Equipping farmers to build resilient farms and communities.
Our virtual field day season is right around the corner! We're going to be hosting virtual events throughout the summer. Stay tuned to each week of "Practical News" to learn about dates for these events and how to join.

While we're going to miss in-person field days this year, we're excited to offer a diverse roster of virtual events to help farmers and supporters stay connected with one another.

In the photo above, Sarah Nizzi (left), of Xerces Society, Joanna Hunter and Billy Sammons smile as they ride through Paul and Karen Mugge’s field near Sutherland looking for insects on the prairie.
#PracticalResilience
This page provides links to some resources we have found particularly useful, from reputable sources that are frequently updated with current information.

If you have suggestions for resources we should add, or you're unable to find something you need, please contact any of our PFI staff and we will do our best to assist you.
PFI board president Wendy Johnson wrote this blog about the opportunity to increase the resiliency of local food systems.

Several PFI members were featured in a recent article in the Des Moines Register about the demand for locally produced meat.

A.J. Blair, Lynne Schnoebelen, Ryan Marquardt, Jason and Angela Johnson, Dave and Meg Schmidt and Jill Beebout were among the PFI members mentioned.
NEWS
Tom and Irene Frantzen of New Hampton conducted feeding trials over the course of three separate turns of pigs. Each turn consisted of pigs randomly assigned to groups fed two different rations:

  1. Standard corn/soy ration (control)
  2. Corn/hybrid rye/soy ration (treatment)
From the spring magazine:
Emma and Marcus Johnson of Buffalo Ridge Orchard in Central City are one of several trainer farms in our Labor4Learning program. Emma and Marcus are eager to hire a farm crew member who is motivated to learn about a diversified farm and apple orchard that uses both organic and integrated pest management practices.

"We would like the opportunity to provide training for running an orchard and vegetable farm mainly because the experience would have been extremely helpful to us in deciding to farm." - Emma and Marcus Johnson
UPCOMING EVENTS
Please join us during a one-hour virtual meet-up to talk about the ongoing changes and challenges specific to your farms and markets due to COVID-19.

These calls are now scheduled for every Wednesday at 3 p.m. through June 10.

May 6: Meet-Up - Strange Times
1 p.m. | Online

May 13: Meet-Up - Strange Times
1 p.m. | Online
May 20: Meet-Up - Strange Times
1 p.m. | Online

May 27: Meet-Up - Strange Times
1 p.m. | Online
IN THE NEWS
Members in the News
Wayne Koehler of Charles City and Lucia Gutierrez of Madison, WI, were featured in Wallaces Farmer: Variety selection key to success with small grains

Denise O'Brien of Atlantic, and Beth Buscher and Harriet Dickey-Chasins of Redfield were featured on Iowa Ingredient on Iowa PBS: Growing Leeks

A.J. Blair of Dayton, Lynne Schnoebelen of Madrid, Ryan Marquardt of Van Meter, Jason and Angela Johnson of Derby, Dave and Meg Schmidt of Exira and Jill Beebout of Chariton were featured in the Des Moines Register: As COVID-19 pandemic rocks meatpacking industry, Iowans turn to local farmers to buy meat

Wendy Johnson of Charles City wrote a letter to the editor published in the Des Moines Register: We have to stand with local farms (scroll down to the middle of the page to see Wendy's letter, or check out a longer version published on our blog)

Mark Jackson of Rose Hill was featured in Wallaces Farmer: Defining sustainability in farming today

Nathan Anderson of Aurelia and Matt Russell of Lacona were featured in the Des Moines Register: Iowa farmer appears in People magazine’s special Earth Day issue

Cait Caughey of Mondamin was featured in the Omaha World Herald: Refugees have land to be farmers again in new Lutheran Family Services program
PFI in the News
PFI was not featured in the news this week.
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.