Practical Farmers of Iowa

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Practical Farmers of Iowa

@practicalfarmers

This channel is for farmers who want to improve their profitability, efficiency and stewardship, and are dedicated to community-enhancing agriculture.

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Rogue Farms

Member · since 2026

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YouTube

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Leasing Land for Cattle Grazing: Building a Livestock Operation Without Buying …

YouTubeNov 5, 2026

Garden Oasis: Iowa Vegetable Farmers Share Stories of Resilience and Hope

YouTubeOct 26, 2026

Uso del cultivador Perfecta: la preparación del terreno para la siembra sin mot…

YouTubeOct 20, 2026

Choosing Cover Crops for Your Farm with Ben De Boef of Heartland Custom Applica…

YouTubeOct 14, 2026

To Swath or Not to Swath: Harvest and Post-Harvest Handling of Oats Shared Lear…

YouTubeOct 8, 2026

Growing Cover Crops for Seed - Virtual Cover Crop Workshop 2026

YouTubeOct 1, 2026

Grazing Cover Crops to Improve Your Bottom Line - Virtual Cover Crop Workshop 2…

YouTubeSep 24, 2026

Using a Tine Weeder for Weed Control: Blind Cultivation in a Vegetable Field

YouTubeSep 22, 2026

Interseeding Cover Crops - Virtual Cover Crop Workshop 2026

YouTubeSep 16, 2026

Using Data and Cover Crops to Reduce Inputs - Virtual Cover Crop Workshop 2026

YouTubeSep 10, 2026

Using the Perfecta Field Cultivator: Preparing Fields for Planting Without a Ro…

YouTubeSep 8, 2026

What Happens When Bison Return to the Tallgrass Prairie?

YouTubeSep 2, 2026

Restoring an Iowa Oxbow: How One Farmer Is Creating Habitat for Wildlife and Na…

YouTubeAug 24, 2026

More Profit Per Acre: Integrating Cover Crops and Livestock

YouTubeAug 11, 2026

A Legacy of Stewardship: How One Iowa Farmer Is Investing in the Next Generation

YouTubeAug 4, 2026

Healthy Soil, Clean Water and a More Resilient Farm with Ryan Gibbs of Gibbsfie…

YouTubeJul 1, 2026

The Benefits of Grazing After Grains - March 2026 Shared Learning Call

YouTubeMay 27, 2026

Management and Selection for Minimizing Parasite Effects in Small Ruminants - W…

YouTubeMay 11, 2026

Cut Flower Farming With Two Sisters Flower Farm - Winter Webinar

YouTubeMay 4, 2026

Building a More Efficient Cow Herd in a 100% Grass System with Greg Judy of Gre…

YouTubeApr 29, 2026

Lessons Learned: Maximizing Crop Rotations With Cover Crops

YouTubeApr 22, 2026

Grazing Resilience With Warm-Season Perennials - Winter Webinar

YouTubeApr 20, 2026

Managing Cover Crops for Success with Ryan Wolf of Iowa Missouri Seed

YouTubeApr 16, 2026

Small Edges, Big Gains One Farms Approach to Cleaner Runoff - Winter Webinar

YouTubeApr 13, 2026

Cold Season Greens Taste Better: Practical Tips for Growing Winter Greens in th…

YouTubeApr 9, 2026

Rooted in Conservation: A Generational Farm Working for Soil, Water and Wildlif…

YouTubeApr 6, 2026

No Till Leafy Green Production at Humble Hands Harvest - Winter Webinar

YouTubeApr 1, 2026

Sharing on Sheep Health - Winter Webinar

YouTubeMar 23, 2026

Drone Technology for Precision Agriculture With Mark Archibald of Universal Aer…

YouTubeMar 19, 2026

Using On Farm Research Trials To Lower Nitrogen Rates - Winter Webinar

YouTubeMar 12, 2026

Read (25)

Business

Cover Crop Business: Lessons from Iowa's Sponheim Sales & Services

Dean and Josh Sponheim built a thriving cover crop business in Iowa, demonstrating that providing essential inputs and expertise directly to farmers is a strong path to food sovereignty. This post breaks down their operation and what we can learn.

Practical Farmers of Iowa

Rogue Farms

4 min

0 0 010 days ago

Business

Carbon Markets: Navigating the Wild West for Rogue Farms

Carbon markets are gaining traction, but it's a complicated landscape. Let's break down what farmers need to know to avoid pitfalls and potentially add a new revenue stream to their operations.

Practical Farmers of Iowa

Rogue Farms

3 min

0 0 011 days ago

Techniques

Building a Food Forest: Lessons from Red Fern Farm

Tom and Kathy Wahl at Red Fern Farm are proving that even challenging land can be transformed into a haven of diverse food production. Learn how they’ve built a 75-species farm through persistent effort and a deep understanding of agroforestry.

Practical Farmers of Iowa

Rogue Farms

3 min

0 0 012 days ago

Techniques

Winter Greens: The Miracle That Pays

Jill Beebout from Blue Gate Farm shares practical tips for growing flavorful winter greens in high tunnels – proving that a little extra effort yields a harvest worth savoring and a resilience our fragile food system desperately needs.

Practical Farmers of Iowa

Rogue Farms

3 min

0 0 013 days ago

Stories

Partnerships: How Farmers and Landowners Can Build a Better Future

Mary Damm’s Prairie Quest Farm shows us a path forward: conservation and good farming aren't mutually exclusive, but thrive when landowners and tenants work together. It's a lesson in stewardship, a reminder that we can build more resilient food systems – and ecosystems – by prioritizing relationships and shared goals.

