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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. Kat Becker from Cattail Organics, Athens, WI will be speaking on plantings that are appropriate for high tunnels and caterpillar tunnels. Cattail Organics produces organic vegetables, seedlings, maple syrup and herbs for our Central Wisconsin Community. 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 Prioritizing what to plant in high tunnels vs. caterpillar tunnels – Kat Becker, Cattail Organics, WI
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. Please register below.

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2023 ISU Fruit and Vegetable Field Day

Tuesday, August 8, 2023 - 2:00pm to 5:30pm
Event Type: 

AMES, Iowa – Department of Horticulture at Iowa State University is hosting the 2023 Fruit and Vegetable Field Day on Tuesday, August 8, 2023 at the Iowa State University Horticulture Research Station near Ames. The annual event will feature various research and demonstration projects on fruit and vegetable production for commercial growers, extension personnel, non-profit organizations, and Master Gardeners. The field day will provide an opportunity to observe results and evaluate projects focusing on organic vegetable production, pepper, apples, grapes, biocontrol, and beneficial insects (bees, wasps, pollinators, etc.). Participants will have the opportunity to observe and evaluate tools and equipment suited for small and diversified farms. Funding for the event is provided by USDA NIFA OREI, NCSARE and IDALS Specialty Crop Block grant. The field day is organized in partnership with Practical Farmers of Iowa, Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, and the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. The ISU Horticulture Research Station is located at 55519 170th Street, Ames, IA. The field day will run from 2:00-5:30 p.m. followed by supper. Registration is free but required to count for supper. Please register below.

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Dana Jokela

Picture of Dana
Alumni
Territory Sales Representative for Johnny's Selected Seeds
Owner and Operator of Sogn Valley Farm in Cannon Falls, MN (http://sognvalleyfarm.com/)
Area of Expertise: 
Organic, no-till, strip-till

2022 Iowa High Tunnel Short Course

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

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

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2022 ISU Fruit and Vegetable Field Day

Monday, August 15, 2022 - 2:00pm to 6:30pm
Event Type: 

AMES, Iowa – Department of Horticulture at Iowa State University is hosting the 2022 Fruit and Vegetable Field Day on Monday, August 15, 2022 at the Iowa State University Horticulture Research Station near Ames. The annual event will feature various research and demonstration projects on fruit and vegetable production for commercial growers, extension personnel, non-profit organizations, and Master Gardeners. The field day will provide an opportunity to observe results and evaluate projects focusing on organic vegetable production, biochar, pepper, winter squash, apples, grapes, pest management in cucurbit crops, 3-sisters intercropping, and beneficial insects (bees, wasps, pollinators, etc.). Participants will have the opportunity to observe and evaluate tools and equipment suited for small and diversified farms. Funding for the event is provided by USDA NIFA OREI, NCSARE and IDALS Specialty Crop Block grant. The field day is organized in partnership with Practical Farmers of Iowa, Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, and the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. The ISU Horticulture Research Station is located at 55519 170th Street, Ames, IA. The field day will run from 2:00-6:00 p.m. followed by supper. Registration is free but required to count for supper. Please register below.

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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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2021 ISU Fruit and Vegetable Field Day

Thursday, July 22, 2021 - 2:00pm to 6:30pm
Event Type: 

AMES, Iowa – Department of Horticulture at Iowa State University is hosting the 2021 Fruit and Vegetable Field Day on Thursday, July 22, 2021 at the Iowa State University Horticulture Research Station near Ames. The annual event will feature various research and demonstration projects on fruit and vegetable production for commercial growers, extension personnel, non-profit organizations, and Master Gardeners. The field day will provide an opportunity to observe results and evaluate projects focusing on organic vegetable production, peppers, winter squash, apples, grapes, pest management in cucurbit crops, 3-sisters intercropping, and beneficial insects (bees, wasps, pollinators, etc.). The field day will also include demonstration of equipment for small and diversified farms. Funding for the event is provided by USDA NCSARE and IDALS Specialty Crop Block grant. The field day is organized in partnership with Practical Farmers of Iowa, Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, and the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. The ISU Horticulture Research Station is located at 55519 170th Street, Ames, IA. The field day will run from 2:00-6:30 p.m. Registration is free but required to count for supper. Please register below.

For more information contact:

Dr. Ajay Nair, Vegetable Specialist,                                                     
515-294-7080; nairajay@iastate.edu

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2019 Fruit and Vegetable Field Day

Monday, August 5, 2019 - 2:00pm to 6:30pm
Event Type: 

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is hosting the 2019 Fruit and Vegetable Field Day on Monday, Aug. 5, 2019 at the Iowa State University Horticulture Research Station near Ames. The annual event will feature various research and demonstration projects on fruit and vegetable production for commercial growers, extension personnel, non-profit organizations, and Master Gardeners. The field day will provide an opportunity to observe results and evaluate research projects focusing on high tunnels, organic vegetable production, peppers, sweet potato, pest management in cucurbit crops, hops, peaches, and beneficial insects (bees, wasps, pollinators, etc.). Funding for the event is provided by USDA SARE and IDALS Specialty Crop Block grants. The field day is organized in partnership with Practical Farmers of Iowa, Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, and the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. The ISU Horticulture Research Station is located at 55519 170th Street, Ames, IA. The field day will run from 2:00-6:30 p.m. Registration is free but required to get a count for supper. Please register below.

For more information contact:

Dr. Diana Cochran, Fruit Specialist,        
515-294-0035; dianac@iastate.edu

Dr. Ajay Nair, Vegetable Specialist,                                                     
515-294-7080; nairajay@iastate.edu

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