IOA is a sponsor of Practical Farmers of Iowa's "Live Roller-Crimper and Weed Zapper Demonstration" virtual field day (2-part series).

Watch Levi Lyle roll-crimp a cereal rye cover crop with a dual-purpose goal in mind: 1) terminate the cover crop without herbicide or tillage and 2) lay down the cover crop as a mulch for weed control.

Levi is a partner on a project investigating reduced tillage in organic crop production systems. The project is headed by Dr. Kathleen Delate of Iowa State University.

On July 2 we'll take another look at the field with Levi and he'll also demo an electric Weed Zapper. 

Host: Levi Lyle | Levi’s Indigenous Fruit Enterprises

The Farm: Levi Lyle operates Indigenous Fruit Enterprises near Keota, Iowa, through which he seeks to contribute to the profitability and sustainability of small farms. Levi and his wife Jill also distribute fresh aronia berries and aronia honey to local markets. Levi works as an organic inspector for the Iowa Department of Agriculture.

Topics: Roller-crimping cover crops and reduced tillage for organic

Format: Virtual Field Day (#1 of 2 in Series)

Platform: Facebook Live

Register:  https://practicalfarmers.z2systems.com/np/clients/practicalfarmers/eventRegistration.jsp?event=182& 

Regenerative Farming & Ranching with Scott Gonnerman in Waco, Nebraska; June 9-11, 2020

The primary goal of the Soil Health Academy Scholarship Program is to inspire, educate, and equip both current and future generations of regenerative farmers, ranchers, and educators by providing scholarships to subsidize their tuition to attend a Soil Health Academy.

The Soil Health Academy Scholarship Program is available for the following groups of individuals:
1) Beginning Farmers or Ranchers
2) Student/Intern/Young Farmer/Rancher
3) Military Veteran Farmers/Ranchers
4) Agricultural Educators/Influencers - Institution, Agency, NGO, Ag Consultants, and others

Learn more: https://soilhealthacademy.grazecart.com/upcoming-schools 

Apply for a scholarship

IOA is partnering with Practical Farmers of Iowa to deliver an Early Season Organic Weed Control virtual field day.

In this virtual field day, Matt will show video of various passes of tine harrows and rotary hoes he made through the field earlier in June, and then we’ll take a live look at the field. He’ll also go over why and when he uses particular pieces of equipment, as well as the adjustments he makes. Learn about a European tine harrow Matt says is uncommon in Iowa but is starting to gain more attention.

Host: Matt Miller

The Farm: Matt Miller farms near Bristow, Iowa, and has been certified organic since 2000. His current operation is around 1,000 acres, which are split between organic and conventional crops. His organic crop rotation consists of corn, oats and clover, corn and soybeans.

Topics:

• Mechanical weed control
• Tine harrow
• Rotary hoe

Format: Virtual Field Day

Platform: Facebook Live

Registration is coming soon: https://practicalfarmers.org/events/field-days/early-season-organic-weed-control/

IOA is a sponsor of Practical Farmers of Iowa's "Flame Weeding and Crop Rotation for Weed Control" virtual field day.

Learn how Noah Wendt and Caleb Akin uses a flame-weeder as one of many tools for weed management on their organic farm. We'll check out a field that was previously flame-weeded and Noah and Caleb will also show video from a few weeks prior of the flameweeder in action. They'll also discuss the importance of including a small-grain crop in the rotation for their weed management strategy.

Hosts: Noah Wendt & Caleb Akin | A & W Farms

The Farm: Caleb Akin started A & W Farms with Noah Wendt near Cambridge, Iowa, in 2006. A & W Farms feeds cattle, produces conventional corn and soybeans and grows a variety of organic grain.

Field Day Topics:

• Flame-weeding
• Crop rotation with small grains

Format: Virtual Field Day

Platform: Facebook Live

Registration is coming soon: https://practicalfarmers.org/events/field-days/flame-weeding-and-crop-rotation-for-weed-control/

Acknowledgements: This material is based upon the work supported by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under number NR193A750008G004. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect views of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

IOA is partnering with Practical Farmers of Iowa to deliver "Approaching Oats as a Cash Crop" farminar.

Oats are becoming a hot commodity as more grocery shoppers reach for oat-based products -- but in the field we're still treating them like a second-class crop. This virtual field day will showcase the steps Scott Wedemeier has taken to step up oat production on his organic crop and livestock farm, including his participation in a cooperator trial for better oat variety selection.

IOA is a sponsor of Practical Farmers of Iowa's "Live Roller-Crimper and Weed Zapper Demonstration" virtual field day (2-part series).

Levi Lyle will share results from Part 1 "Live Roller-Crimper Demonstration" to show termination of the cereal rye cover crop and how the mulch is performing as weed control.  Levi will also demo an electric Weed Zapper. 

Levi is a partner on a project investigating reduced tillage in organic crop production systems. The project is headed by Dr. Kathleen Delate of Iowa State University.

Host: Levi Lyle | Levi’s Indigenous Fruit Enterprises

The Farm: Levi Lyle operates Indigenous Fruit Enterprises near Keota, Iowa, through which he seeks to contribute to the profitability and sustainability of small farms. Levi and his wife Jill also distribute fresh aronia berries and aronia honey to local markets. Levi works as an organic inspector for the Iowa Department of Agriculture.

Topics:

• Roller-crimping cover crops
• Using a Weed Zapper to control weeds

Format: Virtual Field Day (#2 of 2 in Series)

Platform: Facebook Live

Registration is coming soon: https://practicalfarmers.org/events/field-days/impact-of-roller-crimping-cereal-rye-live-weed-zapper-demonstration/