Join IOA and O'Connell Organic Acres for a free field day at their diversified organic row-crop and organic livestock farm!

The field day will include a pasture and field tour discussing the benefits and challenges of integrating organic row-crops and organic livestock on one farm. Beyond raising the crops and livestock the O'Connell family also direct markets their organic farm products to consumers. There will be plenty of time for questions about organic certification, having organic certified meats processed for retail sales, farming with multiple generations, and so much more.

This is going to be a very exciting field day and we can't wait to have you join us at O'Connell Organic Acres!

About O'Connell Organic Acres

O’Connell Organic Acres is located in the rolling hills of the Bankston farming community in Eastern Iowa. The farm has been in the O’Connell family for over 150 years, making it a certified Heritage Farm of Iowa. Currently the farm is owned and operated by fifth and six generation O’Connell families. The farm is fairly diverse with a mixture of pastures, cultivated crops, and timber.

With a desire to keep his farm profitable, without joining the trend of becoming more industrialized, John decided to certify the farm Organic in 2003. This seemed like a natural choice aligning with his views on sustainable and community based farming practices. At first, the focus of the farm was producing different organic crops for animal and human consumption as well as raising cattle for the numerous benefits to the operation. Seeing the benefits that the cattle brought to the land, John’s son, Chris, decided to devote his efforts to expanding the herd and providing 100% grass-fed organic beef to the community in 2011. The farm continued to diversify with John’s youngest son, Kevin, adding hogs, broiler chickens, and sheep in the years to follow. Providing locally and responsibly produced pasture-based organic meat is very important to the O’Connells. They continually strive to educate themselves and improve their farming practices to better serve their land and the community.

Email [email protected] if you wish to sponsor or exhibit at this event.

Funding Acknowledgement

This material is based upon work that is supported by the USDA's Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the TOPP and U.S. Department of Agriculture.