April 22, 2022

If you have any events or news you'd like included in upcoming SWIFFI updates, please email me. You can also follow the SWIFFI Facebook page for updates.

Upcoming Golden Hills/SWIFFI Events

Join Practical Farmers of Iowa and Golden Hills at Ellen and Daniel Rosmann's farm for a free, public screening of Livestock on the Land! The film is a feature-length documentary that tells the story of regenerative grazing and its promise for the Iowa landscape. We'll have a social hour with snacks prior to showing the movie outdoors. Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy movie night on the farm!

Location:

Pin Oak Place at Rosmann Family Farms:

1240 Ironwood Rd.

Harlan, IA 51537

Saturday, May 21, 2022

7:30 - Social hour (PFI will provide snacks)

8:30 - Film begins (film is 1 hour & 15 min.)

Details will be available soon here.

IWCC Partnership Events

We're partnering with Iowa Western Community College on a series of sustainability classes this year. If you have suggestions of classes you'd like to see, please contact me. We are currently planning some canning/food preservation classes and two upcoming rain barrel classes. Learn more here.

We are currently planning farmer meetups and field days for 2022. If you are interested in hosting or have suggestions for topics or presenters, please complete this form. 

• Join teachers, early care professionals, farmers, food service staff, school garden coordinators and other network members across Iowa as we share ideas, resources, and successes to grow Farm to School and Early Care in Iowa. The free, one-day, virtual conference will offer attendees engaging virtual sessions to support beginning or expanding farm to school and early care and education efforts.
• Labor4Learning positions are still open! Find a trainer to help get your farming journey started. Are you looking to get paid, on-the-job training with experienced farmers in Iowa? The Labor4Learning program is designed for beginning farmers seeking employment and additional training in farm management and production skills. Practical Farmers of Iowa “trainer” farmers will be hiring during the next couple of months for the upcoming growing season. Browse the list for training opportunities near you!

• USDA Rural Development announced the availability of at least $19.75 million in total funding for Value Added Producer Grants. The application window to apply is open now. Online applications will be accepted until April 25, 2022 through grants.gov and paper applications must be postmarked by May 2, 2022. 
• The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) announced the publication of its brand new, fully updated Growing Opportunity: A Guide to USDA Sustainable Farming Programs. This free, comprehensive, practical guide is for farmers and ranchers who want to better understand which key federal programs offered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) can help them meet their needs and support their diversified, sustainable farming operations. The guide distills technical programs in a way that is accessible, serving as a valuable resource for farmers as they look for opportunities and financing to grow their farms and businesses and help build a more sustainable farming system.

• The Harrison County Welcome Center Farmers Market is still accepting vendors. If you or anyone you know is interested, email kdirks@harrisoncountyparks.org or call 712-642-2114 for more information and an application.
• Dunlap Farmers Market is accepting vendors for their monthly Main Street Farmers Market starting in May. Complete the vendor application here.
• The Treynor Farmers Market is seeking vendors on Tuesday Nights from 5-7pm starting June 7th. Contact them through their Facebook page or Kathy Klahn (Facebook or text 712-355-2855) for more information.
• Center for Rural Affairs' Beginning Farmer Conservation Fellowship Program is looking for farmer mentors to share their knowledge about conservation with beginning farmers.
• “Let Us Eat Lettuce” is a statewide effort to promote summer meal sites by celebrating local LETTUCE as the freshest vegetable of the summer. With a collective focus on this familiar, readily-available veggie, they hope to increase participation of children at Iowa summer meal sites AND support local producers. The “Let Us Eat Lettuce” campaign offers: $200 mini-grants for purchasing local food; Campaign promotion materials (banners, posters, editable community newsletters); Learning activities; & Technical Assistance for sourcing and purchasing local food.
• The First Acre Program provides free seed to any grower who is interested in planting up to one acre of Milpa Garden seed mix. In exchange for the free seed, growers are asked to harvest and donate at least 50% of the harvested produce to their local food banks, community, and neighbors. This is an opportunity to see first-hand the benefits of encouraging diversity in your soils through cover cropping and introducing the Six Soil Health Principles. With the added bonus of growing food, you have a unique opportunity to donate fresh produce.
• No More Empty Pots has a new, colorful refrigerated truck that's hitting the road to fight food insecurity. The truck will travel to 37 counties in Iowa and Nebraska.
• The new Guide to Regenerative Grazing Leases aims to empower private, nonprofit, and public landholders, as well as easement-holders and grazing tenants. It supports leases that incentivize management that fosters and restores diverse and healthy ecosystems, just and thriving communities, and profitable farm and ranch businesses
• Looking for On-farm Diversification? Consider Pastured Pigs - This article covers some of the benefits of pastured swine.
• With the recent detections of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in wild birds and domestic poultry in the United States, bird owners should review their biosecurity practices and stay alert to protect poultry and pet birds from this disease. Non-bird owners should also know the signs and symptoms of this disease for situational awareness and to help with the ongoing surveillance efforts. Learn more in this USDA bulletin.

Contact: Lance Brisbois | Golden Hills RC&D | lance@goldenhillsrcd.org