Perennial vegetation workshop Feb. 1 in Washington

Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with Consortium for Cultivating Human And Naturally reGenerative Enterprises (C-CHANGE), will host a workshop on Tuesday, Feb. 1, from 10 a.m. to noon regarding the opportunities and challenges of incorporating perennial vegetation on farms. We welcome farmers and landowners to attend the free event, which includes a complimentary meal and will be held in the Jim and Evelyn Eash Banquet Room on the Washington County Fairgrounds.

Native perennials can generate profit as material for livestock feed and bedding, as well as anaerobic digestion. Targeted plantings on marginal land can also increase overall farm profitability, while providing numerous benefits for wildlife and pollinators, as well as improving soil and water quality. Workshop attendees will have the opportunity to learn more these opportunities, ask questions, and share their experiences.

The discussion will be facilitated by Liz Ripley, Iowa Learning Farms conservation and cover crop outreach specialist, Matt Woods, Iowa State University department of agronomy agricultural specialist, and Omar de Kok-Mercado, Iowa State University STRIPS project coordinator and communications lead.

The event is free and open to farmers and landowners, though we require reservations to ensure adequate space and food. For reasonable accommodations and to RSVP please contact Liz Ripley at 515-294-5429 or ilf@iastate.edu. Attendees will be entered in a drawing that evening for ISU Prairie Strips honey.

Iowa Learning Farms field days and workshops are supported by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and this project is supported by USDA NIFA award 2020-68012-31824. For more information about Iowa Learning Farms, visit www.iowalearningfarms.org.

About Iowa Learning Farms

Established in 2004, Iowa Learning Farms is building a Culture of Conservation by encouraging adoption of conservation practices. Farmers, researchers and ILF team members are working together to identify and implement the best management practices that improve water quality and soil health while remaining profitable. Partners of Iowa Learning Farms include the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Iowa Department of Natural Resources (USEPA section 319) and GROWMARK, Inc.