Articles

Iowans can make their voices heard about creating a more vibrant food system at the Iowa Local Food Summit April 3. The summit will include conversations and workshops about how to meet the goals outlined in the Iowa Local Food and Farm Plan, developed by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture in response to state legislation passed in 2011.

Getting more cover crops on Iowa farmland faces substantial challenges, despite the potential environmental and agronomic benefits, according to the Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll. A new report based on data from the 2010 poll, Attitudes Toward Cover Crops in Iowa: Benefits and Barriers, is now available for free download from the ISU Extension and Outreach Online Store.

ISU Extension and Outreach swine program specialist Mark Storlie is offering a workshop on the latest version of Group Tracker, a Microsoft Excel-based software program that compiles production data into summary reports to better define business and production parameters.

Ten counties have added their 4-H history to Iowa 4-H History by County. The history blog is a partnership of the Iowa 4-H program and the Iowa 4-H Foundation. Historical information is available for Audubon, Boone, Davis, Dubuque, Harrison, Kossuth, Marion, Polk, Scott and Woodbury counties.

Iowa Learning Farms and Practical Farmers of Iowa will co-sponsor a cover crop field day at the Joe Kriegel farm near Malcom, Iowa, on Tuesday, March 27, beginning at 11 a.m. The event is free and the public is invited to attend.

Sharpen Your Financial Coaching Skills, a course from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, is designed for volunteers, clergy and others working in nonprofit groups and organizations who assist people with financial management concerns. The next course begins in April at five locations in Iowa.

For the first time in several years, the Iowa Pork Industry Center (IPIC) and Iowa State University (ISU) are sponsoring a daylong educational opportunity specifically for pork producers. Iowa Swine Day is set for June 28 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the ISU campus and features practical information on a variety of topics that can be applied on the farm.

Few things are more enjoyable for homeowners than going out the back door to pick ripe juicy fruit from a tree. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach horticulture specialists share information about selecting pear, plum and apricot varieties.

Spring arrives at the 2012 Siouxland Garden Show on March 16-17 at the Marina Center, South Sioux City, Neb. The sixth annual Siouxland Garden Show is an extravaganza of nearly 50 inspiring displays and exhibits showcasing innovative items, 29 educational seminars and how-to sessions, plus, face-to-face consultation with top experts.