(Clockwise from top left: DaQuan Campbell; Jill Beebout; Kathy Dice and Tom Wahl; Margaret Smith; and Arlyn Kauffman)

Storytelling is back! To close out our annual conference on Jan. 20-21, all conference attendees will come together to hear true stories, performed live, from a selection of PFI farmers.

If you enjoy bending your ear toward a lively, soberingly powerful or particularly well-narrated farmer tale, this storytelling event is for you!

If you need more convincing, check out last year's storytelling event!

ON THE BLOG

New blog: "Clever Contraptions: Portable Chicken Shed Made From Salvage"

Saving stuff (what some could consider junk) in case it “might be useful someday” is a fairly common practice on farms. Finding a second life in old materials can make economic, environmental and sometimes emotional sense.

For Natasha Wilson of West Fork Farm near West Chester, Iowa, the portable chicken shed that her dad built this year checks all three boxes.

Read more about how the Wilsons are repurposing materials for their farm in our latest blog.

Join PFI's communications and marketing team!

PFI's communications and marketing team is hiring for two positions:

• Media relations coordinator
• Senior digital marketing coordinator

You'll join a dynamic, purposeful and ambitious communications team that's passionate about driving food and farming narratives that showcase resilient agricultural systems.

The media relations coordinator will help to generate excitement and positive media coverage for PFI and our farmer members.

The senior digital marketing coordinator will help build and grow PFI’s network, engage and connect that network to PFI programming and create an overall positive, user friendly digital experience.

Getting Started in Farm Planning virtual series

When starting a farm, having a plan is an essential first step. The Getting Started in Farm Planning virtual series will help you evaluate your enterprises and design a farm plan.

Three virtual workshops featuring self-paced exercises will lead you through the process of creating a farm plan. You'll also connect to other farmers offering their experiences and answering your questions.

Register by Jan. 9 and let PFI help you define your farm dreams.

Register for PFI's Beginning Farmer Summit

Are you an aspiring or beginning farmer seeking land? Are you a landowner looking to help beginning farmers with land access? Register to attend our Beginning Farmer Summit, taking place Feb. 13 in Ames, Iowa.

This program is designed to help you identify your farm or land goals, give you the business skills you need to succeed and create opportunities for you to network within your farming community.

Register today!

Commercial-scale apple growers workshop

Join us at Wilson's Ciderhouse and Venue, in Iowa City, Iowa, on Feb. 7, to hear from regional experts on commercial-scale apple production. You'll have a chance to connect with other growers and venture out for a tour of orchard production at Wilson's, led by owner Paul Rasch.

Lunch featuring local foods will be provided, with time for meeting other farmers interested in this industry.

This workshop will explore keys to successful and sustainable apple production in the Midwest. Register today!

MEMBERSHIP

Please support PFI with a year-end gift

A message from PFI’s board president, Ann Franzenburg:

“[My husband] Eric and I were both fortunate to serve in leadership positions during times of pivotal decisions for PFI – from adding beginning farmer and land transfer programming to providing a suite of technical and financial assistance through PFI’s growing farm viability programming.”

“Despite all the organization’s growth, PFI’s emphasis on farmers teaching farmers has never wavered, and has continued to guide our work equipping farmers to build resilient farms and communities.”

“I invite you to join in the important work of PFI by investing in our organization. You can contribute with confidence, knowing that your financial support enables PFI to strengthen agriculture in Iowa and beyond through farmer-led priorities and research.”

Members in the News

Wendy Johnson of Charles City, IA, and Sarah Carlson, PFI's senior programs and member engagement director, of Pleasant Hill, IA, were featured in a video by We Don't Have Time: Re:Agriculture III

Beth Hoffman of Lovilia, IA, was featured in The New York Times: Jane Smith By the Book Interview

Seth Watkins and his family of Clarinda, IA, were featured in the Iowa Soybean Association's website: 2022 Leopold Conservation Award: Iowa award recipient named

Curt and Randy Van Kooten of Pella, IA, were featured on Green Iowa AmeriCorps' website: Dig Deeper: A Lesson in Regenerative Agriculture with Central College Students

Justin Raikes of Lincoln, NE, and Daryl Obermeyer of Brownville, NE, were featured in the Midwest Messenger's Livestock Roundup: Grazing: You're covered

Fred Kirschenmann was featured on Food Tank's website: U.S Farmers Need Incentives to Grow Organic Grains

Shaffer Ridgeway of Waterloo, IA, and Todd Western III of Maple Grove, MN, were featured in The Gazette: Agriculture boards lack diversity in Iowa, nation

Patti and George Naylor of Churdan, IA, Noah Wendt of Huxley, IA, and Caleb Akin of Cambridge, IA, were mentioned in The Atlanta Business Journal: U.S organic farming less popular with farmers, more with customers

Have you been featured in the media? If you're a PFI member, tell us when and where to find a link to the article, and we'll feature you in a future issue of Practical News.

Contact: rachel.burke@practicalfarmers.org

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