Prairie Strips and Cover Crops Field Day set for Aug. 4 in Des Moines
AMES — Iowa Learning Farms, along with Science-Based Trials of Rowcrops Integrated with Prairie Strips, Des Moines Water Works, and Landus, will host a prairie strips and cover crops field day on Thursday, Aug. 4, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Lauridsen Amphitheater at Des Moines Water Works Park in Des Moines. The event is free and includes a complimentary meal.
The field day will include welcome and remarks from Ted Corrigan, CEO/general manager of Des Moines Water Works. The water works strives to protect public health by delivering safe, affordable drinking water to 600,000 customers in central Iowa. In order to raise awareness about protecting rivers and streams by using conservation practices upstream, DMWW has partnered with Landus to install cover crop test plots in Water Works Park.
Matt Carstens, CEO/president of Landus, will talk about the partnership and the importance of conservation practices. The field day agenda will continue with Matt Helmers, director of the Iowa Nutrient Research Center, Iowa State University. He will share results from over 15 years of research on prairie strips as well as the progress on the nutrient reduction strategy in Iowa.
Liz Ripley, Iowa Learning Farms events coordinator, will share a demonstration of the conservation station trailer. Jessica Barnett, supervisor of property management, Des Moines Water Works, will showcase ways to use prairie to reduce goose pressure along shorelines. Tim Youngquist, farmer liaison with Science-Based Trials of Rowcrops Integrated with Prairie Strips, will discuss practical recommendations for successfully adding prairie strips to corn and soybean fields.
The field day will be held at the Lauridsen Amphitheater at Water Works Park, 2251 George Flagg Parkway, Des Moines. The field day is free and open to the whole family, but reservations are suggested to ensure adequate space and food. RSVP to Tim Youngquist at 712-269-0592 or timyoung@iastate.edu.
For more information about Iowa Learning Farms, visit www.iowalearningfarms.org.