the PRACTICAL FARMER WINTER 2019 IN THIS ISSUE: A Lifetime of Learning Clear Goals Are Key to Cover Crop Success Conserving a Farm’s Legacy » Field Crops BY NAME 2 the Practical Farmer Winter 2019 » Field Crops BY NAME CONTENTS FEATURES DEPARTMENTS 6 EARLY PFI MEMBERS 5 EXECUTIVE A Lifetime of Learning DIRECTOR NOTE Ron and Maria Rosmann reflect on PFI’s early years, impact and the future. 32 MEMBER BOOK REVIEW 8 LIVESTOCK “Farming for the Long The Birds and the Trees Haul: Resilience and the At Lucky Star Farm, Susan Young is integrating poultry Lost Art of Agricultural and silvopasture. Inventiveness” – Rob Faux 10 Carolina Meat Conference Lessons learned from a gathering focused on pasture- 33 PFI NEWS raised meat. • New faces and roles at PFI 12 HABITAT • Exploring emotional A Practice With Potential intelligence With the right setup, saturated buffers can provide • 2020 winter farminar signifant water quality benefits. line-up • And more 14 HORTICULTURE Managing Weeds in Vegetable Production 36 WELCOME NEW Farmers share their strategies and frustrations with this MEMBERS perennial challenge. 16 FIELD CROPS 37 CALENDAR Clear Goals Are Key to Cover Crop Success January – March Five PFI members share their reasons for using cover crops, as well as their goals and experiences. 38 JOIN PFI 20 FARM TRANSFER 39 THE FINAL WORD Conserving a Farm’s Legacy Conservation easements can protect landowners’ farm visions while opening the door for the next generation. 24 FIELD DAY PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS 28 BEGINNING FARMERS Identifying and Supporting Beginning Farmers An infographic of key data from PFI’s most recent beginning farmer survey highlights the demographic profile of beginning farmers in our network and some of their main obstacles to starting a farm. 30 NEW PFI LOGO An Evolving Story A look back at past PFI logos captures the changes and growth that have cultimated in our most recent visual rebrand. ON THE COVER: Guests walk through Jenny Quiner’s high tunnel during the field day she hosted at Mary Beth and Mike Jackson Dogpatch Urban Farms in pose with their son, Mack, on Des Moines on Nov. 10. their farm near Rose Hill, Iowa. Winter 2019 the Practical Farmer 3 BOARD MEMBERS & STAFF We love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact your board members or staff. General info and staff connections: (515) 232-5661. Staff email addresses: @practicalfarmers.org. DISTRICT 1 (NORTHWEST) PFI STAFF Nathan Anderson – Secretary Sierra Becker 400 Locust St., P.O. Box 14 Sustainable Agriculture Assistant (sierra@) Aurelia, IA 51005 Debra Boekholder (515) 708-5199 Membership & Events Assistant (debra@) [email protected] Alisha Bower DISTRICT 2 (NORTH CENTRAL) Strategic Initiatives Manager (alisha@) Wendy Johnson – President Sarah Carlson 2038 March Ave Strategic Initiatives Director (sarah@) WHAT WE DO Charles City, IA 50616 Steve Carlson (562) 852-7044 Membership Manager (steve@) [email protected] Practical Farmers of Iowa was founded in 1985 as an Celize Christy organization for farmers. We use farmer-led DISTRICT 3 (NORTHEAST) Swine & Poultry Coordinator (celize@) Ann Franzenburg – Vice-President investigation and information sharing to help Rebecca Clay 6925 19th Ave. Strategic Initiatives Assistant (rebecca@) farmers practice an agriculture that benefits both Van Horne, IA 52346 Josie Dubiel (319) 640-0262 the land and people. Office Support (josie@) [email protected] Meghan Filbert DISTRICT 4 (SOUTHWEST) Livestock Program Manager (meghan@) Mark Peterson Laura Frescoln OUR MISSION 2311 N Ave. Associate Director (laura@) Stanton, IA 51573 Stefan Gailans (712) 370-4004 Practical Farmers of Iowa’s mission is equipping Research & Field Crops Director (stefan@) [email protected] farmers to build resilient farms and communities. Suzi Howk DISTRICT 5 (SOUTHEAST) Finance & Benefits Director (suzi@) Gayle Olson Monserrat Iñiguez 2272 140th St. Latino Outreach Contractor (monserrat@) Winfield, IA 52659 (319) 931-1351 Tamsyn Jones OUR VISION Editor & Outreach Coordinator (tamsyn@) [email protected] Liz Kolbe An Iowa with healthy soil, healthy food, clean air, AT-LARGE FARMERS Horticulture & Habitat Programs Manager (liz@) clean water, resilient farms and vibrant Jack Boyer Sarah Krumm communities. 1031 Hwy T55 Graphic Design & Photography Coordinator (sarah_k@) Reinbeck, IA 50669 Hayley Nelson (319) 345-2265 Research Assistant (hayley@) [email protected] Maggie Norton Vic Madsen Farmer Outreach Coordinator (maggie_n@) OUR VALUES 2186 Goldfinch Ave. Nick Ohde Audubon, IA 50025 Communications & Marketing Director (nick@) Welcoming everyone (712) 254-3057 [email protected] Greg Padget Next Generation Director (greg@) Farmers leading the exchange of experience and Mark Quee Jorgen Rose 1951 Delta Ave. knowledge Habitat & Farm Transfer Coordinator (jorgen@) West Branch, IA 52358 Chastity Schonhorst Curiosity, creativity, collaboration and community (319) 530-3782 [email protected] Bookkeeper (chastity@) Resilient farms now and for future generations David Rosmann Jason Tetrick Digital