Wallace's Farmer, IA
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Compiled By Staff
Iowa Learning Farm Hosts 'Field Day' in Muscatine
A positive improvement to any field day would be the addition of air conditioning.
The Iowa Learning Farm is doing just that by hosting a "field day" in the
Muscatine County Extension Office in Muscatine. The program will be held on
Thursday, Aug. 2, from 6-8:30 p.m. A complimentary dinner will be served
courtesy of Scott's Outdoors, followed by the program. The public is invited to
attend.
Hot topics for discussion will be the bioeconomy and no-till continuous corn
production. Other agenda items include swine manure application costs and
nutrient values. Mike Deahr and Doug Nolte, both Muscatine County cooperators
with the Iowa Learning Farm, will be discussing their farming practices and Iowa
State University Extension Water Quality Engineer Dr. Matt Helmers will
demonstrate the ILF conservation systems rainfall simulator.
The Iowa Learning Farm takes a grassroots approach by developing innovative
ways to help all Iowa citizens have an active role in keeping our state's natural
resources healthy. The project promotes active learning by involving producers
as partners in addressing water quality challenges. It also expands local
leadership by facilitating, encouraging, and strengthening the role of community
conservationists, involving a broad set of partners and agencies.
Valuable for all generations of farmers
Mike Deahr, a first generation farmer, has greatly reduced the amount of
commercial fertilizer application through his use of hog manure. "I have had a
lifelong love with the creek on my land and I want to do what I can to keep it
clean," commented Deahr. "I am a practical environmentalist. I have a desire to
use natural ingredients such as fertilizer more effectively. My wife Susan and I
became ILF cooperators because we were interested in learning new ideas and
new techniques. We need to get the results of what we are doing to everyone in
all walks of life."
Doug Nolte, who is farming land that has been in his family for over 100 years,
knows the importance of conservation. "With the slopes on my land, I would be
mining the soil if I didn't do something to curb the erosion. I get good yield results
from no-till, so yield is not a factor in the no-till decision. With all the discussion of
bioeconomy and continuous corn, we need to show the monetary costs of losing
too much top soil and we have to start understanding the indirect costs of nutrient
loss and impaired waters."
The ILF field day will be held at the Muscatine County ISU Extension Office,
1514 Isett Avenue, in Muscatine. An RSVP is suggested; please contact the
Extension office at 800-992-0894 or 563-263-5701.
Other upcoming Iowa Learning Farm field days include: Aug. 8, in Washington
County at the Rob Stout farmstead, 6:30-8:30 p.m.; Aug. 21 in Adair County; and
Aug. 23 in Ringgold County.
The Iowa Learning Farm's focus is helping strong conservationist farmers teach
other farmers about systems that will improve the quality of the soil and water on
their farms, while remaining profitable and sustainable.