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2021 Iowa High Tunnel Short Course

Monday, November 8, 2021 - 8:30am to 3:30pm
Event Type: 

IOWA HIGH TUNNEL SHORT COURSE
Date: Monday, 8th November, 2021; 8:30am-3:30pm
Venue: Garden Room, Reiman Gardens, 1407 S University Blvd, Ames, IA 50011

Welcome to 2021 Iowa High Tunnel Short Course. This short course is designed to highlight production and management of several high tunnel crops along with information on economics and marketing aspects of high tunnel crop production. The course will also provide an update on the status of high tunnel research across the Midwest. This year’s keynote speaker is Mr. John Dindia, Lakeview Hill Farm, Leelanau County, Michigan. Lakeview Hill Farm is a Certified Organic produce farm specializing in hoophouse and greenhouse production. John grows variety of vegetables with a focus on greenhouse heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, salad greens, and microgreens. 

The short course will also host Liz Graznak from Happy Hollow Farm, Jamestown, MO. The farm grows a variety of vegetables both outside and in high tunnels using a combination of highly managed cover cropping techniques, crop rotations, compost applications, and hay mulch. The short course will also host Eric and Ann Franzenburg, Pheasant Run Farm, Van Horne, IA. Eric and Ann will present information on utilizing high tunnels for cut flower production.  Dr. Wenjing Guan, Purdue University, will share information about cultivars, grafting, and other strategies to enhance cucumber production in high tunnels. This event is supported by USDA North Central SARE Professional Development Program. Core objectives of this short course are to:

  • Highlight the importance of crop, environment, and soil management for vegetable production in high tunnels
  • Provide a platform to share resources, knowledge, and expertise in the area of high tunnel vegetable production
  • Connect growers, agricultural educators, extension staff, and industry personnel working in high tunnels and in the area of local foods. 

Tentative schedule:

8:30 am

Registration and coffee/refreshments

9:00-10:00 am

Keynote speaker John Dindia, Michigan (Topic:)

10:00-11:00 am

Wenjing Guan, Purdue (Topic:)

11:00-11:45 am

Tour of the Reiman Gardens

11:45-12:30 pm

Lunch and networking

12:30-1:15 pm

Ann and Eric Franzenburg (Topic:)

1:15-2:15 pm

Liz Graznak, MO  (Topic:)

2:15-3:15 pm

John Dindia, Michigan (Topic:)

3:15-3:30pm

Evaluation and wrap-up

Registration is free but required. Please provide information below to register. Registration deadline is October 31, 2021.

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1 Start 2 Complete

High tunnel workshops to address common challenges

Friday, April 13, 2018 - 8:30am to 3:30pm
Event Type: 

AMES, Iowa – Three workshops will be held to help extension staff, county horticulturists, local food coordinators, industry representatives and growers learn to manage common challenges in high tunnels while also discussing new advances in high tunnel production. These workshops are supported by the USDA North Central Sustainable Agriculture and Research.

Topics to be covered include soil management, tomato grafting, insect and disease management and environmental control. A visit to a local farm operating a high tunnel is also part of the workshop. “Participants will learn how to protect the health of soil in a high tunnel so that it stays productive over the long term,” said Joe Hannan, commercial horticulture specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach.

The all-day classes will be held April 6 at the ISU Extension and Outreach Henry County office in Mt. Pleasant, April 10 at the North Iowa Fairgrounds’ 4-H Learning Center in Mason City and April 13 at the ISU Extension and Outreach Cass County office in Atlantic.

Ajay Nair, associate professor of horticulture and extension vegetable production specialist, will lead the workshops along with Donald Lewis, Joe Hannan, Laura Iles, and Lina Rodriguez-Salamanca, pathologist with the Iowa State University Plant and Insect Diagnostic clinic. Register by March 30 by filling the form below. Sign-in begins at 8 a.m. on the day of the workshop with workshop running from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There is no cost for the workshop, but registration is required as space is limited. 

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