Practical Farmers list ?Farminars?

Practical Farmers of Iowa, an organization that advances profitable, ecologically sound and community-enhancing approaches to agriculture, will be hosting eight online seminars called Farminars on Tuesdays from Nov. 1 through Dec. 27.

Farminars provide an opportunity for farmers to learn from other farmers in the off-season without having to travel. Any computer with an Internet connection may be used to participate. 

All eight Farminars will feature a beginning farmer learning from an experienced speaker. Participants can view the program live online and ask questions throughout the presentation in real time. Expert speakers include a farmer who is a social media power user, a farmer proficient in seeding pasture, farmers who market specialty meats, innovative fruit and vegetable farmers, a USDA beginning farmer farm loan manager and a local foods wholesale distributor. Topics include farm financing, wholesale marketing, social media, successful pasture seed mixes, marketing grass-fed beef, affordable season extension, record keeping best practices and high tunnels.

To register and participate in the Farminars, visit www.practicalfarmers.org/farminar. Recordings of previous Farminars, which number 36 to date, also can be viewed at this URL.

The first Farminar, ?Financing options for beginning farmers,? is from 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday,

From bank loans to USDA beginning farmer loans and small business development loans, this Farminar will review financing options for beginners.

The Farminar will feature Jason Jones and Erin Drinnin, beginning farmers in Des Moines. They are looking for financing to start their own business, Wilted Leaf Farm.

It also will feature Andy Hunziker, farm loan manager for the Boone County USDA Farm Service Agency, who administers the agency?s loan programs that provide financing for beginning farmers in central Iowa.

The second Farminar, ?Wholesale marketing with distributors: What farmers need to know,? is set from 7-8:30 p.m. Nov. 8.

The program focuses on food safety, packaging, and ordering and delivery details to sell produce to a wholesale market.

The Farminar will feature Kathy Hohl of Donnellson, who co-owns Kathy?s Pumpkin Patch with her son Adam Hohl and his wife Julie. The pumpkin patch is part of Kathy and her husband Greg?s diversified crop and livestock farm. The family farm includes 40 acres of pumpkins, squashes and gourds, as well as other crops that support a full growing season of produce for a Community Supported Agriculture. Kathy?s Pumpkin Patch markets a variety of cabbages, lettuces and winter squash through Local Harvest Supply.

It also will feature Phil Danowsky, of Local Harvest Supply. He buys produce from 21 local growers and sells it under the Local Harvest brand to wholesale buyers for their consumer markets. This takes the marketing burden off growers and allows Local Harvest to provide greater variety and availability of fresh local products to wholesale customers.

The Nov. 15 Farminar, ?How to better use Facebook to increase your farm?s sales, will be from 7-8:30 p.m.

Participants will learn more about how to make Facebook an effective marketing agent for their farm.

Thomas Burkhead works for Juan O?Sullivan?s Gourmet Salsa in Cumming as the food production assistant. A recent marketing and business graduate from Drake University, Burkhead assists in all aspects of the operation: horticulture, marketing, social media management and procurement. 

Lorna Wilson of Paullina is no beginner to farming, but is a novice social media user. She and her husband Dan operate their family business, Seven W Farm, along with their oldest son Torray and his wife Erin. In 2011, this family farm managed 424 acres of organic row crops and raise pork, poultry, grass-fed lamb, beef and beehives for honey.

?Pasture Seed Mixes for Success? will be from 7-8:30 p.m. Nov. 22.

Participants in this Farminar will learn which species of grasses and legumes to choose for pastures and what seeding rates will establish a good stand.

The program will feature Karl Dallefeld of Worthington. He has 25 years of experience with forages and grazing to offer guidance to beginners establishing pastures. He enjoys working with farmers to improve animal performance on pasture and soil health for happy animals.

It also will feature Eric Madsen, who, since graduating from college a few years ago, returned home to start a hay enterprise while assisting his parents Vic and Cindy, on their family farm near Audubon. They raise certified-organic row crops, small grains and deep-bedded hogs in hoop buildings. They are moving toward a rotational grazing model for their beef cattle production.

?The marketing of grass-fed beef? is set from 7-8:30 p.m. Nov. 29.

This Farminar will cover techniques to successfully market products.

It will feature Tom and Mary Cory, who own The Cory?s at Prairie Hill Farm, a family farming operation near Elkhart. Since 1997, the Corys have marketed frozen, packaged lamb at the Des Moines Farmers? Market. In the past several years, they have added goat meat and grass-finished beef. They also sell through the Iowa Food Cooperative and the new Ames Main Street Farmer?s Market.

The program also will feature Dave Schmidt, a beginning grazier, who returned to Iowa after college to graze livestock near Garwin. This year, he purchased his first eight bred heifers and began establishing his grazing system. He intends to market the first five steers when they are finished in approximately June.

More Farminars are planned in December.