Learning about ag from the ground up

While Iowa farmers rushed to get seed in the ground recently, a group of Des Moines third-graders planted their own mini field of corn and soybeans, right next to the school playground.

The young students from St. Theresa Catholic School in Des Moines planted the seeds by hand, using a ruler and string to measure in straight rows.

“It’s like my first time planting,” said third-grader Ethan Chee, as he kneeled in the dirt to plant soybean seeds, getting dust on the knees of his navy blue pants.

His teacher, Theresa Dutchuk, said the students have been asking all year about when they will get to plant their Learning Test Plot.

“Their enthusiasm has been through the roof,” Dutchuk said. “Anything hands on and anything with technology, they enjoy and they remember it better. It means a lot. Instead of just driving by a field, it’s something that they did.”

The Learning Test Plot project, organized by the Polk County Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom program, teaches local elementary students about Iowa agriculture through the hands-on experience of planting and harvesting their own corn and soybean crops.

Since 2006, more than 3,500 Des Moines-area students have participated in the Learning Test Plot project. This year, six elementary schools are growing their own learning plots, including St. Theresa’s School in Des Moines; Horizon, Beaver Creek, Wallace and Lawson elementary schools in Johnston; and Jordan Creek Elementary in West Des Moines.

Students plant the 30-by-30-foot plot of corn and soybeans on school property. The plots are large enough to get a good stand for pollination and also allow students to harvest at least one ear of corn in the fall, said Cindy Hall, Polk County Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom (AITC) director.

When the students return as fourth-graders in the fall, they will harvest the crops, also by hand, and will learn more about harvest technology today and back in pioneer times.

“Hopefully, because (the students) have done this, if they drive around and see a planter in the field, they notice

it more and talk about it. And I think it’s happening,” Hall said.

Written by Teresa Bjork, senior features writer for the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation.

Distilling the facts on water quality

I read with great interest the recent Des Moines Register story, “Record nitrate levels in Raccoon, Des Moines threaten Des Moines-area tap water.”  The simple truth is, there’s not one regulation that would have prevented the current spike in nitrates from the Raccoon River watershed, short of outlawing crop production in Iowa.  That’s exactly why the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Department of Natural Resources have drafted the Iowa Nutrient Strategy, a science and technology-based approach to assess and reduce nutrients to Iowa waters and the Gulf of Mexico. It will target efforts to reduce nutrients in surface water from both point and nonpoint sources in a scientific, reasonable and cost effective manner.

Weather patterns of extreme drought and extreme rainfall are taking their toll in Iowa and all watersheds see the impact.  During dry and cool periods like last fall, there is relatively little, if any, conversion of anhydrous ammonia to nitrate and movement of it from the soil or farm fields. Movement of nitrate is expected as the soil warms, especially after the first major rain events following a drought, such as we’ve seen since late April.  Of course, last fall was dry, so we did not see movement of nitrates to streams going back to September 2012, which is the usual concern in Iowa.

This spring turned out to be wetter than normal, with some areas seeing several inches of rainfall in a single day, resulting in the recent 14-day nitrate spike we are seeing right now.  A new record for Iowa April average precipitation was set this year at 6.52 inches, twice the normal about of rainfall and comfortably beating the old record of 6.25 inches, set back in 1999.

The good news is that the Des Moines Water Works “treated water quality” is safe for people to drink and use, according to current data on the DSM Water Works website.  Considering Iowa’s proud first-in-the nation crop production status, it’s also a sign of progress that this is the first time in six years that the nitrate removal plant has even been used.  Clearly, if we all do our part, farmers, homeowners, businesses and communities, we will all have a positive impact on Iowa’s watershed, keeping Iowa’s water safe to drink today, and for future generations.

Written by Rick Robinson. Rick is environmental policy advisor for the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation.

It takes a community to plant a corn field

A few weekends ago, my husband and I were driving back from what’s become our routine weekend trip to the home improvement store when we noticed that the parking lot at the nearby seed dealership was full of pick-up trucks.

Even though it was a Sunday, employees were working overtime to fill seed orders for farmers anxious to start planting corn and soybeans.

When planting season is in full gear, you’ll see tractor headlights crawling through the fields at night, as farmers try to get seed in the ground while the window of favorable weather is open.

