By Andi Anderson
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host two important events at the Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm near Crawfordsville on September 4, 2025.
Farmers and landowners are invited to participate in the Windbreak School in the morning and the Fall Field Day in the afternoon.
Windbreak School:
The Windbreak School will run from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., offering hands-on training for farmers, rural landowners, and natural resource professionals.
Attendees will learn how to plan, install, maintain, and renovate windbreaks. The event will feature a live case study, as the Southeast Research Farm is establishing a new windbreak.
Billy Beck, extension forestry specialist at Iowa State, explained the importance of windbreaks, noting they provide various benefits like energy savings, livestock growth improvements, and wildlife habitat.
However, Iowa’s aging windbreaks are in need of renovation due to damage and decline. The school will cover four main areas: design and mechanics, establishment and maintenance, renovation and recovery, and planning and cost-share programs.
Pre-registration is required by August 29, with a $30 fee for lunch, refreshments, and materials. The event will begin with check-in at 8:30 a.m.
Fall Field Day:
The Fall Field Day will begin at 1:30 p.m. and is open to all farmers, agribusiness professionals, and landowners. Cody Schneider, farm superintendent, will provide updates on recent farm activities, including a new tile drainage project.
Billy Beck and Lisa Louck, DNR district forester, will discuss timber management, focusing on forest health and lumber care. Next, attendees will visit a cover crop demonstration plot, where Ethan Theis, extension conservation field specialist, will guide them through selecting cover crop species for different goals.
The final stop will feature the newly installed bioreactor at the farm. Michelle Soupir, agricultural biosystems engineering professor, will share insights from her research on water quality practices. Attendees will also learn about cost-share programs available for various water quality practices.
Check-in begins at 1 p.m. This event is free to attend, thanks to support from ISU Extension, Iowa State Research Farms, and the Southeast Iowa Agricultural Research Association.
Certified Crop Advisors can earn CEUs in crop management and soil and water management.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-livingimages
Categories: Iowa, Education