Articles

The National Sheep Symposium will bring top sheep production experts from across the United States to the Clay County Fairgrounds in Spencer, Iowa on July 27 and 28. Speakers will discuss how to increase the number of lambs born per ewe, increase the survival of lambs born and improve the lean meat yield from those lambs.

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.

Sponsorships and golf registrations are now being accepted for the 2012 Lauren Christian Pork Chop Open. The annual event is set for Tuesday, July 24, at Veenker Memorial Golf Course in Ames.

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.

Youth can register now for the third annual Bratney Companies 4-H Robotics Challenge at the 2012 Iowa State Fair. The junior division (grades 5-8) will participate on Friday, Aug. 10 and the senior division (grades 9-12) will participate Saturday, Aug. 11.

Students and teachers are celebrating the end of another school year, but time away from the classroom can have a negative impact on children’s academic progress. While some children are able to maintain school learning during the summer, others can take weeks or even months to recover from summer learning loss when they go back to school in the fall.

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.

Communities and youth across the state have benefitted from Reach Out Iowa, a program that empowers youth to make a difference in their communities. This year, the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism, named Kayla De Weerd, 14, of Hull, and Hannah Jorgensen, 13, of Adair, Iowa’s top two youth volunteers for 2012. Both De Weerd and Jorgensen were part of their local 4-H clubs, and are completing their projects with Reach Out Iowa.

Proper care of roses from planting through pruning will show them off to their best advantage. To confront insect and disease problems in roses, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach horticulture specialists say to correctly identify the pest and use appropriate control measures.