Last Sunday, Tika Bhandari and Marie Andre of Global Greens Farm in West Des Moines, Iowa, discussed with attendees how they are raising vegetables from their native countries on small urban plots. Global Greens Farm is an 8.5-acre incubator farm that also helps connect former refugee farmers with land access, business development assistance and technical support. 

It's hard to believe there are only two field days left. Join us as we close out the season!

Sign Up for PFI's Explore Farming Series

We're hiring a Latino engagement coordinator

Our small grains cost-share has reopened for 2023

Apply for PFI's cover crop cost-share

Let PFI help you get the money and technical support you need to seed fall cover crops.

You can receive $10 per acre on up to 200 acres or 10% of your farmed acres (whichever is larger), and $5 per acre on everything above that.

Follow this link for program requirements.

Field day: Regenerative Grazing With Mobile Infrastructure and Livestock Guardian Dogs

Oct. 5 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Wilton, IA

Join JR Jenkins of Pleasant Prairie Stock Farm, to learn about rotationally grazing cattle and sheep on pasture and cover crops.

JR solely grazes on leased land, breeds and trains livestock guardian dogs, direct markets 100% grass-fed beef and lamb, and owns a custom fence company.

We'll enjoy a potluck lunch with burgers from JR's beef at his cousin's wedding barn, where we'll also discuss agritourism.

Join us at our last field day of the season: Creating a Diverse Silvopasture Farm on Former Row Crop Ground

Oct. 8 | 2-4 p.m. | Clemons, IA

Tim Swinton will share how he’s turning his 11 acres of former row crop farmland into a highly diverse farm that encompasses a variety of food crops and conservation practices. Newly established tree and shrub species will create a functional silvopasture system to support fruit and nut production, and provide grazing space for goats.

SILT will be on site to share how their landowner consultation program can help other landowners like Tim explore their land’s potential, and provide tangible ideas for tapping into that potential.

Join us for our last field day of the season!

MEMBERSHIP

Last chance: PFI’s fall member drive is wrapping up!

Become a lifetime member of Practical Farmers of Iowa before Oct. 1 and save $200. All memberships in September – whether you join or renew – come with a cool gift. Join PFI and get access to the support you need to succeed:

• Farmer-led field days, conferences and workshops
• On-farm research
• Financial incentives and technical assistance for a wide range of practices
• Mentorships
• A vibrant community of networking, learning and support
• Business planning and coaching
• On-farm job training
• Land access and farmland transfer
• Outreach coaching and other leadership development
• Plus more!

Members in the News

Patti and George Naylor of Churdan, IA, Noah Wendt of Huxley, IA, and Caleb Akin of Cambridge, IA, were featured in the Des Moines Register: More consumers buying organic, but US farmers still wary

Maggie McQuown and Steve Turman of Red Oak, IA, were featured on KMTV: Rural farmers struggle without high-speed internet: 'The direction agriculture is going, it's critical'

Angela Tedesco of Johnston, IA, was featured on two programs about her recently published book:

• the Donna Lonna Kitchen Show podcast: Finding Turtle Farm With Author Angela Tedesco

• the AgArts from Horse and Buggyland podcast: Finding Turtle Farm: an Interview with Angela Tedesco

Matt Liebman of Ames, IA, co-authored an opinion essay in the Des Moines Register: We've done the research, and we oppose the proposed CO2 pipelines

Lee Tesdell of Slater, IA, Mike Helland of Huxley, IA, and Jeremy Gustafson of Boone, IA, were featured in a story on the Walton Family Foundation website: In Iowa’s Corn Country, Farmers are Leading Efforts to Protect Soil and Water

Seth Watkins of Clarinda, IA, was featured in The New York Times: Federal Government’s $20 Billion Embrace of ‘Climate Smart’ Farming

Kim Andersen of Brighton, IA, was featured on KCRG-TV9: Iowa farmer: ‘I think there’s a need’ for more organic operations

PFI in the News

Practical Farmers of Iowa was mentioned in the Des Moines Register: Iowa will test whether farmers can make money turning prairies, manure into renewable natural gas

PFI was mentioned on WHO-DM's "Hello Iowa" as a sponsor for the Des Moines Water Works Park Foundation's inaugural docuseries

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: maggie.norton@practicalfarmers.org