News

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host the 2021 Iowa High Tunnel Short Course on Nov. 8 in the Garden Room at Reiman Gardens, located at 1407 S. University Blvd. in Ames. This event is designed to highlight production and management of high tunnel crops along with information on economics and marketing aspects of high tunnel crop production. An update on the status of high tunnel research across the Midwest will be provided.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is offering Choose Iowa Marketing and Promotion grants for Iowa producers. The grant program matches up to $25,000 per project to help farmers, businesses and non-profits increase or diversify their agricultural product offerings.

As fall approaches, harvest season means that small farms will begin producing and selling their home-prepared foods. This part of the U.S. food supply chain is known as the cottage food industry and cottage food producers are subject to certain regulations. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach offers online training in food safety, food preparation and Iowa regulations designed specifically for cottage food producers.

A super-sized pumpkin tipping the scale at 915 pounds won first place in the 2021 Iowa State Fair Big Pumpkin Contest, judged Friday, Aug. 13. The growers, Don Young and his son-in-law Tommy Rhodes, of Des Moines, received a $1,850 cash award.

Multiple days of excessive heat can be hard on vegetable crops, especially ones known to be cool-season. Brassicas, lettuce, carrots and spinach are particularly vulnerable to bitterness, wilting, bolting, deformities and coloring that affect the quality of the produce. Warm season crops like tomatoes and peppers are also at risk of poor flowering and pollination, poor nutrient availability, and overall plant stress in the heat which leads to poor growth, yield, and fruit quality issues in the future. While we cannot control the weather there are a few strategies growers can implement to help vegetable crops survive during these long dry summer days.

Livestock farmers know that reducing the spread of disease and pests among their animals maximizes profitability. Biosecurity includes understanding routes of transmission and taking steps to manage risk at the whole-farm level.

Publications and webinars to enhance your agritourism business. 

The most recent “Back to Business Iowa” podcast from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach features Cherie Edilson, co-founder and CEO of Shop Where I Live. This Marion, Iowa based company works with chambers of commerce and economic development groups statewide to create online “storefronts” where all of the community’s businesses can sell their products in one spot. This model is surging in popularity with COVID-19 pandemic-related closures and social distancing requirements.

The horticulture team at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is debuting a new video series with detailed information on vegetable production and management in Iowa. Videos can be viewed by visiting the ISU Extension and Outreach Integrated Pest Management YouTube channel.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on businesses from large to small, and there are many questions surrounding what business owners and entrepreneurs should do as the state prepares to re-open. To help answer some of these questions, and to help Iowans understand the many resources available, the Community and Economic Development program and the Farm, Food and Enterprise Development program with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach are providing a series of podcasts and webinars, in partnership with the Iowa Small Business Development Centers.

The disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are many, but one thing that hasn’t changed for Iowa’s small farmers is the need for timely, accurate information. One way Iowans can stay informed is by listening to the Small Farm Sustainability Podcasts, a project led by Christa Hartsook, the small farms program coordinator with Farm, Food and Enterprise Development at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

The weekend after Thanksgiving is traditionally when most Christmas tree buying occurs. Whether you cut your own tree or buy a pre-cut tree there are several things to consider before buying and when selecting a fresh tree. Horticulture specialists with Iowa State University offer tips to make the most of your fresh tree.