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.

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