Winnebago County Happenings

June 2022

WOW_June 2022.pdf

In the June Words on Wellness newsletter, we review MyPlate, provide picnic food safety reminders, and try a tasty smoothie recipe!

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Equisetum: From the Ditch to the Field

Scouringrush (Equisetum arvense) and field horsetail (Equisetum hymale) are two species of the Equisetum genus found in Iowa. There are 15 Equisetum species worldwide. They are primitive perennials that produce spores rather than seeds and spread primarily by rhizomes (underground stems). These two weeds are commonly found in roadside ditches, preferring poorly drained soils. More information about scouringrush, its lifecycle and its history can be found here.

For the entire article, written by our Field Agronomist, click the link below.

Equisetum: From the Ditch to the Field | Integrated Crop Management (iastate.edu)

Gentry Sorenson Field Agronomist in NW Iowa

Gentry Sorenson is a field agronomist in Northwest Iowa for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. He works closely with farmers to offer educational programming in crop management issues.

Beginning May 31: Wine Workshop Webinar Series

Grape and wine industry members are invited to join Iowa State University Extension and Outreach enology specialist Aude Watrelot for a series of free webinars regarding wine chemistry and quality. The webinars, produced in partnership with University of Minnesota enology specialist Drew Horton, provide an opportunity for industry members to discuss knowledge and techniques for improving wine quality. The first webinar, “Acidity Management: From Vine to Wine,” will be held on May 31 at 3 p.m. CDT on Webex.

The webinar series brings together both academic and industry partners to discuss the latest advances in winemaking. Each session will be 90 minutes long and will begin with a short presentation. Then, winemakers from across the U.S. will share during a roundtable panel.

“The grape and wine industry in the U.S. Midwest is focusing on interspecific grapes, but not much is known about their chemistry, their changes during winemaking and best practices to obtain high quality wines that consumers will enjoy. Therefore, I decided to develop a webinar series which would combine research and practical advances in a timely manner,” explained Watrelot.

Upcoming Sessions and Registration Information:

Acidity management: From Vine to Wine: May 31, at 3 p.m. CDT. Register via Webex.
Whole Clusters Fermentation: June 28, at 3 p.m. CDT. Register via Webex.
Sparkling Wine: July 26, at 3 p.m. CDT. Register via Webex.
Micro-Oxygenation and Oxidation Management: Oct. 18, at 3 p.m. CDT. (Link to be published soon.)
Cold Stabilization: Nov. 15, at 3 p.m. CST. (Link to be published soon.)
Wine packaging: Dec. 13 at 3 p.m. CST. (Link to be published soon.)

Previous webinars regarding a range of topics including winery sanitation and cleaning, barrel maturation and microbial spillage can also be found online.

June 1: Floral Arranging Workshop. 6:00-7:30 pm

June 1 Kickoff: Military Family Readiness Academy

The 2022 Academy series, Family Well-being: Navigating the Social Justice Landscape, encourages participants to view social justice as a pathway to family well-being. Academy events will occur throughout the month of June 2022, with a series kickoff on June 1. The Academy series consists of three self-paced courses and two live panel discussions for service providers and extension professionals. Learn more about the 2022 Academy series, and explore how you can be involved!

Download the 2022 Academy series flyer!

June 3-5: Free Fishing Weekend in Iowa

Iowa residents may fish without a license on June 3, 4 and 5 as part of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources free fishing weekend.

“Free fishing weekend is a great opportunity to encourage Iowans to reconnect with fishing,” said Joe Larscheid, chief of the Iowa DNR’s Fisheries Bureau. “Have some fun, create new memories and spend quality time with your family and friends.”

Free fishing weekend allows Iowans to try fishing without purchasing a license. All other regulations remain in place.

“This is a great time to take kids fishing or introduce someone new to fishing,” Larscheid said. “Fish are usually close to shore and are willing to bite.”

Gather your family or friends and travel to one of the hundreds of Iowa lakes, thousands of miles of rivers or a nearby pond for a few hours of outdoor fun and relaxation.

