Search results

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:

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

Registration is now open for Practical Farmers of Iowa’s 2019 annual conference, “Cultivating Connections,” which will take place Jan. 17-19 at the Iowa State Center Scheman Building, on the Iowa State University campus in Ames. All are welcome. Full details are at our annual conference webpage.

Attendees will hear practical insights from their farming peers and other experts about everything from using cover crops to control weeds in field crops to niche pork production, biodynamic farming to profitably marketing meat, growing winter small grains to farm transition, eggplant production to adding prairie habitat, cultivating civility to organic dairying, rural mental health to regenerative grazing – and much more.

AMES, Iowa – Two workshops will be held to help growers, local foods coordinators, extension staff, county horticulturists and industry representatives learn to manage common insect and disease challenges in vegetable production in Iowa.

Topics to be covered include pest and disease management in vegetable production, weed management and how to correct nutrient deficiencies in vegetable crops. To make things interesting, there will be live plant samples with disease symptoms and disorders. Participants would be encouraged to take a small quiz to identify those diseases and disorders. The workshops are supported by a professional development grant by USDA North Central Sustainable Research and Education. Participants will have an opportunity to learn how to better protect their vegetable crops from both harmful diseases and insect pests, allowing them to have the best chance to remain profitable and sustainable.

Following are the workshop dates and venues:
1. April 26 at the ISU Extension and Outreach Johnson County office in Iowa City,
2. April 27 at the NICC Dairy Center in Calmar, IA.

Workshop will be led by Drs. Nair; Laura Iles, director of the Iowa State University Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic; Lina Rodriguez-Salamanca, plant pathology diagnostician with the ISU Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic; and Patrick O’Malley, commercial horticulture specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach.Online registration is required as space is limited. Use the section below to register. Registration must be completed by April 20, 2018. There is no cost for the workshop and lunch will be provided. Sign-in begins at 8 a.m. on the day of the workshop, with training beginning at 8:30 a.m.

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. Topics to be covered include soil management, tomato grafting, insect management and environmental control. A visit to a working high tunnel is also part of the workshop.

The workshops will be offered in three locations:
1. April 25 at the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Webster County office in Fort Dodge
2. April 26 at the ISU Extension and Outreach Wappelo County office in Ottumwa
3. May 2 at the ISU Extension and Outreach Dubuque County office in Dubuque.

Ajay Nair, assistant professor of horticulture and extension vegetable production specialist will lead the workshops along with Joe Hannan, commercial horticulture specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach; Donald Lewis, professor and extension entomologist; and Kristine Neu, graduate assistant in horticulture. Sign-in begins at 8 a.m. on the day of the workshop with classes running from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There is no cost for the workshops , but registration is required as space is limited. Register by April 18 at https://www.extension.iastate.edu/vegetablelab/high-tunnel-vegetable-production-workshop or by calling Kathy Beni at the ISU Extension and Outreach Dallas County office at 515-993-4281.

Two Eastern Iowa Farmers to Host Fruit and Vegetable Producer Meet-Ups

Ames, Iowa —Two fruit and vegetable farmers in eastern Iowa will host producer meet-ups to discuss the upcoming season, challenges and opportunities for fruit and vegetable growers, and to meet and network with other farmers over a cup of coffee. These meet-ups are free and open to all fruit and vegetable growers.

The first meet-up will take place on Tuesday, March 14, at Salt Fork Kitchen in Solon. Laura Krouse, who operates Abbe Hills Farms near Mount Vernon, will host the event. Laura grows vegetables for 200 families in the Mount Vernon area, and raises open-pollinated corn. Salt Fork Kitchen is located at 112 E. Main St., in the heart of downtown Solon across from the Main Street Market.

On Tuesday, April 4, Adam Hohl, of Harvestville Farm, will host the second meet-up on his farm near Donnellson. Harvestville Farm is a fifth generation family farm that raises pumpkins, vegetables, corn, and invites guests for “agri-tainment” on the farm. The farm is located at 1977 Highway 2, 1.2 miles east of town. From Hwy 27 (Avenue of the Saints). Harvestville Farm is located 1 mile from the exit on the left (north) side of the road.

Each meeting runs from 10 a.m. to noon, with refreshments provided. Registration is not required, but RSVPs are appreciated. To RSVP, contact Liz Kolbe at (515) 232-5661 or liz@practicalfarmers.org.

Staff from Practical Farmers of Iowa and Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, and Iowa State University horticulture faculty and extension specialists will attend each meet-up to contribute to the conversation, meet new farmers and gather farmers’ ideas for research and extension activities.

The 2017 IFVGA annual conference will be held at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny.  More information can be found at www.ifvga.org