AMES, Iowa—Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, and Iowa State University Research and Demonstration Farms, will host a conservation practice showcase field day on Thursday, August 8th from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Iowa State University Uthe Farm near Madrid. The event is free, open to the whole family and includes a complimentary meal. Please RSVP to Liz Juchems at 515-294-5429 or ilf@iastate.edu.

Edge of field practices like bioreactors, wetlands, oxbows and saturated buffers are key to reducing nitrate loss from tile drained agricultural land in Iowa. Through a natural biological process, microorganisms living in the systems use nitrate for respiration and reduce the nitrate levels in tile drainage water. Together with land use changes and in-field practices like cover crops, these practices will help reach the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy goals.

The field day will begin with the meal and an opportunity to visit the Iowa Learning Farms Conservation Station On The Edge trailer. Following the meal, attendees will have the opportunity to tour four conservation practices installed at the farm. The stops will include:

• saturated buffer with Tom Isenhart, ISU Natural Resource Ecology and Management Professor
• bioreactor with Michelle Soupir, ISU Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Associate Professor, and Natasha Hoover, ISU ABE Research Associate
• oxbow wetland with Adam Janke, ISU NREM Assistant Professor and Extension Wildlife Specialist, and Sean McCoy, IDALS Environmental Specialist
• pollinator habitat demonstration with Seth Appelgate, ISU Monarch Research Team

The field day will be held at ISU Uthe Farm, 2122 290th Street, Madrid. From Madrid, head north on IA-17 for 4 miles. Turn right onto 290th St. for 3.2 miles and the field location will be on the south side of the road. The event is free and open to the whole family, but reservations are suggested to ensure adequate space and food. Please RSVP to Liz Juchems at 515-294-5429 or ilf@iastate.edu.

Iowa Learning Farms field days and workshops are supported by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. The bioreactor project material is based upon work supported by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under number NR186114XXXXG004.

For more information about Iowa Learning Farms, visit their website.