Equipping farmers to build resilient farms and communities.
Paul Mugge hosted back-to-back field days on his 300-acre organic row crop farm in Sutherland on Wednesday.

The first event focused on how Paul creates beneficial insect habitat and use prairie strips on the farm, and included discussion on the why and how of installing and managing prairie and habitat. Sarah Foltz Jordan of Xerces Society and Lydia English of the prairie strips project at Iowa State provided insight from their work at Paul’s farm and others.

The second field day covered weed control for organic row crops. Paul shared his keys to success including: crop rotations, mechanical cultivation and cover crops. 
NEWS
Tony Sarabia joins the Practical Farmers of Iowa staff as the new farmer outreach coordinator, a newly created position dedicated to helping farmers share their stories with each other and the broader public. In this role, Tony will coach farmers on talking to the media and speaking at events. He will interview farmers for articles and podcasts; write articles for PFI’s blogs and quarterly magazine; and help farmers write op-eds and get them placed in local media outlets.

Tony recently retired from a nearly 30-year career at Chicago Public Media-WBEZ Radio. His list of duties during his long career at the station included working as a general assignment reporter, Chicago City Hall correspondent, news anchor, arts editor and host of the station’s flagship daily public affairs program, “The Morning Shift.” 
Practical Farmers of Iowa is looking to hire a short-term contractor to build relationships with Iowa’s Latino community and increase their participation in our membership network .

We aim to connect with and learn about Latino Iowan farmer interests, as well as the barriers they face, so we can provide programming to help them begin and improve their farming careers.

This part-time, temporary contract position will run from approximately August 2019-January 2020, and will connect with Latino farmers, service organizations and Latino media outlets in Iowa to build relationships, learn about barriers and opportunities, and increase awareness about PFI.
UPCOMING EVENTS
If you're participating in RAGBRAI next week, be sure to stop by the PFI booth on Day 3 of the ride! We will be set up at Howell's Greenhouse and Pumpkin Patch on Tuesday, July 23 from 6-10 a.m.

Stop by to taste samples from our farmers -- including fresh blueberries, tomatoes and beef jerky. Cyclists can enjoy FREE fresh food, grown here in Iowa, plus visit with Practical Farmers staff and refill water.

(Note: Due to the location of road closures this year, the PFI booth will only be accessible to those riding in RAGBRAI.)
July 23: Field Day - RAGBRAI at Howell's Greenhouse
6-10 a.m. | Cumming

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
MEMBERS IN THE NEWS
Sam and Danielle Bennett of Galva were featured in the Storm Lake Times: Cover crops pay off
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.