Media Coordinator (jason@) 1809 N Willow St. Stewardship of land and resources Avoca, IA 51521 Sally Worley (612) 219-7396 Executive Director (sally@) [email protected] Julie Wheelock CO-FOUNDERS 3381 230th St. Larry Kallem Sharon Thompson THE PRACTICAL FARMER Sac City, IA 50583 1417 Indiana Ave. Boone, IA (712) 830-2402 the Practical Farmer is published quarterly as a benefit of Ames, IA 50014 [email protected] The late Dick Thompson membership to help keep farmers and friends of farmers in touch (515) 337-1272 Boone, IA with one another through informative articles on relevant AT-LARGE FRIENDS farming topics, current on-farm research, upcoming events and OF FARMERS other news of interest. Lisa Schulte Moore CONTACT US 728 Brookridge Ave. Practical Farmers of Iowa Magazine Editor: Tamsyn Jones Ames, IA 50010 1615 Golden Aspen Drive, Suite 101 (515) 294-7339 Ames, IA 50010 Back issues are available upon request. Unless otherwise noted, [email protected] (515) 232-5661 articles may be reprinted or adapted if credit is given. Clippings Kurt Van Hulzen – Treasurer practicalfarmers.org and notice are appreciated. 2397 Wadsley Ave. facebook.com/practicalfarmers Sac City, IA 50583 twitter.com/practicalfarmer youtube.com/pfivideos [email protected] linkedin.com/company/practical-farmers-of-iowa 4 the Practical Farmer Winter 2019 From the Executive Director Planning for the Future ractical Farmers is almost two years into our strategic plan. During this P plan’s reign, we have been fortunate to experience growth in membership, grant support and staff size. How exciting to grow our network and hopefully, as a result, make progress toward our vision: an Iowa with healthy soil, healthy food, clean air, clean water, resilient farms and vibrant communities. Thank you to all of you who comprise Practical Farmers of Iowa and are out there working day and night toward this vision. Thank you for your passion, dedication, open-mindedness and humility. To prepare for our next strategic plan, we are now actively seeking responses to our next member survey. If you are a PFI member, you will have received an email about this. Please, please, please take Celize Christy, PFI’s swine and poultry coordinator, and Sally Worley enjoy time in an evergreen grove planted by Ron Rosmann and his family on their farm near Harlan. Read the profile of Ron and Maria time to fill out this vital fact-finder. This Rosmann on page 6. survey helps us see how well our current efforts are or aren’t working, and provides information to inform our future work. “I thought about some times when I have “I think members (myself included) and had doubts about PFI. As you know, I am staff need to be careful about this.” Our surge in growth seems to indicate more a big fan of the organization, but just like people are paying attention to farmer-to- belonging to any group (even family)... Clark’s words resonated with me then and farmer research and education. We want to there are trying times or moments of now. At Practical Farmers, our aim is to capitalize on our growth to increase our doubt. Based on a few of my experiences, teach, not preach. Encourage, not compete. impact into the future. During this planning I think we have to guard against crossing Be inclusive, not exclusive. Connect, not process, we will consider: Are we making the the line between an organization and a correct. Farmers who become members of difference we want to make? Is our club. PFI must avoid becoming a club. PFI do make improvements to their farms perception of our impact accurate? How can While we celebrate those who value that build community, steward our natural we use this momentum to do more and do conservation and sustainability, we need resources and create viable farms. This isn’t better? to be extremely sensitive to the fact that because they are better than other farmers, but because they are exposed to a creative If you are like me and get excited by these this is a hard road that is full of genuine and curious learning community. kind of questions, and would like to financial risks. contribute to the process for our next “There can be a tendency to applaud the Thanks for surrounding us all with your strategic plan, please let me know! In ‘sustainability all-stars’ and enable staff curiosity and creativity, addition to the survey, we will also conduct and stars to preach rather than teach, to some focus groups and interviews to gather compete rather than encourage, to information. A small group of staff, board become exclusive rather than inclusive. and members will come together to help Do we want those who are contemplating decide where we are going, what barriers cover crops or niche markets to be “Would you tell me, please, which way I are in our way and strategies to get there. corrected by others or connected to ought to go from here?” The latter requires a substantial amount of others? Do we want all experiences and “That depends a good deal on where you time, but it is important, fulfilling, brain- questions to be welcomed, or do we want to get to.” hurting work.