Events

From field days, to winter webinars and workshops to our annual conference, Practical Farmers hosts many events throughout the year to help farmers connect with and learn from each other.


Commercial Apple Growers Workshop

Held annually in February

Focused on commercial-scale apple production, this workshop will explore keys to successful and sustainable apple production in the Midwest.

Learn more


Small Grains Shared Learning Calls

Small grains shared learning calls are conference calls where you can listen and talk with other farmers and small grains enthusiasts. Each month our speaker(s) share experiences and production practices for about 40 minutes, and then we open the floor for questions and discussion for the rest of the hour. All you need to join is a phone or a computer!

Register for our call series


Tell Us Your Ideas!

Do you know a farmer who would be a good field day host? Have you been thinking about a good conference session or workshop topic? Tell us about it! This form feeds into our “Idea Bank,” which we routinely use to come up with speakers and hosts, and to design engaging sessions, content and programs. If you’d like to talk to a PFI staff member instead of using the form, give us a call at (515) 232-5661. Thank you for your contribution!

Fill out our ideas bank form


Marquee Events

Event COVID-19 Policy

At Practical Farmers of Iowa, the safety of our staff, members and communities are our top priority. At our indoor events, we’re committed to creating an environment that follows COVID-safety best practices and balances in-person interaction and learning.

Learn more about the Covid-19 policy


Field Days

Field days have been a core part of Practical Farmers since the beginning, when farmers would come together to share details of on-farm research and demonstration and learn from each other in a spirit of openness and curiosity. This remains true today. While spring and summer are our peak field day seasons, our members host events throughout the year, inviting fellow farmers and the public onto their farms to learn about topics that span the agricultural spectrum, and even the intersection of farming and local foods.

Learn more about field days


Workshops

Workshops take a deeper dive into a specific topic. Over the years, we’ve had workshops on holistic management, chestnut production, farm transfer and more.


Meet-Ups and Socials

Occasionally we host opportunities for farmers to get together to network, share a meal and visit with one another. Build your farming network and learn from others who have similar or different farm ventures than you. Whether it be a beginning farmer social, fruit and vegetable farmer meet-up or a grazing group, there’s sure to be an opportunity to get together with like-minded farmers near you.


Winter Webinars

Winter webinars are 60-minute, online presentations that are FREE for everyone. We encourage attendees to come with questions for the chat box! Webinars are held on Tuesdays, from Noon to 1:00 p.m. Central Time from January to April.

Learn more and register


Annual Conference

Practical Farmers’ Annual Conference has been the backbone of our organization since our founding, when farmers looking to improve diversity on their farms gathered to share their knowledge openly with others. From the days when these informal get-togethers took place at someone’s farm and were known as the Annual Meeting, to the surging interest in pragmatic, sustainable farming solutions that in 2003 necessitated a shift in rhetorical scope from annual “meeting” to “conference,” to the ongoing upwelling of farmers seeking practical yet profitable and ecologically sensitive ways to farm, the annual conference has been a hallmark of what Practical Farmers stands for: farmer-to-farmer learning, networking and grassroots solutions to on-farm challenges for a more diverse, sustainable agricultural landscape.

Learn more about the Annual Conference


Cooperators’ Meeting

The Cooperators’ Meeting is a two-day event where our farmer members gather to discuss past research and plan on-farm research for the following year. The Cooperators’ Meeting is an annual event rooted in the Practical Farmers ethos of farmers generating independent solutions to on-farm challenges through farmer-led research projects — and then sharing that knowledge freely with other farmers.

Learn more about the Cooperators’ Meeting


Beginning Farmer Retreat

This annual event brings beginning farmers together to network, plan and discuss ways to improve their farms while helping to build a sense of community among this fast-growing farming demographic. The first Practical Farmers Next Generation Retreat took place in 2009, and it has been an annual event ever since. This retreat has become a popular networking and business planning event that helps beginners share and learn from each other, as well as select experienced farmer speakers. Farm knowledge, food and friendship are freely shared.

Learn more about the Beginning Farmer retreat