“Finding Profit in Perennial Vegetation” Workshop to be held March 15 near Calmar

Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with Consortium for Cultivating Human And Naturally reGenerative Enterprises (C-CHANGE), will host a workshop on Tuesday, March 15 from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. 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 at the Northeast Iowa Community College Wilder Business Center near Calmar.

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 about 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 David Bruene, Iowa State University beef farm manager.

The workshop will be held at the Northeast Iowa Community College, Wilder Business Center – Room 104, 1625 Highway 150 S, Calmar, IA 52132.

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 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.