CHARLIE BAIER, Iowa State University Howard County Extension Education Director
FOR WEEK OF January 15, 2007
4-H New Member Night
An evening of family fun, food and 4-H information is scheduled for new 4-H members and their parents. This will be at the Farm Bureau meeting room on January 25th from 6:00 pm-7:30 pm. Please RSVP to the ISU Extension office by Jan 18 at 563-547-3001.
Dairy Days
The annual Dairy Days program will be offered on February 6, 2007 at the Elma, KC Hall. The program runs from 9:30 to 3:30. Registration is $10, including a meal and proceedings. Commercial exhibits present. Participants can bring feed samples (TMR, silage, grain) for particle size analysis. The program agenda includes: Nutrition and mastitis – food for thought; High K soils / Low Mg rations = Cow failure; Bioeconomy’s challenges to dairy nutrition and farm profitability; Using dairy records to evaluate your on-farm udder health program; Strengthening your farm infectious disease FIREWALL; Corn co-products in heifer and dry cow rations.
Cattle Feeding Workshops Scheduled
A special workshop series for producers interested in starting or expanding a cattle feeding business is scheduled for Jan. 23, 30 and Feb. 6 in the Mason City at North Iowa Area community College and Feb. 7, 14 and 21 at Iowa Valley Community College in Marshalltown and March 7, 14, and 21 at the Bremer County Extension office in Tripoli. Topics covered in the three workshops include: Does cattle feeding make sense for your operation?; Developing a plan, which will discuss alternative business models, facilities, and business planning; updates on cattle feeding practices and tools for the cattle feeder. A fourth session will include a tour of beef feedlots in the area. Those participating in the workshops will receive materials and tools to help develop a cattle feeding business. Meals will be included in the workshop fee. Fees are $40 per workshop or $100 for all three sessions. The fourth session will have a separate fee. Interested participants can contact Russ Euken, at (641) 923-2856 or reuken@iastate.edu to register or for more information. Please register by Jan. 18 for the workshop in Mason City and Jan. 30 for the second workshop in Marshalltown and Feb. 28 for the workshop in Tripoli.
Chautauqua
Join the Iowa State University Extension’s Northeast Iowa Horticulture Chautauqua on Saturday February 10th at the Postville Civic and Fine Arts Center in the Postville School Complex for a day dedicated to the gardener. The morning session will begin at 9:00 am. with Tim Yager from the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and Fish Refuge talking about landscape plants that have escaped cultivation and are choking out some of our native plants. At 10:00, Rachel Gooder from the Plantpeddler in Cresco will talk about plants for container gardens. The plant peddler has expanded considerably with new varieties being developed every year. She will help you learn to create outstanding container gardens. At eleven o’clock, Mary Meyer from the University of Minnesota and author of Ornamental Grasses for Cold Climates will talk about Ornamental Grasses for Northeast Iowa. A sack lunch will be provided over the noon hour with an opportunity to view displays and talk to the morning’s speakers. During the afternoon, participants may attend several breakout sessions. The cost for attending the Chautauqua will be $20 advanced registration or $25 at the door. For more information on attending the Chautauqua, visit your local county Extension office or click on this link to view a Registration Brochure