Iowa State University Extension

Iowa Learning Farms Strip-till Field Day Near Breda Is June 5
(Posted on 5/25/2012)
Iowa Learning Farms and the Sac Soil and Water Conservation District are hosting a field day on Tuesday, June 5 on the Dean Tiefenthaler farm, rural Breda. The field day will focus on strip-tillage as a conservation farming practice.

Celebrate Big Creek Lake on June 2
(Posted on 5/24/2012)
Big Creek Lake, located near Polk City, was created in 1972 and this year celebrates its 40th birthday. A celebration of the lake, Big Creek State Park and the wildlife management area will be held Saturday, June 2, beginning at 10 a.m. near the beach.

Forestry Field Day to Highlight Direct Seeding and Stand Conversion
(Posted on 5/21/2012)
Iowa State University (ISU) Forestry Extension and Iowa DNR foresters will conduct a forestry field day on Friday, June 1, at Bob and Deb Brown’s farm, Yarmouth, Iowa. Direct tree seeding techniques will be reviewed on the farm and different row spacings will be highlighted.

Management of Flooded Timber Field Day Topic
(Posted on 5/21/2012)
The signs of stress in a flooded forest can take days, months and even years to become evident, depending on the tree species. Iowa State University Forestry Extension and the Iowa DNR will host a forestry field day on May 31 for landowners that had timber flooded by the Missouri River in 2011.

Iowa Learning Farms Hosts Urban Field Day at Swiss Valley Nature Center
(Posted on 5/17/2012)
Iowa Learning Farms will host an urban field day at the Swiss Valley Nature Center near Dubuque, on Wednesday, May 23, from 6:30-8 p.m. The event will focus on urban soil and water conservation as well as updates on work in the Upper Catfish Creek and the North Fork Maquoketa River watersheds.

Western Iowa No-till (WIN) Field Day June 12
(Posted on 5/16/2012)
The annual Western Iowa No-till (WIN) Demonstration Field Day is set for June 12 at the Carstens 1880 Farmstead. Field day topics will include managing planter settings in heavy residue areas, use of cover crops to improve soil structure, a marketing update and weather outlook. Keynote speaker is Paul Jasa, extension engineer with University of Nebraska – Lincoln.

2012 Midwest Composting School Scheduled for July 24-26
(Posted on 5/14/2012)
The 2012 Midwest Composting School will be held July 24-26 at the Iowa State Dairy Farm and Iowa State University Composting Facility.

New Publication Helps Farmers Evaluate Low-temperature Grain Drying Options
(Posted on 5/11/2012)
Proper management of low-temperature grain drying equipment can reduce the energy consumed on the farm during and after corn harvest. A new publication from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach explains the management techniques and equipment needs for low-temperature grain drying.

Iowa Learning Farms’ May Webinar Covers Perennial Strips Integrated with Row Crops
(Posted on 5/7/2012)
The Iowa Learning Farms’ May 16 webinar will feature Matt Helmers, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach water quality engineer. The 11:30 a.m. webinar is part of a series, hosted by ILF through Adobe Connect. All that is needed to participate is a computer with Internet access.

Wildlife: Prevent Birds from Flying into Windows and Doors
(Posted on 5/3/2012)
Spring is in the air, which also brings nesting time for Iowa’s songbirds. While many homeowners enjoy seeing and feeding the birds, it can be disconcerting for homeowners who have birds fly into glass doors or windows again and again. An Iowa State University Extension and Outreach wildlife specialist offers suggestions for dealing with this problem.