Small Grains News: Shared learning calls are back + The full PFI event line-up for early 2023!

Equipping farmers to build resilient farms and communities.

Meet PFI annual conference speaker: Harold Wilken

Harold is a grain farmer and the owner of both Janie's Farm and Janie's Mill. Alongside his family and other team members, Harold grows and processes grains for sale into a variety of markets in the Midwest and beyond.

Harold Wilken (right) and son Ross Wilken (left)

Session Details:

Food-Grade Small Grains From Farm to Mill | Jan. 20 | 2-3 p.m.

Janie’s Farm and Janie’s Mill in Danforth, Illinois, are successfully operating under a unique business model: growing, processing and direct-marketing their own food-grade grains. In this session, Harold Wilken will share how he and his team are growing food-grade grains for milling, operating their own mill and making space for their business in Midwest markets.

Harold had the following to share about his upcoming conference session and attending the annual conference:

Key learning outcomes: “I want people to think about opportunities to go to food-grade not only to capture a premium, but to feed people. We will discuss the steps you need to take to do both.”

What are you looking forward to? “I love to go to sessions, but for me it is the networking - meeting people and making connections - because you never know who you could meet and what you might learn.”

PROGRAM UPDATES

Blog recap: Incorporating Small Grains in Livestock Rations to Achieve Regenerative Goals

The December shared learning call featured Keith Gorham of Gorham Family Farms in Illinois. Keith shared his experiences growing and feeding small grains to cattle, pigs, poultry and goats.

Read all about Keith’s improved profitability by reducing inputs and off-farm expenses by growing and feeding small grains to his livestock in this recap blog.

Shared learning call on Jan 6: The Many Uses of Red Clover

Hear from Wisconsin farmer Scott Schultz on Jan. 6 from noon-1 p.m. about his operation frost-seeding red clover ahead of wheat and his use of medium red clover and diverse covers as a feed source.

Scott and his family farm on 200 acres where he rotates corn, soybeans and wheat with diverse cover crop mixes between each cash crop including rye, oats, vetch and red clover. He raises 30 beef cows in his cow-calf operation that he will graze on cover crops and he will also bale covers, like his clover, for feed.

Join us to learn more about Scott’s operation and the role red clover plays on his farm.

IN THE FIELD

Blog: FAQ: Small Grains Market Decisions

Review frequently asked questions from small grains growers answered by industry professionals in this 2022 blog post.

If you are looking for a small grains market or need to know local market specifications this might be worth the read!

Production of Small Grains for Seed Markets

Watch this recording of panelists from the 2019 Small Grains Conference as they discuss the intricacies of selling small grains as cover crop seed.

Panelists presented on production and management of small grains for seed, as well as the rules that govern seed production and sales in Wisconsin.

Rotationally Raised

It is always worthwhile to revisit PFI’s Rotationally Raised video series!

Watch this quick video short and read the summary on finding a market for small grains, and addressing market challenges.

Additional Resources

UPCOMING EVENTS

One month out: Register for the annual conference today!

The annual conference is just around the corner! Check out some small grains-centric sessions and register below!

Food Grade Small Grains from Farm to Mill with Harold Wilken
Routable: Addressing barriers to Food-Grade Field Crops in the Midwest
Farmer to Farmer: Wade Dooley & Landon Plagge
Roundtable: Beyond Corn and Soy - The Future of Extended Rotations
Incorporating Perennial Ground Cover in Row-Crop Production

Learn more & register here

Midwest Covers & Grains Conference: March 2nd!

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Don’t Farm Naked! PFI’s inaugural Midwest Covers & Grains Conference will be held at the Kirkwood Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on March 2, 2023!

This brand new event will combine and replace the former Cover Crop Bootcamp and Small Grains Conference.

Topics for discussion this year include a deep dive into small grains agronomy, growing cover crops for seed, relay cropping and more!

Registration will open on January 3rd - and the first 50 registrants will receive a Don’t Farm Naked T-shirt!

Get this on your calendar now!

PFI’s Farminar season begins January 10th!

Farminars are Practical Farmers’ version of a webinar – a farmer-led webinar! These 90-minute, online presentations are FREE for everyone, and we encourage attendees to come with questions for the chat box!

Farminars are held Tuesdays, 12-1:30 p.m. Central Time, from January to March.

Field crops feature Feb. 7: “Thinking Through Cover Crops: How to Set Goals, Design Optimal Seed Mixes and Minimize Costs” – Thomas Björkman

Cover crop mixes can help farmers add diversity or achieve specific on-farm goals like cover crop grazing, weed control or improved soil fertility. But if these mixes are created without identified cover crop goals in mind, mixes with many species can simply feel like an additional expense without clear benefit.

This farminar will discuss how to tailor your summer or fall cover crop mix and match your on-farm goals while keeping costs in check.