Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Iowa State University Northwest research farm hosts June 30 field day

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June 15, 2010

CALUMET, IOWA—Plan now to attend the annual Iowa State University Northwest Iowa Research Farm field day on Wednesday, June 30. The day will be a full of information and presentations, but divided into two distinct parts. The Research Farm is located south of Calumet in O’Brien County.

The field day will begin at 9:30 a.m., after registration and coffee, with an update on the research projects conducted on the farm. Attendees will then tour the farm and discuss topics including: potassium and phosphorus placement research; aphid management in corn and soybeans; agricultural land drainage and more.

After a complimentary noon lunch sponsored by the Iowa Learning Farm, the afternoon will focus on strip-tillage. At 1:00 p.m. a panel of farmers who strip-till in northwest Iowa share their experiences in a question and answer session. They will discuss how they make strip-tillage work in their operation and what they have learned. Strip-till equipment from several manufacturers will be on display along with company representatives to answer questions.

The Iowa Learning Farm Conservation Station will also be at the farm all day. Through demonstrations, pictures, computer animations, three dimensional interactive displays, video and sound, people of all ages can learn why Iowa’s water and soils are precious and how they can help preserve and protect these natural resources. Visitors can see the Conservation Station for free and will learn about soil, water, crop residue, prairies and wetlands. It also has a rainfall simulator, demonstrating the affects of rainfall on the land, collecting surface water runoff and subsurface drainage.

The field day is open to the public and is free. CCA credits are available for this event. The Northwest Research Farm is located one-quarter mile east of Highway 59 on B-62, two miles south of Calumet in O’Brien County. For more information about this event, contact ISU Extension Field Agronomist Joel DeJong at 712-546-7835.

Iowa Learning Farm is a partnership between the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University Extension, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Iowa Department of Natural Resources; in cooperation with Conservation Districts of Iowa and the Iowa Farm Bureau. 

For more info contact:

 Joel DeJong, ISU Extension Agronomist, 712-546-7835

Carol L. Brown, communications specialist, 515-294-8912

John Lundvall, ILF field coordinator, 515-294-5429

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