Tom Wind, who farms near Jamaica, will host a virtual field day with Practical Farmers of Iowa Thursday, June 11, from 2:15 to 3:15 pm. The virtual event will explore how he’s working with neighbors to integrate livestock into his cropping system.
The event – “Working With Neighbors to Integrate Livestock and Improve Soil” – is free to attend and will take place on Facebook Live. To join in, visit practicalfarmers.org/field-days and click the link found on the page for this event.
Participants do not need to be a PFI member or have a Facebook account, but those without an account will not be able to comment or ask questions. The field day is sponsored by Premier 1 Supplies.
Wind’s goal is to improve the soil on the Century Farm he stewards with his wife Sue in Franklin Township. To do this, he has been working with neighbors Jim Funke, Jon Merrill and Conner Allender to integrate cattle, sheep and poultry into his cropping system in a variety of ways. They’ve been practicing management-intensive grazing for four years on selected areas.
During the field day, guests will see areas where unrolled hay bales were fed prior to cash crop planting and where stockpiled grazing took place. Attendees will also see how chickens follow cows, along with pictures showing where soils that were once poor have become productive again.
This event is part of Practical Farmers’ 2020 field day season, which includes more than 60 virtual events hosted by farmers across the state, and beyond, on topics spanning the agricultural spectrum.
New this year, there are planned several event series that will let participants check in with certain farmer hosts throughout the season to learn about different facets of farm management. All of these events are free and offered a la carte: guests are welcome to attend all events in the series or pick the ones they’re most interested in.
