Equipping farmers to build resilient farms and communities.
On Tuesday, Practical Farmers of Iowa greeted RAGBRAI riders with fresh fruit and veggies, a water refill station and cheers when they biked through the RAGBRAI “ag oasis” at Howell’s Greenhouse and Pumpkin Patch near Cumming.

The stop was popular with cyclists, who had access to other vendors and activities, including goat yoga, a bathtub train ride and a petting zoo.
ON THE BLOG
NEWS
Our cover crop directory is a helpful resource for locating cover crop seed suppliers and seeding services in your area. Now, our cover crop directory is available online, with fully searchable and sortable tables for each service.

We will be regularly updating the directory so you have the most up-to-date list of businesses that sell cover crop seed and provide cover crop seeding services, custom cover crop spraying and seed cleaning.

Have a business to add? To get your business listed in the cover crop business directory, email jason@practicalfarmers.org with your business name, services offered, location and phone number.
Rebecca will support the strategic initiatives team by consulting farmers on cover crops, collecting and managing data from on-farm trials and quantifying the sustainability of various cropping systems. She looks forward to continuing to learn from the farmers with whom she works.

Rebecca hails from Le Mars, Iowa. She developed an interest in soil and the plants, people and societies it sustains while working in her family garden, visiting her uncles’ cattle farm and reading about global food issues.
Looking for fresh Practical Farmers gear to show your support? We're excited about our newest merchandise options, which include a fresh T-shirt design in two new colors (heather green or maroon) and two new hat options.

Visit our online storefront (which has also been updated) to see these, and other, PFI gear options.
Practical Farmers of Iowa will serve as a host site for one full-time Land and Water Steward with Green Iowa AmeriCorps, in partnership with University of Northern Iowa’s Center for Energy and Environmental Education.

The position is one of several Green Iowa AmeriCorps is currently recruiting for at sites across Iowa. All are full-time, 11-month positions that will begin in September 2019.

Read more about the program -- and if you're interested in the position at Practical Farmers, make sure you check the "Ames (LWS)" box under location.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Saturday, August 3 | 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Maxwell, IA
Hosted by: Bruce Carney
Sunday, Aug. 4 | 1:30 – 5:30 p.m. |
Van Meter, IA

With land access and farm transfer an increasingly daunting obstacle for farmers in Iowa, Practical Farmers of Iowa launched this event as a way to ignite dialogue, networking and greater understanding among beginning farmers, experienced farmers and landowners working toward farm succession.

The event is free, and will feature two workshops – one for beginning and aspiring farmers, another for farmland owners – that are meant to help participants better understand their goals and farm visions. The afternoon will also feature ample opportunities for conversation and networking.
Randy Jackson
The Case for Diversity: Extending the Crop Rotation
John and Halee Wepking
Bringing the Next Generation to the Farm with Small Grains
Join us by telephone on Friday, Aug. 2, to learn about the economic value of small grains in the rotation
Can small grains be grown profitably? David Hooker, a professor of agronomy at the University of Guelph, believes the answer depends on how you account for the benefits the small-grain provides across the entire rotation. On our next shared learning call, on Aug. 2 noon-1 p.m. David will discuss how he accounts for the true value of each crop in the rotation.

To join the call, dial (605) 313-5784 and enter passcode 239000# on Friday, Aug. 2 at noon.
Aug. 3: Field Day - Agroforestry
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Maxwell

Aug. 4: Workshop - Next Generation Summit
1:30-5:30 p.m. | Van Meter

Aug. 6: Field Day - Soil Health
2-7 p.m. | Buckingham

Aug. 7: Field Day - Growing Chestnuts
1-3 p.m. | Columbus Junction

Aug. 14: Field Day - Transition to Organic
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Remsen

Aug. 15-16: Conference - Small Grains Conference
Wisconsin Dells
Aug. 16: Field Day - Cultivating Farm Resilience
1-4:30 p.m. | Harlan

Aug. 18: Field Day - U-Pick Cut Flowers
2-4 p.m. | Donahue

Aug. 22: Field Day - Grazing Cover Crops
1-4 p.m. | Frederick, IL

Aug. 24: Field Day - Organic Apple Orchard
10 a.m.-Noon | Adel
MEMBERS IN THE NEWS
Paul Ackley of Bedford was featured in Midwest Messenger: Salvage the season with grazing cover crops
Have you been featured in the media? Tell us when and where to find a link to the article, and we'll feature you in a future issue of Practical News.