Autumn is a great time to get outdoors, enjoy nature and reflect on the beauty around you. Use this beautiful season to collect and plant seeds to preserve the beauty for future generations. Learn from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach’s new Forestry Specialist on how to plant a legacy.
Rainwater as an irrigation source is continuing to grow in popularity across Iowa. Since Shawn Shouse and Linda Naeve of Iowa State University designed their first high tunnel catchment system in 2010, the system designs and intricacies have expanded to ever-larger volumes of water collected, collection from other buildings, and diverter systems for cleaning physical debris prior to water storage.
Every year we seem to get the same questions from the public on lawn care, specifically this time of year when people are disappointed in how their yard held up. While not all of these questions will fit your yard, some of them might. It is our goal that these points help address those questions, and give the knowledge to have a successful growing season.
Winter is right around the corner and planning ahead can benefit your horse and prevent difficult repairs when the snow and cold winds are blowing.
In an effort to help Iowa beef producers remain profitable, Iowa Beef Center conducted several grazing and pasture management programs from 2013 to 2018. This six-page publication summarizes the findings of that evaluation to determine the changes in Iowa’s pasture management and to look at the effectiveness of IBC’s various pasture programs.
Fall brings with it pleasant temperatures, beautiful leaves and harvest season. It also brings with it the realization that the next season to arrive is winter. Completing fall chores around the acreage will help transition your small farm or acreage into winter.
There is an increase in farm vehicle traffic on Iowa roadways during harvest. So, it is not surprising that this is the time of year when there are also more agricultural collisions on highways and county roads. Because all Iowans share the same roads, it helps to know what to look for.
The USDA announced on May 23, 2019, that there will be a second Market Facilitation Program in 2019. This comes on the heels of the $12 billion MFP program implemented in 2018. The USDA announcement states that the administration is allocating up to $16 billion for the 2019 program, with up to $14.5 billion of that money used for direct payments to producers.
There have been reports of potato leafhopper in Iowa alfalfa, and it's time to think about assessing alfalfa stands. Potato leafhoppers do not overwinter in Iowa, but they are persistent alfalfa pests every growing season. Storms along the Gulf of Mexico bring adult potato leafhoppers north and drop into fields every spring.
Many rural residents in Iowa rely on private wells as their source of water for drinking, cooking, washing clothes, and watering livestock. Even if your well and the area around it have remained unchanged, it is important to test water annually for indicators of contamination, including nitrate and bacteria, to ensure the water is safe to drink.