Yet it isn’t just the farmers who are working to get this year’s crop planted. In rural Iowa, there’s a community of folks to support the farmers with whatever they need to grow a successful crop.

Farmers work with their seed dealers and agronomists to select the best seed varieties for their fields and to carefully apply crop inputs to protect the seed from insects, weeds and unpredictable weather.

Local co-ops provide fuel to run the tractors and fertilizer to support the crop’s growth. Farm equipment dealers fix machinery when it breaks down; and small-town hardware, farm supply and auto-parts stores are stocked with tools and parts for quick repairs.

In rural towns, restaurants prepare take-out meals for farmers who call in their lunch orders from out in the field. Local bankers secure financing to help farmers get the crop in the field, while lawyers and accountant offer financial and legal advice for farm businesses.

And don’t forget the teachers who educate the next generation of Iowa farmers. Plus, the hospitals and volunteer rescue squads stand ready to respond to a farm emergency, which unfortunately is always a risk when working around heavy equipment.

Of course, Iowa farmers can always count on their spouses, family members and friends when they need someone to drive to town for parts, bring meals or seed to the fields or check on cattle.

So while you may see a lone tractor out in the field planting the corn crop this spring, it actually takes a whole community to help plant the fields here in Iowa.

 Written by Teresa Bjork, senior features writer for the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation.

Snow in May: This must be Iowa

“If you don’t like the weather in New England, just wait a few minutes.”

 Mark Twain

Well this is Iowa, and while it may take a day for the weather to change, it’s not an exaggeration.  On May 1^st, Iowa farmers continued doing field work and planting, like Brad Rutherford, (top photo) planting beans just east of Marshalltown. On Thursday, May 2^nd, Dennis O’Mara, of Slater, (bottom photo) was sidelined by heavy snow north of Madrid. And May 2^nd is now in the record books as the largest May snowfall in Iowa and much of the Upper Midwest. It’s reported as much as 18 inches of snow was dumped on southern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. What a difference a day has made indeed.

Words and photos by Gary Fandel, photographer/writer for Iowa Farm Bureau Federation.

Farmers markets: A great way to jump into spring

We can’t seem to shake the chilly temperatures here in Iowa, but rest assured that summer will soon return.

Looking for a sign that sunny days are ahead? How about the long-awaited return of the Des Moines Farmers Market, the state’s largest, which kicks off its season May 4. And despite the rainy weather in the forecast, the market will likely attract State Fair-size crowds looking for their first taste of summer.

As you can imagine, the unusually cold spring weather has delayed the growing season for Iowa farmers. However, many vegetable growers have built high-tunnel greenhouses to get an earlier start on the season.

So when you visit the farmers market this May, you’re likely to find cold-season crops like lettuces, radishes, spinach, broccoli and cauliflower.

The Iowa-grown asparagus, rhubarb and strawberry crops are a few weeks behind normal, but customers should start seeing these spring favorites popping up at local farmers markets by late May and early June.

A few vendors might also have greenhouse-grown tomatoes, although they might be a little pricey until the crop is more abundant when the weather heats up.

If you do happen to see melons or summer squash for sale, these veggies likely came from the southern states or California, where the growing season starts much earlier. Feel free to ask the farmer or vendor where the produce was grown.

Early May is also the best time to buy vegetable seedlings and bedding plants for your own garden. Mother’s Day weekend coincides with the last average frost date for most of Iowa, which usually means it’s safe to start planting tomatoes.

The farmers market is a terrific place to find unique heirloom tomato, herb and pepper varieties. Last year, I bought an “orange blossom” tomato at the farmers market, and it turned out to be my highest-yielding tomato during last summer’s drought.

If you are planning a trip to the farmers market, then be sure to come prepared. Bring cash, because not all vendors are able to take credit or debit cards. Also, keep a cooler with ice in your car if you’re buying perishable items like meats, eggs and cheese.

Iowa growers follow best management practices on the farm to deliver high quality, safe produce. However, make sure to practice safe food-handling practices at home. Rinse farm-fresh produce, including salad greens and melons, under running water before serving.

To find a farmers market near you, check out the Iowa Department of Agriculture’s online farmers market directory (http://www.idalsdata.org/fmnp/index.cfm?fuseaction=main.formFarmersMarketDirectory). Or download the Iowa Farmers Market app on your Android smartphone or iPhone (http://www.iowaagriculture.gov/press/2012press/press06292012.asp).

