Practical Farmers of Iowa Announces 2008 Field Day Schedule

News Release

For Immediate Release
May 22, 2008 

Contact: Sally Worley, Practical Farmers of Iowa, (515) 232-5661, sally@practicalfarmers.org 

Practical Farmers of Iowa Announces 2008 Field Day Schedule 

IOWA--Practical Farmers of Iowa invites you to come experience the innovation and vision of Iowa farmers this summer at one of the organization’s 38 Field Day events for the 2008 season. A widely diverse types of farmers, practices, and food will be featured, from grazing to on-farm energy, from buying food locally to organic seed treatments, from the next generation returning to the farm to adding a flower enterprise.   

“The greatest thing about Field Days is that you get to actually see things done on people’s farms, which is the best way to learn. With the wide array of field days, there’s something for everyone, that’s for sure. There’s always a lot of discussion at field days that leads to new ideas,” said PFI President Eric Franzenburg, an Eastern Iowa farmer.  

“The field days also are a great opportunity for consumers to see how a lot of our members are growing their food in a sustainable manner. It is a great chance for consumers to visit a farm, see what’s going on, and ask questions as well.” Eric Franzenburg and his wife Ann are hosting a field day on August 2 near Van Horne on tomato, herb, and flower enterprises. 

Following Practical Farmers of Iowa tradition, many Field Days present an opportunity for attendees to eat well. Locally-produced food is part of many events, from a potluck on-farm to a gourmet dinner celebrating garlic.  

For complete details on Practical Farmers of Iowa Field Days, visit www.practicalfarmers.org or call the PFI office at (515)232-5661. Printed copies of the field day guide are available while they last. With a few exceptions, Field Days are free, and everybody is welcome. 

Sustaining sponsors for Practical Farmers of Iowa Field Days are the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa State University Extension, Iowa Pork Producers Association, American Natural Soy, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service, Midwest Organic Services Association, Henry A. Wallace Endowed Chair for Sustainable Agriculture, and the CROPP Cooperative of Organic Valley/ Organic Prairie Family of Farms. Major sponsors for the Field Days are Wheatsfield Cooperative Natural Foods Grocery, Hubbard Feeds, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, Iowa Forage and Grasslands Council, King Corn and Mosaic Films, and the North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education.   

Here is the 2008 Field Day Lineup: 

  • June 16 - Niche Pork Facilities Analysis – Dana
  • June 17 - Niche Pork Facilities Analysis – Winfield
  • June 21 - Grass-based Organic Dairy Systems – Fairfield
  • June 25 - Weed Management in Corn and Soybeans – Sutherland
  • June 26 - Niche Pork Facilities Analysis – Schaller
  • June 27 - Oat Crown Rust, Transitioning to Organic – Sully
  • June 29 Organic Vegetable Seed Treatment, Farmer Support – Solon
  • June 29 - Faith, Farming, Sustainability, Social Justice – Ames
  • June 30 - Patch Burn Grazing and Forage Quality – Corning
  • July 10 - Healthy Foods, Healthy Soil, Healthy People – Okoboji
  • July 12 - Buy Fresh, Buy Local Tour – Sioux City Area
  • July 16 - Grass-Finishing, MOB, Next Generation – New Albin
  • July 19 - Growing Grapes – Farnhamville
  • July 22 - RAGBRAI at The Thompson’s – Boone
  • July 23 - Live Animal Evaluation – Lovilia
  • July 26 – NatureMapping – Hampton
  • July 29 - Row Crops and Grazing - Ankeny
  • August 2 - Tomato, Flower, and Herb Enterprises – Van Horne
  • August 3 - Grazing to Increase Biodiversity – Maxwell
  • August 13 - Grass-Fed Field Day – Worthington
  • August 15 - Organic Seed Treatment, Grazing, and Wildlife – Creston  
  • August 19 - Marketing Grass-Fed Beef  – Winterset   
  • August 20 - Organic Cropping Systems, Soybean Rust – Greenfield
  • August 21 - CRP to Grazing – Bloomfield
  • August 22 - Water Quality, Sustainable Farm Systems – Jefferson
  • August 27 - Monitoring Cattle Performance – Holstein
  • August 28 - Beef Carcass Evaluation and Fabrication Workshop – Ames
  • August 30 - On-Farm Biodiesel from Oilseed Crops – Plainfield
  • September 5 - Fescue Pasture Improvement Without Herbicides – Diagonal
  • September 6 - Tree-Crop Agriculture – Wapello
  • September 7 - Tomato Tasting on a CSA Farm – Tripoli
  • September 11 - Breeding Corn for Sustainable Agriculture – Ames
  • September 13 - Garlic Fest and Farm Tours – Dallas County
  • September 17 - Farm-Scale Ethanol from Sorghum – Sioux Center
  • September 20 - Annual Harvest Barn Dance – Solon
  • September 24 - Integrating Row Crops and Grazing – McGregor
  • September 27 - Cellulosic Bioenergy – Cambria
  • October 5 - Farm Crawl – Marion and Lucas Counties
PFI is a 22-year-old non-profit sustainable agriculture group dedicated to farming that is profitable, environmentally sound, and healthy for consumers and communities. For more information, call 515-232-5661 or visit www.practicalfarmers.org. # # #