Search results

2023 Iowa High Tunnel Short Course

Wednesday, December 13, 2023 - 8:30am to 3:30pm

Event Type:

IOWA HIGH TUNNEL SHORT COURSE
Date: Wednesday, 13th December, 2023; 8:30am-3:30pm
Venue: Iowa Arboretum, 1875 Peach Ave, Madrid, IA 50156

Welcome to 2023 Iowa High Tunnel Short Course. This short course is designed to highlight production and management of 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 Dr. Rachel Rudolph, University of Kentucky. Rachel is the Extension Vegetable Specialist at University of Kentucky. She works on high tunnel systems, abiotic disorders, crop nutrition, and soil fertility. Her research focuses on utilizing alternative approaches to manage issues in both the field and high tunnel systems, such as grafting with resistant rootstock to manage for root knot nematodes. Rachel has a B.S. in Environmental Studies from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, a M.S. in Plant & Environmental Sciences from New Mexico State University. She has a Ph.D. in Horticulture from Washington State University.

The short course will also host Andrew and Amy Phelps, Phelps Farm, Guttenberg, IA. They run an organic farm specializing in vegetables, beekeeping, and flowers. Dan Fillius from ISU Extension and Outreach will discuss Amish high tunnel technologies and Ajay Nair, Department of Horticulture, will discuss soil testing and soil test interpretation for high tunnel systems. The short course is supported by North Central SARE Professional Development Grant. 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 – Rachel Rudolph, University of Kentucky
10:00-10:45 am	Low Cost, High Tech – Andrew and Amy Phelps, Phelps Farm, Guttenberg, IA
10:45-11:30 am	Tour of the Iowa Arboretum (weather permitting) – Mark Schneider
11:30-12:30 pm	Lunch and networking
12:30-1:30 pm	Amish High Tunnel Technologies - Dan Fillius
1:30-2:15 pm	Management of lettuce drop in high tunnels – Rachel Rudolph
2:15-2:30 pm	Break
2:30-3:15 pm	High tunnel soil test interpretation – Ajay Nair
3:15-3:30pm	Final comments, Evaluation, and adjourn

Registration is free but required. Please provide information below to register. Registration deadline is 8 December 2023. Please register below.

Category:

Events

Tags:

tomato, pepper, cucumber, NRCS, season extension, flower

2022 Iowa High Tunnel Short Course

Wednesday, November 9, 2022 - 8:30am to 3:30pm

Event Type:

Workshop

IOWA HIGH TUNNEL SHORT COURSE
Date: Wednesday, 9th November, 2022; 8:30am-3:30pm
Venue: Garden Room, Reiman Gardens, 1407 S University Blvd, Ames, IA 50011

Welcome to 2022 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 Dr. Mark Hutton, University of Maine. Mark is the Vegetable Extension Specialist at the Highmoor Farm, University of Maine Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station located in Monmouth Maine. He conducts applied research in vegetable production and season extension in conventional and organic systems. Prior to joining UMaine Extension, he worked as a commercial vegetable breeder. He is from Hershey, Pennsylvania and earned a B.S. in Horticulture and M.S. in Entomology both from The Pennsylvania State University. His Ph.D. is in Genetics and Plant Breeding from the University of New Hampshire.

The short course will also host Monika Owczarski from Sweet Tooth Farm, Des Moines. This urban farm grows a variety of vegetables on a network of lots right in the heart of the city to tackle the issue of access to fresh fruits and vegetables and food insecurity. Sweet Tooth Farm is working collaboratively with Radiate DSM, another urban farm, to create the Rooted Farm Collective. There will be a session focusing on Cut Flowers in Tunnels. Dan Fillius from ISU Extension and Outreach will discuss high tunnel maintenance and Ajay Nair, Department of Horticulture, will cover potential cover crops that can be used in high tunnel systems. 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.

Registration is free but required. Please provide information below to register. Registration deadline is 4 November, 2022.

Tentative schedule:

8:30 am	Registration and coffee/refreshments
9:00-10:00 am	Keynote - High Tunnels in the Northeast Where Are We and Where Did We Start - Mark Hutton, University of Maine
10:00-10:45 am	Low-cost and DIY Tunnels for Basic Season Extension - Monika Owczarski, Sweet Tooth Farm
10:45-11:30 am	Tour of the Reiman Gardens – Ed Lyon
11:30-12:30 pm	Lunch and networking
12:30-1:15 pm	Prepare for high winds, from construction to daily/weekly maintenance to last minute preparations - Dan Fillius
1:15-2:00 pm	Cut Flowers in High Tunnels
2:00-2:45 pm	Cover Crops For High Tunnels – Ajay Nair, ISU
2:45-3:30 pm	Compost Utilization and Fertility in High Tunnels - Mark Hutton, University of Maine
3:30pm	Final comments and adjourn

Category:

Events

Tags:

tomato, pepper, cucumber, NRCS, season extension

You are here