Practical Farmers of Iowa

Rogue Farms

3 min

0 0 014 days ago

Techniques

Leaving Ground Better: Cover Crops and the Evolution of a Heritage Farm

Grant and Aubrey Stuart are proving that leaving ground better than you found it isn't just a nice sentiment – it's a practical, generational strategy. See their journey with cover crops and planter adjustments, and how they’re adapting to a changing landscape.

Practical Farmers of Iowa

Rogue Farms

3 min

0 0 015 days ago

Business

Planning Your Farm: It's About Value, Not Just Production

Running a farm isn't just about planting and harvesting; it's about building a sustainable business. This post explores a practical planning tool to help you define your farm's value and capture what you put in.

Practical Farmers of Iowa

Rogue Farms

3 min

0 0 016 days ago

Techniques

Sheep Health: It's About the Grass, Not Just the Vet

A longtime small ruminant vet shares insights on sheep health, emphasizing nutrition and pasture management for a thriving flock – and why that's a cornerstone of a resilient farm.

Practical Farmers of Iowa

Rogue Farms

3 min

0 0 016 days ago

Business

Your Farm Website: It's Not Just a Brochure, It's a Salesperson

Katherine from Camds Design breaks down how to turn your farm's website into a 24/7 sales engine, drawing inspiration from Austrian grocery stores and challenging the Iowa corn-and-soybean mindset. Learn how to build a site that works as hard as you do.

Practical Farmers of Iowa

Rogue Farms

3 min

0 0 016 days ago

Techniques

Small Edges, Big Gains: Cleaner Runoff, Better Farms

Iowa farmer Jim O'Connell and conservation agronomist Evan Brehm show us how targeted edge-of-field practices – bioreactors, saturated buffers, wetlands – can significantly improve water quality while boosting the farm's bottom line. It's a testament to the power of working *with* nature, not against it.

Practical Farmers of Iowa

Rogue Farms

3 min

0 0 016 days ago

Techniques

Water Where It's Needed: Graziers Share Lessons on System Design

Dave Schmidt of Troublesome Creek Cattle Company shares practical insights into above-ground watering systems, highlighting their impact on grazing efficiency, soil health, and winter management. Learn from a farmer who's been there, done that.

Practical Farmers of Iowa

Rogue Farms

3 min

0 0 016 days ago

Techniques

Soil Gains, Livestock Integration, and the Pragmatic Farmer's Eye

Laban Miller's field day showed tangible soil improvements in just three years, and a practical approach to integrating livestock. It’s a reminder that a better food system isn't about chasing perfection, but about making smart, iterative improvements.

Practical Farmers of Iowa

Rogue Farms

3 min

0 0 016 days ago

Business

Beyond the Harvest: Adding Fiber and Natural Dye to Your Rogue Farm

Most folks think of farms as places for food, but there's a whole world of value to be unlocked in fiber production and natural dyes. This Farminar explores how small farms can diversify income streams and build resilience.

Practical Farmers of Iowa

Rogue Farms

3 min

0 0 016 days ago

Business

Cover Crops: It's About the Network, Not Just the Seed

Building a cover crop business isn't just about agronomy—it’s about building relationships and having backup when things get tight. This post explores how a Midwest accelerator program is fostering a community of cover crop producers.

Practical Farmers of Iowa

Rogue Farms

3 min

0 0 016 days ago

Techniques

Beyond the Lawn: Reclaiming Land with Native Prairie & Pollinators

Tired of the endless mowing? Nancy and John Brannaman show us how they're transforming acres of farmland into thriving native prairie and pollinator habitats, proving there’s a better way to work *with* the land, not against it.

Practical Farmers of Iowa

Rogue Farms

3 min

0 0 016 days ago

Techniques

Creative Grazing: Lessons from a First-Year Rotational Grazer

Olivia Pesa shares her experiences diving into rotational grazing for cattle, sheep, and goats, offering practical insights for those looking to move beyond conventional practices and build resilience into their farms. It's not about perfection, it's about getting creative and adapting.

Practical Farmers of Iowa

Rogue Farms

3 min

0 0 016 days ago

Techniques

Building Soil From the Ground Up: Why Manure and Cover Crops are the Real Secret to Food Sovereignty

When you're building a truly resilient farm, the secret isn't in the seed or the tractor—it's in the soil itself. We break down the power of no-till, cover crops, and nutrient cycling.

Practical Farmers of Iowa

Rogue Farms

4 min

0 0 03 months ago

Business

Building Resilience: Why Talking Shop About Small Grains Matters

When you’re planning your fields, the biggest risk isn't the weather—it's doing it alone. Here’s why community support is the foundation of true food sovereignty.

Practical Farmers of Iowa

Rogue Farms

4 min

0 0 03 months ago

Techniques

Building Resilience: Deep Mulch Systems for Healthy, Low-Till Beds

Don't let weed pressure or drought undermine your hard work. We break down the deep mulch compost system—a resilient, economical way to build soil health and protect your harvest.

Practical Farmers of Iowa

Rogue Farms

4 min

0 0 03 months ago

Techniques

Stopping the Thistle Problem: Using Tarps to Build Soil Health and Beat the Weeds

When traditional tillage gets too hard, smart farmers are looking at ways to set back annual weeds and keep soil health high using simple, effective methods like tarping.

Practical Farmers of Iowa

Rogue Farms

4 min

0 0 03 months ago

Practical Farmers of Iowa

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