Susan Jutz, of ZJ Farm in Solon, was named the recipient of Practical Farmers of Iowa’s 2014 Sustainable Agriculture Achievement Award. Practical Farmers’ Tamsyn Jones notes that the award has been granted annually since 1990 to someone who has shown exemplary commitment to sustainable agriculture, generously shared his or her knowledge with others and been […]
You are browsing archives for
Category: Agriculture
Practical Farmers of Iowa conference is ...
The Practical Farmers of Iowa annual conference later this month will highlight farm management and budgeting to improve fruit and vegetable farmers’ profitability, along with much more. Among the speakers that will interest many fruit and vegetable producers are veteran vegetable farmer Laura Frerichs of Hutchinson, Minn., and high tunnel expert Adam Montri of Bath, […]
Where to find Iowa-grown Christmas trees...
If you need help and direction finding an Iowa-grown tree for Christmas, the Iowa Christmas Tree Growers Association offers an excellent resource on its website. I found four tree farms that I didn’t know about previously in our area, just by typing in my zip code into the group’s “Find a Farm” link. Iowa Secretary […]
Several thousand gallons of manure blows...
As new, large-scale hog confinement facilities are debated in Linn County, comes news from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources on one of the potential side effects of this type of operation. Of note, the corporation involved in the manure spill, Maschhoff LLC, cites on its website the company’s environmental philosophy: “Our environmental team is […]
Iowa Organic Conference features documen...
I’ve mentioned the Iowa Organic Conference a few times already, but in case you haven’t heard, this annual event is set for Nov. 17 to 18, 2013, at the Iowa Memorial Union in Iowa City. The keynote speaker, Bob Quinn, an organic farmer from Montana, will discuss the benefits of biodiversity. Much more is scheduled […]
Farming advice offered through online Pr...
Farmers in need of advice on atypical crop insurance, marketing their food and much more can find answers from other farmers during the Practical Farmers of Iowa fall “farminar” series. The free, online sessions begin Nov. 5 and are open to anyone with Internet access. Here is more from Practical Farmers of Iowa:
Meet the meat chickens this Saturday in ...
This upcoming event has a special connection for me. My cousin, Judy Beuter, has been raising chickens in a sustainable way for years at her farm in rural Solon. I’ve visited during her “Baby Chicks Day,” and am sure that “Meet the Meat Chickens” will be just as educational. New Pioneer Food Co-op is helping […]
What to do with a bumper crop of apples?...
Iowa orchards went from a deficit last year to a bumper crop of apples this year. State Secretary of Agriculture, Bill Northey, offers sound advice on visiting an Iowa apple orchard this fall, along with a mouth-watering apple recipe, passed along from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship:
Iowa Valley RC&D strengthens connection
SOLON – Kelly Crossley knew something was going right when two of the three Solon District’s schools almost ran out of green peppers for lunch. “They went over better than they normally do,” said Crossley, nutrition director for the district, noting that the peppers were purchased locally as part of the district’s new Farm to […]
Book Review: Gaining Ground: A story of ...
My sister just read Gaining Ground this week, finishing it with tears streaming down her face. It’s no wonder, though I tend to more readily recall the book’s amusing passages from my reading of the memoir earlier this summer. While we both identify with author Forrest Pritchard’s attempts to save the family farm, our emotional […]