Location:
Pine Hill Farm
4022 Campfire Rd
Walker, Iowa 52352
RSVP: ilf@iastate.edu or 515-294-5429
Iowa Learning Farms will host an establishing and managing prairie field day near Walker on Wednesday, July 1 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Pine Hill Farm. The no-cost event is open to farmers and landowners and includes a complimentary meal.
This field day aims to assist farmers and landowners with establishing and maintaining prairie perennial vegetation. These areas offer many benefits including: pollinator habitat, reducing soil erosion from sensitive areas, building soil health, improving wildlife, providing beauty to the landscape and providing biomass for renewable fuel generation through anaerobic digestion.
The field day will feature hosts Jacob and Cassandra Kubuk discussing how they have incorporated and managed perennial vegetation on their farm to reduce erosion, improve soil health, water quality and ease of farming. Jacob will also share his experience with establishing prairies with his drill and provide recommendations on what has and hasn’t worked. Tim Youngquist, Iowa State University STRIPS program farmer liaison, will share results from over 15 years of research on prairie strips as well as practical recommendations for how to incorporate prairie on the agricultural landscape. A representative from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will also be on hand to share opportunities for support for establishing perennial vegetation. Weather permitting, a tour of the prairie will conclude the field day.
The field day will be held at Pine Hill Farm, 4022 Campfire Rd, Walker, IA 52352 The no-cost event and open to farmers and landowners, though we require reservations to ensure adequate space and food. For reasonable accommodations and to RSVP, please contact Liz Ripley at 515-294-5429 or ilf@iastate.edu by June 24. Attendees will be entered in a drawing for ISU Prairie Strips honey.
Iowa Learning Farms field days and workshops are supported by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.This event is held in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service under Federal Award No. NR233A750004G072.