Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with Consortium for Cultivating Human and Naturally Regenerative Enterprises, also known as C-CHANGE, will host a workshop on Tuesday, Feb. 1 from 10 a.m. to noon regarding the opportunities and challenges of incorporating perennial vegetation on farms. Farmers and landowners are welcome to attend the free event, which includes a complimentary meal.
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 Omar de Kok-Mercado, Iowa State University STRIPS project coordinator and communications lead.
The workshop will be held in the Jim and Evelyn Eash Banquet Room in the lower level of Dallmeyer Hall on the Washington County Fairgrounds, 611 Highway 1 South, Washington, Iowa.
The event is free and open to farmers and landowners, though reservations are required to ensure adequate space and food. For reasonable accommodations and to RSVP, contact Liz Ripley at 515-294-5429 or ilf@iastate.edu. Attendees will be entered in a drawing that evening for Iowa State University Prairie Strips honey.