Soybeans grow through a terminated cereal rye cover crop.

Practical Farmers of Iowa’s 2023 winter webinar series, referred to as “farminars,” will start on Tuesday, Jan. 10, with a presentation on state-funded cost-share programs.

In the farminar, Doug Ruopp, a Marshalltown-based district conservationist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Steve Riggins, who farms 200 acres near Cambridge, will discuss lesser-known Iowa programs such as Resource Enhancement and Protection, Iowa Financial Incentive Program and the Water Quality Initiative.

The event is one of 11 farminars offered through March 28 on issues relevant to beginning and experienced row crop, livestock and horticulture farmers, as well as landowners.

All farminars run weekly on Tuesdays from noon to 1:30 p.m. The events are free to attend and anyone with an internet connection is invited to participate. Each presentation focuses on a unique production or business management topic, and is led by a farmer or subject-matter expert. Attendees are able to ask questions in real time using a chat box during the presentations.

To participate: Go to practicalfarmers.org/farminars, click the “Register to Join” button, follow the prompts and click the URL to join. A schedule of all upcoming farminars – plus recordings of archived farminars – is also available at that link.

Other topics in the 2023 series will explore ways to create healthy pollinator habitat; cover crop mixes; tarping in horticultural systems for soil health and weed control; pastured poultry; how the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe is working to foster Tribal food sovereignty; diversified rotations in organic cropping systems; what Iowa’s new cottage-food law means for home-based food businesses; integrated crop-livestock grazing; and corn and soybean basics for landowners.

For full event and speaker details, visit practicalfarmers.org/farminars.

Farminars in the 2023 series

Jan. 10: “Hidden Gems … Lesser-Known State-Funded Conservation Cost-Share Programs” – Doug Ruopp & Stephen Riggins

Jan. 17: “Creating Healthy Spaces for Pollinators to Thrive: Protecting Pollinator Habitat From Pesticides” – Emily May & Karin Jokela

Jan. 31: “Creating Space for Pollinator and Beneficial Insect Habitat on Small Urban Farms” – Stefanie Steele & Akello Karamoko

Feb. 7: “Thinking Through Cover Crops: How to Set Goals, Design Optimal Seed Mixes and Minimize Costs” – Thomas Björkman

Feb. 14: “Magic Tarping Ride: Perspectives on a System for Soil Quality, Weed Control and More on Vegetable Farms” – Hannah Breckbill & Ryan Maher

Feb. 21: “Pricing Pastured Poultry” – Ben Grimes, Anna Hankins & Shae Pesek

Feb. 28: “Bison, Beef and Tribal Food Sovereignty” – Jayme Murray

March 7: “Diversified Crop Rotations in an Organic System” – Jacob Landis

March 14: “Navigating Iowa’s New Cottage Food Law: A Farmer-Focused Q&A” – Julie Kraling & Kurt Rueber

March 21: “Integrated Crop-Livestock Grazing” – Heath Hoppes

March 29: “Corn and Soybean Basics for Landowners” – Meredith Nunnikhoven, Mollie Aronowitz & Morgan Jennings

Practical Farmers’ 2023 winter farminars are made possible with funding from the Cedar Tree Foundation; Ceres Trust; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under an Assistance Agreement; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service CIG agreements NR223A750013G028 and NR216114XXXXG003; Walton Family Foundation.