brannaman | The Lavender Farm at Sutliff | Lisbon

July 7: Oat Production From Variety Selection and Seeding to Baling and Cleaning

Hosts: Dan & Susan Voss, Brian Voss, & Nicole Hepker | Voss Farm | Palo

July 9: Prairie Strips and Conservation on Big Spirit Lake

Hosts: Eric & Kelly Hoien | Orleans

July 15: Conservation Rotations and Cover Crops Following Small Grains

Hosts: Andy Linder & Don Linder | Easton, MN

July 16: Precision Farming With Cover Crops for Soil Health and Conservation

Hosts: Wisecup Family | Wisecup Family Farm and Museum | Missouri Valley

July 16: Biodiversity, Beneficial Insects and Building Resilience

Hosts: Angela Smith & Erik Tryggestad | Middle Fork Farm | Oronoco, MN

July 17: Flower Farming With a Long-Term View: Diversifying Plantings & Revenue Streams

Host: Meredith Nunnikhoven | Barnswallow Flowers & Produce | Oskaloosa

July 23: Conservation Practices in an Organic Farming System

Hosts: Sara & Bob Pearson | Prairie Sky Farm | Wesley

July 30: Cover Crops, Cattle and Conservation Projects Supporting Biodiversity

Hosts: John & Cindi Van Horn, Jane & Doug Cunningham, Robert & Mary Van Horn | Van Horn Farms | Glidden

August

August 2: Weed Control Strategies in Organic Corn and Soybeans With Buffalo Cultivators and Planters

Hosts: The Rosmann Family & Eric Madsen | Rosmann Family Farms & Madsen Stock Farm | Harlan

August 3: Whole-Farm Conservation Demonstration

Host: Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust | Ann Smetzler Charitable Trust Learning Farm | Otho

August 4: Linking Cover Crops, Cattle and Neighbors

Hosts: Justin & Ellen Rahn | R & H Seed Solutions | Mount Carroll, IL

August 4: Conquering Cucurbits: Success With Melons and Cucumbers

Hosts: Nicole & Steve Jonas | Red Granite Farm | Boone

August 9: Flipping the Table on Soil Health With Silvopasture at Yellow Table Farm

Hosts: Eric & Courtney Jensen | Yellow Table Farm | Tripoli

August 9: Growing a Flower Farm

Hosts: Adam & Jenna Cook | Clovergold Flower Farm | Newell

August 17: Tree Transition at a Mid-Size High-Density Apple Orchard

Hosts: David & Susan Differding | Timeless Prairie Orchard | Winthrop

August 17: Urban Farming How-Tos With We Arose Co-op

Host: DaQuan Campbell | We Arose Co-op | Waterloo

August 20: Establishing and Grazing Legume Covers and Small Grains in an Organic System

Hosts: Scott & Shannon Koether | Koether Family Farm | McGregor

August 23: Making Cover Crops Work: From Popcorn to Water Quality

Hosts: Mark Schleisman & Family | M & M Farms | Lake City

August 27: Bus Trip to Northfield, Minnesota: Raising Regenerative Tree-Range Poultry

Hosts: Reginaldo “Regi” Haslett-Marroquín & Wil Crombie | Salvatierra Farm & Regeneration Farm | Bus Trip to MN

August 27: Bringing Back the Edges With Precision Conservation

Hosts: Nathan & Sarah Anderson | Bobolink Prairie Farms | Cherokee

August 30: Visit PFI at the Farm Progress Show

Host: Practical Farmers of Iowa | Boone

September

September 6: Growing and Marketing Salad and Microgreens at Chery Lane Farm

Hosts: Krissy & Calvin Thiessen | Cherry Lane Farm & Prairie Home Delivery | Spirit Lake

September 9: Drones, Extended Rotations and Cover Crop Grazing in Bloomfield

Host: Tim Dotterer | Bloomfield

September 10: Farm the Best, Leave the Rest

Host: Bill Gordon | Gordon Farms | Worthington, MN

September 11: Book Publication Celebration and Member Social, Featuring Angela Tedesco

Host: Nan Bonfils | Madrid

September 14: On-Farm Cover Crop Research Trials

Hosts: Will & Cassie Cannon | Cannon Family Farm | Prairie City

September 18: Risk Management and Disaster Recovery: A Come-Back Story at Pheasant Run Farm

Hosts: Ann & Eric Franzenburg, Calvin Franzenburg | Pheasant Run Farm | Van Horne

September 25: Growing Cultural Vegetables on Small Urban Plots With Cover Crops

Hosts: Marie Andre & Tika Bhandari | Global Greens Farm | Des Moines

October

October 5: Regenerative Grazing With Mobile Infrastructure and Livestock Guardian Dogs

Host: JR Jenkins | The Barn at Bunker Hill | Wilton

October 8: Creating a Diverse Silvopasture Farm on Former Row Crop Ground

Host: Tim Swinton | Thriving Farm | Clemons

Questions?

Contact the PFI office at info@practicalfarmers.org or (515) 232-5661.