Iowa Learning Farms Field Day

Thursday, July 28, 2016 - 10:30am to 12:30pm

Iowa Learning Farms and farmer partner Mark Thompson will host a strip-tillage and cover crop field day Thursday, July 28. The 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. field day near Badger is free and open to the public. It includes a complimentary lunch.

Attendees will hear from host farmer Mark Thompson about his farming practices and receive advice on how to effectively strip-till and manage cover crops. Thompson first started using cover crops as a prevented planting measure in 2013. Since then he has expanded his acres of cover crop to 700 in fall of 2015 with plans to seed over 900 this year.

Also speaking at the field day is Matt Helmers, professor and extension specialist in ag and biosystems engineering at Iowa State University, will highlight practices and ongoing research efforts to meet the goals of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy. Mark Hanna, ISU Extension Agricultural Engineer, will share tips on adjusting planter settings for strip-till and no-till systems, as well as equipment considerations for strip-tillage systems.

The field day will be held at 2697 Penn Avenue, Badger, Iowa 50516. From Humboldt, head east on IA-3. Turn right to head south on Co Hwy P56 for 1 mile. Follow the curve and after 1/2 mile turn right (south) on Lone Tree Road (P56) for 2 miles. Turn left (east) on 250th St (C48) for 1.6 miles and take the first right to head south on Penn Ave (P59) for 2 miles. Destination will be on the west side of the road with a large tent.

The workshop is free and open to the public, but reservations are suggested to ensure adequate space and food. Contact Liz Juchems at 515-294-5429 or email ilf@iastate.edu.

For more information about Iowa Learning Farms, visit the website: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/ilf/.

Established in 2004, Iowa Learning Farms is building a Culture of Conservation, encouraging adoption of conservation practices. Farmers, researchers and ILF team members are working together to identify and implement the best management practices that improve water quality and soil health while remaining profitable. Partners of Iowa Learning Farms are the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa Natural Resources Conservation Service and Iowa Department of Natural Resources (USEPA section 319), Conserva­tion Districts of Iowa, Iowa Farm Bureau, Iowa Water Center and Practical Farmers of Iowa.

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