Farmers, producers, consumers, and supporters of organic farming are invited to join the Iowa Organic Association for the 2024 series of Field Days. Spanning 11 unique events across the state, these Field Days offer an incredible opportunity to explore a diverse array of organic farming practices and innovations and share learnings that can empower others in their organic farming and production.
2024 Field Days Schedule
Tools and Techniques for Plant-Based Protein: Breeding Mung Beans at ISU
Friday, June 21
in Ames, Iowa
Dr. Arti Singh and Iowa State University's Department of Agronomy will share about current research to explore mung bean varieties for drought, disease, and pest resistance while also producing a high source of protein for vegetarian and vegan markets. The goal is to give Iowa farmers another crop option.
This IOA field day will focus on opportunities for organic producers to collaborate on research and take advantage of the growing market for organic producers. The event will include a field tour, presentations from Dr. Arti Singh, Dr. Paul Scott and Dr. Danny Singh about opportunities to supplement organic corn and soybean production with crops such as millet and field peas, and a demonstration of an AI-powered app that identifies insects and weeds.
Getting Started: Equipment Used in Organic Production - with A&W Farm Operations
Tuesday, July 9
in Cambridge, Iowa
During this free field day at A&W Farm Operations, we'll explore the equipment needed for organic row crop production. Noah Wendt will discuss their farm history and the various crops they produce in their organic rotation and share about (and possibly demo) the equipment used to manage tillage, planting, weeds, and more in their organic operation. You will also hear how Noah and Caleb Akin have refined and upgraded their equipment as their needs change and as they have learned what works best on their farm.
Organic Dairy Processing at Kalona Dairy
Thursday, July 25
in Kalona, Iowa
Take a tour of the Farmers Creamery where Kalona SuperNatural processes their fluid milk and butter products, and the Kalona Creamery where they produce Cream-top Yogurt, fudge, ice cream, and their world famous Squeaky Cheese Curds. In addition to the the creamery tours we will also hear from Phil Forbes, Kalona SuperNatural Farm Liaison, about the farms that they work with and how Kalona SuperNatural is growing and excited to work with more farmers.
Organic Field Equipment & Technology Demonstration
Friday, July 26
in Paullina, Iowa
Jaron and Liz Wilson of Seven W Farm will share how they integrate technology on their multi-generational organic farm. Jaron will give an overview of the Ag Open GPS software that he uses along with a Guidance Hitch in his planting and cultivation. He will show how he uses precision ag tools to save money and influence results in the field! The Wilson family will also discuss how they work together as the each manage different aspects of the farm business.
Jefferson County Farm Crawl: Blueberry Bottom Farm, Radiance Dairy, Premier1 and Pickle Creek
Sunday, July 28
in Fairfield, Iowa
Back by popular demand, IOA is hosting the second annual farm crawl in Fairfield, IA. Widely known as a culinary hotspot, Fairfield is a unique community of sustainable farms and businesses that work together to create a vibrant farm-to-table experience. This one of a kind experience features a delicious taco bar lunch at Radiance Dairy to kick off the farm crawl, with stops at Pickle Creek Herbs, Premier 1, and Blueberry Bottom Farm, before returning to Radiance Dairy for homemade ice cream.
Transitioning to Organic: Farm Tour and Discussion with Blake Hollis
Monday, August 12
in Waterloo, Iowa
Blake and Sally Hollis are inviting us to their farm for a hands-on opportunity to learn tips and tools to help with a successful organic transition. This free field day will include a tour of Lanehaven Farms, a cover crop demonstration, and discussions with the Black Hawk County NRCS and SWCD about resources available for new organic producers.
The Ins and Outs of Grass-Fed Organic Dairy Production with Phil Forbes
Thursday, August 15
in Kalona, Iowa
Meet us back in Kalona at Kalona SuperNatural as Phil Forbes, Farm Liason, takes us on a tour of two dairy farms that produce organic milk for Kalona SuperNatural.
Our farm tour will include visits to Howard Nisley's organic dairy and Milford Ropp's organic grass-fed dairy. At each farm we will learn about their organic production models, herd health protocols, cow grazing and feeding, and how Kalona SuperNatural works with their small(er)-scale farmers to succeed in the dairy industry. If you are interested in organic dairy production, grazing, cow health, and even organic markets this will be a great field day to attend!
Wholesale Organic Dairy Production with Organic Valley
Tuesday, August 27
in Decorah, Iowa
Come learn about organic, grass-fed dairy production with Parker and Esther Beard at Canoe Creek Dairy. This free field day includes a scenic hay bale ride, demonstration of the pasture grazing system, and an engaging discussion about opportunities for organic wholesale dairy partnerships facilitated by second-generation dairy farmers.
Wholesale Organic Vegetable Production with Organic Valley
Wednesday, August 28
in Decorah, Iowa
Dive into the world of organic wholesale vegetable production with IOA, Patchwork Green Farm, and Organic Valley at our free field day. Erik Sessions, Patchwork Green Farm farm manager, will provide an immersive, hands-on farm tour and presentation about wholesale organic vegetable production. Following the farm tour, Organic Valley representatives will lead a discussion about organic vegetable production opportunities and resources, wholesale partnerships and the on-boarding process, and information about partnerships with Organic Valley.
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Driftless Seed Supply Farm Tour
Thursday, August 29
in Spring Grove, Minnesota
The field day includes a tour of Driftless Seed Supply co-founder Cody Egan's farm and a time for questions and answers about organic vegetable seed production. Cody, along with co-founder Dylan Bruce, will talk about how the source their seeds, opportunities to grow seeds, the importance of regional seed production for farms, and so much more. Don't miss this opportunity to learn more about the value of regional seeds to growers in the same region, and the importance of organic seed production.
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Cultivating Resiliency through Intergenerational Collaboration: Tour of Organic Greenhouse, Straw Bale House, and Farmer Panel
Saturday, September 28
in Atlantic, Iowa
Roll on over for a free field day with Denise O'Brien and her husband, Larry Harris, at Rolling Acres Farm. This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to explore an organic farm and greenhouse, tour a newly constructed, carbon-neutral straw bale house, and learn about the benefits of cultivating resilient organic farming communities. True to their dedication to intergenerational resiliency, Denise and Larry recently built a straw bale house to help provide more living space at the farm as they welcome their children and grandchildren onto the farm. Tour the straw bale house and learn about the project from the lead contractor, Jim Schalles.
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Interested in exhibiting at a Field Day?
New for 2024, we are offering Field Day tabling for businesses and individuals interested in having a presence at the events:
- Just $100 per event for Seeder level sponsors, or reg. $500 per event
- Set up a table with your branding and information
- Meet event attendees before and after the event
- Participation in the Field Day
- Mentioned in event emails and on website ahead of the event