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Tuesday, February 11, 2025 at 09:00 AM through February 12, 2025
FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny, IAIowa Specialty Producers Conference
The Iowa Specialty Producers Conference is an educational event for Midwest specialty crop producers to gather, network, and grow in knowledge and experience.
The event features two days of Sessions that focus on viticulture, enology, fruit, vegetables, business and marketing as well as a SARE Farmer Forum.
HOW TO ATTEND:
Register through the Iowa Specialty Producers Conference page at iowaspecialtyproducers.com
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Wednesday, February 12, 2025 at 12:00 PM · 28 rsvps
ZoomIOA Webinar: Direct Marketing for the Organic Farmer
Join us as we talk with Carly Zierke, an organic vegetable farmer at Sweet Season Farm, about how she promotes the farm and products to continue to grow her following.
Webinar topics
- Using email and social media to connect with farmers market customers
- Growing a loyal community
- Telling the farm’s story to build meaningful relationships
- Using weekly emails and farm updates on social media to help grow the farm's presence
About Carly Zierke and Sweet Season Farm
Carly Zierke grows certified organic vegetables with her husband, Ethan, at Sweet Season Farm in Calmar, Iowa. Since starting their farm in fall 2021, Carly has focused on connecting with customers at the Decorah Farmers Market and through a flexible market share "CSA" program. Drawing on her background in journalism, she uses storytelling to build strong relationships and foster a deeper connection between customers and local food.
How to attend
This webinar is free to attend. Simply register below and a link to the Zoom meeting will be emailed with your registration confirmation.
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Thursday, February 20, 2025 at 09:00 AM through February 22, 2025
La Crosse Center in La Crosse, WIMarbleseed Organic Conference
The Marbleseed Organic Farming Conference (held at the La Crosse Center) is widely known as the largest organic farming conference in the United States. Every year regenerative and organic farmers from a wide range of farm sizes, experiences, and backgrounds gather to learn the latest in organic farming methods, build community, and shape the future of the organic farming movement.
The Marbleseed Conference offers knowledge for all experiences from organic and sustainable farmers, homesteaders, food policy advocates and more. Join us for a lineup of inspirational and educational content and workshops tailored to organic and regenerative farming. Choose from dozens of transformative, skill-building workshops and roundtables covering business management, soil health, and production are crafted to advance resilient organic farms and regenerative food systems. Whether you’re certified organic, using organic practices on your regenerative farm, or considering the switch to organic, you’ll find the people, partners, and skill-building opportunities to help your farm business thrive.
HOW TO ATTEND:
Register for the Marbleseed Organic Farming Conference at conference.marbleseed.org
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Wednesday, February 26, 2025 at 12:00 PM · 3 rsvps
ZoomIOA Webinar: Robotic Milking on an Organic Dairy
Jason Wells from Wells Family Dairy Farm in Milton Iowa will join the Iowa Organic Association for a webinar about their organic dairy, their decision to switch to robotic milkers, and the positive and negative experiences they have had with with the milking robots.
Webinar Topics
- Making the decision to switch from parlor milking to robotic milkers
- Managing organic grazing requirements with the robotic milkers
- Herd health on an organic dairy
About Wells Organic Farm
The Wells Dairy Farm began in 1994 and has been certified organic since 2007. Jason Wells began his transition to organic farming in 1998 when he purchased a farm that had been in the Conservation Reserve Program and was ready to certify organic. Now the farm includes a combination of organic and conventional crops along with the 100 plus cow dairy.
How to attend
This webinar is free to attend. Simply register below and a link to the Zoom meeting will be emailed with your registration confirmation.
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Wednesday, March 12, 2025 at 12:00 PM · 10 rsvps
ZoomIOA Webinar: Soil Health for Organic Farms
In this Winter Webinar, we talk with Hillary Olson from the NRCS State Office. Hillary currently works as the State Soil Health Specialist and has worked for NRCS as a Soil Conservationist in various field offices across the state.
About Hillary Olson
Hillary Olson was raised on a family grain and farrow-to-finish hog farm in Central Iowa. She received a BS in Animal Science and an MS in Soil Science at Iowa State University. She has worked for NRCS as a Soil Conservationist in various field offices across the state. She and her husband farm in Central Iowa and have a row crop operation and a cow-calf herd. She has been in the State Soil Health Specialist role for Iowa NRCS since 2020.
How to attend
This webinar is free to attend. Simply register below and a link to the Zoom meeting will be emailed with your registration confirmation.
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Wednesday, March 26, 2025 at 12:00 PM · 3 rsvps
ZoomIOA Webinar: Organic Apples and Cider Production
The Iowa Organic Association is excited to host a webinar with Patti and George Naylor from Excellent Adventure Orchard! Beyond transitioning their land to organic they have also built native grass restored CRP prairie and wetlands, and added an apple orchard with a focus on hard cider making. Patti and George will talk about their cider apple varieties, their plans for making hard cider, and the ins and outs of organic perennial tree crop certification.
Webinar Topics:
- Organic certification for tree crops
- Selecting apple varieties for hard cider making
- Challenges in organic apple production
About Patti and George Naylor
The Naylors began their transition to organic production in 2014. Initially, when George moved back to the family farm in 1976 his intent was to farm organically, which at the time proved to be too difficult. It was the inspiration of his two sons that convinced George that the time was right to transition to organic. That same inspiration from the sons lead to an apple orchard on land that previously was used for corn and soybean production. Now the plan is to make hard cider from the apples they raise.
How to attend
This webinar is free to attend. Simply register below and a link to the Zoom meeting will be emailed with your registration confirmation.