Business : Farmers Invited to Windbreak School and Fall Field Day in Southeast Iowa

Learn about windbreaks, timber, cover crops and more at Sept. 4 Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm Events

AMES, Iowa - Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is holding two separate events at the Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm near Crawfordsville on Sept. 4.

The Windbreak School will run from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and provide relevant information on effectively installing windbreaks.

Following this event, the research farm will host its Fall Field Day beginning at 1:30 p.m. Area farmers, agribusiness professionals and landowners are invited to hear research farm updates and learn from various tour topics.

Read more information about each event below.

This in-field and hands-on event will equip farmers, rural landowners, and natural resource professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively plan, implement, maintain and renovate windbreaks.

The Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm is establishing a new windbreak at the farm, which will serve as a live case study during the program.

"Windbreaks and shelterbelts act as critical farm infrastructure - providing energy savings, livestock growth gains, timber and non-timber forest products, wildlife habitat, odor and dust control, and aesthetics and privacy," stated Billy Beck, extension forestry specialist and assistant professor at Iowa State. "However, Iowa's aging windbreaks are simply not functioning as they should be due to general decline, storm damage, and insect and disease issues."

Participants will engage in four main topic areas:

• Design and Mechanics
• Establishment and Maintenance
• Renovation and Recovery
• Planning, Programs and Cost Share

Featured speakers include representatives from ISU Extension and Outreach, ISU Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic, Iowa DNR District Foresters, Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Coalition to Support Iowa Farmers.

To attend the Windbreak School, online pre-registration is required by Aug. 29. The registration fee is $30, which includes lunch, refreshments and course materials. This may be paid via cash or check and is due to the ISU Extension and Outreach Washington County Office by Sept. 2.

Check-in for this event will begin at 8:30 a.m.

For more information on the Windbreak School, contact ISU Extension and Outreach Washington County at 319-653-4811 or email Holly Beinhart at hollyb1@iastate.edu.

Area farmers, ag retailers, agribusiness professionals and landowners are invited to hear the latest from agriculture and natural resources personnel at the Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm

"We're excited to bring together farmers, researchers and conservation professionals for this year's Fall Field Day," said Rebecca Vittetoe, field agronomist with ISU Extension and Outreach. "It's a chance to see practical research in action and learn about tools and practices that can improve both productivity and sustainability on the farm."

The afternoon will begin with a research farm update from Cody Schneider, farm superintendent. Schneider will provide an overview of recent activities at the farm, highlight ongoing research projects and share details about a new tile drainage project being installed at the farm.

Next, Billy Beck, extension forestry specialist, and Lisa Louck, DNR district forester, will co-present on making timber acres work for you. They will focus on forest health, basic lumber care and woodland management strategies.

Attendees will then visit a cover crop demonstration plot, featuring various cover crop species and different cover crop mixes. Ethan Theis, extension conservation field specialist, will discuss how to select cover crop species to meet specific goals and share available cost share opportunities for farmers.

The final tour stop highlights the newly installed bioreactor at the farm, an edge-of-field water quality practice designed to reduce nitrates in tile drainage. Michelle Soupir, professor in agricultural and biosystems engineering, will share insights from her research on bioreactors and different carbon sources used inside bioreactors. Allen Brush, watershed coordinator for the West Fork Crooked Creek and Long Creek Watershed, will provide information on cost share programs available to support different water quality practices.

Check-in begins at 1 p.m., with the field day starting at 1:30 p.m. This event is open to the public at no cost due to the support from ISU Extension and Outreach, Iowa State University Research Farms and the Southeast Iowa Agricultural Research Association.

Certified Crop Advisers can earn 1.0 CEU in crop management and 0.5 CEU in soil and water management.

The Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm is located at 3115 Louisa-Washington Road, Crawfordsville. To reach the farm, follow U.S. Highway 218 1.75 miles south of Crawfordsville, then 2 miles east on County Road G-62, and 3/4 of a mile north. Signs for direction will be posted near the farm.

For more information on the Fall Field Day, contact your local extension field agronomists: Logan McCrea at ldmccrea@iastate.edu or 641-226-7102; Virgil Schmitt at vschmitt@iastate.edu or 563-263-5701; or Rebecca Vittetoe at rka8@iastate.edu or 712-540-3319.