WELDON — Iowa Learning Farms will host a field day at the Arlyn Kauffman farm near Weldon Thursday, Aug. 1, beginning at 5 p.m. The field day will focus on cover crop management and conservation farming practices for southwestern Iowa soils.
A farm tour will be held and David Otte, cover crop expert from Kahoka, Mo., will be the guest speaker. He will talk about managing cover crops and hold a question and answer session, as well. Also speaking is Sarah Carlson with Practical Farmers of Iowa, and local Natural Resources Conservation Service staff Lori Schwalbe, who will review cost-share opportunities for cover crop usage.
The field day includes a complimentary evening meal immediately after the farm tour. Attendees are asked to meet at the field first, located at 25705 120th St., in Weldon.
From Weldon, take R48 (250th Ave.) south out of town two miles to 120th Street. Turn left (east) and travel 3/4 mile to the field site. The meal will be at Kauffman structures, 25186 Popcorn Road (J22), located one mile south of the field site. The event is free and the public is invited to attend. Iowa Learning Farms and Practical Farmers of Iowa are sponsors for the field day.
Iowa Learning Farms takes a grassroots approach offering innovative ways to help all Iowans have an active role in keeping our state’s natural resources healthy and not take them for granted.
A goal of Iowa Learning Farms is to build a culture of conservation, encouraging the adoption of residue management and conservation practices. Farmers, researchers and ILF team members are working together to identify and implement the best in-field management practices that increase water and soil quality while remaining profitable.
Iowa Learning Farms is a partnership between the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa Natural Resources Conservation Service and Iowa Department of Natural Resources (USEPA section 319); in cooperation with Conservation Districts of Iowa, Iowa Farm Bureau and Iowa Water Center.