Prairie Field Day to be held near Washington in August

AMES — Iowa Learning Farms will host an establishing and managing prairie field day near Washington Thursday, Aug. 5 from 5:30 -7:30 p.m. at Rob and Jean Stout’s farm.

The no-cost event is open to farmers and landowners and includes a complimentary meal.

This field day aims to assist farmers and landowners with establishing and maintaining prairie perennial vegetation. These areas offer pollinator habitat, reduce soil erosion from sensitive areas, build soil health and provide beauty to the landscape.

The field day will highlight the role of prairie and edge-of-field practices, like the bioreactor installed on the Stout farm, help to improve local water quality.

Washington County farmer Rob Stout will share how he has incorporated and managed perennial vegetation on his farm to improve soil health, water quality and ease of farming.

Tim Youngquist, Iowa State University STRIPS program farmer liaison, will share results from more than 15 years of research on prairie strips as well as practical recommendations for how to incorporate prairie on the agricultural landscape.

The Iowa Learning Farms will present their Conservation Station On The Edge trailer to highlight additional practices that can reduce nutrient concentrations and improve water quality. Weather permitting, a tour of the prairie will conclude the field day.

The field day will be held at Rob and Jean Stout’s farm, 2449 Hemlock Ave, Washington. The free event is open to farmers and landowners, though we require reservations to ensure adequate space and food.

For reasonable accommodations and to RSVP, contact Liz Ripley at 515-294-5429 or visit ilf@iastate.edu by July 29. Attendees will be entered in a drawing for ISU Prairie Strips honey.

Iowa Learning Farms field days and workshops are supported by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. This event is held in partnership with the Consortium for Cultivating Human And Naturally reGenerative Enterprises (C-CHANGE) USDA-NIFA Sustainable Agricultural Systems Award 2020-68012-31824. For more information about Iowa Learning Farms, visit www.iowalearningfarms.org.