On Tuesday, Practical Farmers held a virtual cover crop boot camp. If you weren’t able to make the live event, or want to revisit a few of the sessions, watch below.

We recorded presentations from Chad Bell and Rebecca Clay on cover crop economics, and from experienced cover cropper Nathan Anderson and new cover crop user Keaton Krueger as they discuss planter set-up, nitrogen, planting green and one another’s cover crop challenges and ideas.

Accounting for a nitrogen credit from your legume cover crop can reduce corn production expenses while minimizing the risk of a nitrogen deficiency to corn.

Read the recently published blog post on estimating nitrogen availability to corn following clover or alfalfa.

The Labor4Learning program is designed for beginning farmers seeking employment and additional training in farm management and production skills.

Trainer farms are now hiring! Take a look at the list of farms seeking employees.

Practical Farmers of Iowa is seeking an outgoing and dedicated professional to join our staff as livestock coordinator.

The livestock coordinator will work closely with many types of farmers, enterprises and systems, including conventional and organic, medium- and small-scale livestock farmers and graziers comprising beef, swine, sheep, goat, poultry and dairy farmers.

Pollinators face many threats, including a changing climate.

In the recording of this farminar, learn more from Xerces Society climate change lead, Angela Laws, about how climate change impacts pollinators.

Also hear from Sarah Nizzi, Xerces Society farm bill pollinator conservation planner and NRCS partner biologist, about the cost-share and technical assistance programs that can help you sustain pollinators on your farm.

Beginning farmer Margaret Chamas raises livestock at Storm Dancer Farm in Smithville, Missouri, and has been a member since 2010.

A former PFI staff member, Margaret has continued to find value in Practical Farmers' network and resources as an extension agent in Kansas, and now a farmer in Missouri.

Margaret became a lifetime member in 2020, saying, "I love the support seen in the email discussion group conversations, the camaraderie at the annual conference and the phenomenal quality of research reports and other educational resources being output."

Become a lifetime member with Practical Farmers of Iowa today to skip the renewal notices and retain PFI's member benefits for life!

Attend weekly meet-ups to learn from others and share your spring field crop management expertise. Discussion topics will vary from week to week, but may include: cover crops, small grains, legume cover crops, herbicide or tillage termination, organic cover crops, grazing cover crops, summer silage, nitrogen placement, manure application and how these aspects affect corn or soybean production.

Farmers, bring your thoughts and questions; we’ll work together to try to address as many as we can. For those with cows that are calving, wear your headset in the barn and dial in to join us – no need to be in front of the computer!

Join fellow horticultural farmers on Fridays from 4-5 p.m. CDT for a series of virtual meet-ups to close out the winter!

These events are FREE and open to all growers. You don’t have to be a PFI member to attend. If you grow annual vegetables, perennial fruits, nuts or cut flowers – or if you direct-market other products (meat, cheese, etc.), and these topics look interesting – please join us!

Edge-of-field practices like saturated buffers, constructed wetlands and bioreactors can improve water quality by treating agricultural drainage flowing through tile lines. In this pop-up farminar, hear from Chris Platner, a farmer in Linn County, Iowa, about his partnership with the Indian Creek Soil Health Partnership and why he decided to install a bioreactor on his farm.

Emery Davis, the soil health coordinator for Linn County, will discuss the specific merits of edge-of-field practices, along with technical and financial assistance opportunities available to farmers and landowners interested in installing a bioreactor or other conservation method on their farm.

Jacob Bolson of Hubbard, IA, was featured on Iowa Soybean Association's website: Experience Class Showcases Iowa Soybean Association to Farmers, Industry Leaders

Jordan and Whitney Clasen of Johnston, IA, were featured in the Des Moines Register: Des Moines metro farm couple are asking the community to join them in a modern-day barn raising

Kevin and Ranae Dietzel were featured in three articles in Feast and Field:

Jordan Hansen of Hudson, IA, was featured in Rootstalk: Changing with the Changing Times: Running a Modern Dairy on a 150-year-old Farm

Mary Swander of Kalona, IA, was featured in Rootstalk: Farm to Fork Tales

Suzan Erem of West Branch, IA, and Jordan Clasen of Johnston, IA, were featured on Cool Solutions podcast: Land for New Farmers. 

George Naylor of Churdan, IA, wrote an op-ed that was featured in Iowa Farmer Today: Amid protests, where do U.S. farmers stand?

Last week, we shared the wrong link in the item about Helen Gunderson. She was mentioned on Iowa State University Library's website: The Road I Grew Up On: Requiem for a Vanishing Era, a conversation with author Helen Gunderson

Have you been featured in the media? Tell us when and where to find a link to the article, and we'll feature you in a future issue of Practical News.

Contact: tamsyn@practicalfarmers.org