Host Tim and Mandy Youngquist, will help you explore ways to turn cropland into spaces into thriving habitat that supports critical insect populations. Tim will share practical steps for preparing low-diversity land for this transition. He’ll also share ways to build diverse and resilient native plant communities. On this walking tour, learn how prairie supports…
Prairies evolved with periodic disturbance from drought, fire and grazing. Without these pulsed “setbacks,” woody encroachment or grass threatens to diminish the robust diversity that’s the hallmark of the tallgrass prairie. Over the last few years, Stennie Nelson has been working with Doug Chafa, land manager and biologist with the Iowa DNR, as part Doug’s…
Mike DeCook and his sons, Joshua and Wyatt DeCook, operate DeCook Ranch in Monroe County, Iowa. Over the last 30 years, they have managed 800 acres of pasture, custom-grazing 600 head of cattle. One of their goals has been to create a welcoming habitat for grassland birds. They use fire to mimic grazing and have…
Join a dynamic group of retailers, ingredient companies, and brands for an interactive workshop and field tour featuring functional uses, compelling consumer storylines, and innovation opportunities for new food ingredients that support regenerative agriculture and resiliency goals. See demonstrations of Kernza perennial grain, hybrid hazelnut, and American elderberry ingredients and functional uses. Hear success stories of…
Catherine Schut owns and operates Hive and Petal, a boutique flower farm in Prairie City, Iowa, focused on specialty blooms and honeybees. Catherine grows unique seasonal flowers, from winter tulips and spring peonies to dried florals, using thoughtful, organically inspired practices that prioritize soil health and pollinators. At this field day, Catherine will lead…
Ken Fawcett has been part of Fawcett Family Farms for decades. The operation, in Cedar County, Iowa, is now run by Ken’s son, Thomas, and nephew, Kent Stuart. But though retired, Ken is still passionate about the legacy and stewardship of the family ground. Over the last 50 years, Ken and his family have adopted…
Fawcett Field Day Flyer 7-28 Join Heartland Co-op for a field day at Fawcett Farms. Bring the whole family for this one! There will be a bounce house, swimming, and fishing. Be sure to RSVP if you’d like supper. At this field day, expect to see cover crop equipment, a drone demonstration, riparian…
The Adam family has farmed their land near Harper, Iowa, since 1851. Eric and Madison Adam are trying to manage the ground with the next 175 years in mind. One of the tools they’re using is grazing land set aside in the Conservation Reserve Program. Eric believes that CRP is an investment in soil health…
Jim O’Connell and his son, Casey, specialize in corn and soybeans at O’Connell Farms in Linn County, Iowa. For the past 17 years, Jim has planted cover crops green into both corn and beans on all his acres. His farming practices are focused on reducing nitrates from water that leaves his land. He uses a…
In 2018, Selden Spencer purchased farmland along White Fox Creek in Hamilton County, Iowa. The 100-acre property, previously owned by Ray Fry, is a mixture of cropland, woodland, ravines and riparian corridors. Ray still manages the property today. Before he sold the land, Ray worked diligently alongside The Nature Conservancy to restore an oxbow along…