 Written by Teresa Bjork, senior features writer for the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation.

Look a little deeper to see environmental progress

 With the 2013 Earth Day here, Iowans will likely read and hear environmental activists complain about the lack of environmental progress in the state. The activists will point fingers straight at farmers and claim that agriculture’s voluntary conservation efforts aren’t being embraced and are not effective. They’ll say a mandatory, one-size-fits-all, approach is the only answer.

Don’t believe them. Iowa farmers, over the past few decades, have steadily stepped up their efforts to improve water quality. They have planted miles of buffer strips to trap sediment and keep it out of streams. They have built wetlands, sediment basins, bio-filters and a range of other structures to protect surface water. And they have adopted conservation tillage methods on millions of acres of land, reducing erosion and keeping soil and nutrients out of streams and lakes.

While farmers are always researching better conservation efforts, their volunteer efforts to date have made remarkable progress improving Iowa’s water quality. To get a detailed look at that conservation progress, go to www.iowafarmbureau.com/conservationcounts.

Want another good sign of the progress? Take a look below the surface of the spring-fed streams in northeast Iowa. There’s a good chance you’ll see a lot more trout than you used to.

There are currently 36 spring-fed streams in northeast Iowa healthy enough to consistently support trout reproduction, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). Another 30 streams support intermittent reproduction.

That is a tremendous improvement from the 1980s when surveys completed showed only six Iowa streams supported trout reproduction. “We have really come a long way in improving trout habitat in Iowa and we continue to make progress,” said Mike Steuck, DNR’s northeast district fisheries supervisor. The improvement has been built by a cooperative effort among private landowners and farmers, along with federal, state and local conservation agencies.

A big reason that trout are thriving and reproducing in the beautiful spring-fed streams of northeast Iowa: more and more farmers are using conservation practices to sharply reduce the amount of sediment ending up in the streams. Sediment tends to smother trout eggs before they can hatch, according to Steuck.

Streams full of trout have brought more anglers to northeast Iowa. And that’s making cash registers ring at outfitters, hotels, restaurants and other businesses in the region.

So when activists trash Iowa’s water quality, just remember that its important to look a little deeper. In northeast Iowa, there’s a good chance to you’ll see a speckled brown trout happily swimming below the surface.

 Written by Dirck Steimel
Dirck is the news services manager for Iowa Farm Bureau

Getting schooled by students at the Iowa Envirothon

Earlier this week I was schooled on all kinds of environmental instruments. I learned that a clinometer helps measure the slope of a piece of ground while a basal area factor prism helps to estimate forest density. And that wasn’t the end of it.

Fourteen teams of high school kids from schools around the state were studying soils and skeletons and focusing on forestry and water at the Iowa Envirothon competition held at Springbrook State Park near Guthrie Center.

In its eighteenth season, the Envirothon is the state championship of natural environment knowledge. The students hike around the park, answering questions about wildlife, aquatics, soils and forestry. In addition, they also offer a presentation that attempts to solve an environmental concern or issue. This year, teams addressed a scenario related to livestock, grazing and long-term management for absentee land owners.

If the students are good, their team finds its way to the national competition held Bozeman, Montana, this summer. I quickly learned that I was nowhere near prepared for the contest.

Triple-dipping the water sample cup (that’s MY technical term for it) is the best for testing water? I had no clue. Luckily, these students trained harder for the contest than I, having already made it past the district competition to earn their places in the state contest. One team started preparing in September for the contest—talk about digging the environment!

The students’ hard work didn’t go unrecognized.

“Seldom do I get the opportunity to address a roomful of such conscious environmental individuals,” Pat Schlarbaum of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources told students. “You’re the best hope for the future, and anything you can do to implement some of these conservation practices that you’re learning around the state is going to make a brighter tomorrow for all of your families and for the generations to follow.”

And that’s something even I didn’t have to study for to recognize.

The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation has been a long-time supporter of Iowa youth and the Envirothon. To learn more about the Iowa Envirothon, go to www.cdiowa.org/envirothon.html.

 Written by Bethany Pint.
Bethany is an Ag Commodities Writer for Iowa Farm Bureau.