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Cover crop, soil health field day set

Event set for Larry Haren farm near Webster City June 13

Prairie Rivers of Iowa, in conjunction with Iowa Learning Farms, is hosting a field day on Tuesday, June 13 for those involved in or interested in agriculture. This will be hosted on the farm of Larry Haren, 1387 Kendall Young Rd., Webster City, and will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. with registration starting at 4:30 p.m. This field day will emphasize cover crop utilization and other soil health practices. The event is free and open to the public, and includes a complimentary meal. Those interested in attending are asked to RSVP to Iowa Learning Farms at (515) 294-5429 or ilf@iastate.edu.

Haren operates 300+ acres in Hamilton County and has installed: a denitrifying bioreactor, a filtration pond, grassed waterways, shelter belts, rotational grazing for his cattle and horses, cover crops and no-till on all farmed acres, and has restored several oxbows on the streams that run through his property. Haren has served on both the Hamilton County Conservation Board and the Hamilton County Soil and Water District Commission.

In addition to Haren, Rick Cruse, Professor of Agronomy at Iowa State University, will be on hand to explain how these conservation practices can improve soil health, specifically in the microbiology of the soil. Also presenting will be Liz Juchems of Iowa Learning Farms and Kayla Hasper, Watershed Coordinator at Prairie Rivers of Iowa. They will be discussing water quality protection efforts in Iowa and the funding available to farmers who install conservation practices.

“We are excited to be able to showcase and celebrate the wonderful efforts that Larry has been making over the past several years with the incorporation of conservation practices into his operation, as well as use his land as a demonstration site for other producers to see first-hand and ask questions about the practices that Larry has installed,” said Hasper.

Portions of the evening will be out in the field, and so it is recommended that attendees wear appropriate close- toed footwear and sunscreen. Water and a free dinner will be provided by event sponsors.

Sponsors and Partners of the field day: Prairie Rivers of Iowa, Iowa Learning Farms, Iowa Agricultural Mitigation Inc., Center for Rural Affairs, Women, Food and Agriculture Network, Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework, Hamilton County Conservation Board, and the Hamilton County Soil and Water District

Prairie Rivers of Iowa – Prairie Rivers of Iowa is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization committed to strengthening Iowa’s communities through the responsible stewardship of our natural resources. Prairie Rivers of Iowa’s programs help Iowans conserve our state’s natural and historic resources to enrich the lives of current and future generations. To learn more, please visit www.prrcd.org.

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