“Use small tackle – little hooks, a bobber no larger than a quarter, 4-pound test line and small bait to catch bluegills, “Larscheid said.

“Kids will stay interested and have fun when the fishing is good. Once the interest in fishing is gone, just let them play. It isn’t about how many fish you can catch; it’s about sharing your time and having fun together,” Larscheid said.

Fun, hands-on fishing events will be offered across Iowa to teach parents or kids the basics of fishing. A list of fishing clinics, derbies, and other fun events co-sponsored by the DNR is available on the Special Events Application System at http://programs.iowadnr.gov/specialevents/.

“Our hope is that free fishing weekend will inspire anglers to invest in an annual fishing license,” Larscheid said. This investment allows the Iowa DNR Fisheries Bureau to produce and stock more than 160 million fish annually, conduct research studies to manage fish more effectively, construct fish habitat, improve water quality, restore lakes with a history of poor fishing and improve access for anglers.

June 6: Summer Camps Registration Deadline

Please fill out the form for the camps you are interested in attending. Please drop the form(s) off at the Extension Office or email the forms to Cassie at engstler@iastate.edu. Camps are free to attend, but have limited enrollments.

June 8: Pasture Walk in Union County

Learn more about pasture management and cattle grazing

May 20, 2022, 11:17 am | Chris Clark

CRESTON, Iowa – One of the first Iowa State University Extension and Outreach pasture walks of 2022 is set for June 8 in southwest Iowa. The event will be held at 1815 240th St., Shannon City, beginning at 6 p.m. The walk is for anyone interested in learning more about pasture management and cattle grazing.

ISU Extension and Outreach beef specialist Chris Clark and extension crops specialist Aaron Saeugling will discuss rotational grazing, pasture management, soil fertility and weed control. Tim Christensen, ISU Extension and Outreach farm management specialist, will discuss Livestock Risk Insurance.

Pasture walk hosts Chad and Francine Ide will provide a pasture tour and overview of their operation. The Ides run a beef cattle operation and also grow corn, soybeans and hay. The Ides are very committed to conservation practices, including cover crops and stream buffers, and in 2018, Chad was named the Iowa Conservation Farmer of the Year.

The event begins with a light meal at 6 p.m., followed by the pasture walk. For more information, see the event flyer.

Attendance is free and open to the public, with registration requested by June 6 to help with meal preparation. To register, call ISU Extension and Outreach Union County at 641-782-8426 or email Jodi Hitz at jhitz@iastate.edu.

June 14: Iowa Manure Application Field Day

The Iowa State University Dairy Farm will host the in-season manure application field day on June 14. Solving nutrient water quality issues originating from agriculture requires the development of innovative strategies that are climate smart. Iowa State researchers are teaming up with industry partners for developing and demonstrating in-season manure and nutrient management strategy.

The field day will demonstrate one such technology, Agrometer SDS 8000, which enables manure application up to 3 feet corn plant height. The field day flyer explains the activities for the day. The program will begin at 11:30 a.m. CT with a free lunch for registered participants.

Registration is required. Register by June 10 to ensure a free meal. Call the ISU Extension and Outreach Story County office at 515-337-1601 or email mvandb@iastate.edu.

June 14: Beef Quality Assurance Transportation workshops

“BQAT certification was initiated several years ago by major packers,” Doran said. “The packers require custom truckers and producers hauling cattle with their own semi or trailer to have a current BQAT card. The objectives are human safety, animal comfort, and transportation protocols to help provide a high-quality product for the consumer.”

Trainings are scheduled for the following dates and locations, with preregistration required by calling the phone number listed for the site.

June 14 – ISU Extension and Outreach Sac County Office, 620 Park Ave., Sac City. RSVP to 712-662-7131.
July 12 – ISU Extension and Outreach Clay County Office, 110 W. 4th St., Spencer. RSVP to 712-262-2264.
Aug. 9 – ISU Extension and Outreach Sioux County Office, 400 Central Ave. NW, Orange City. RSVP to 712-737-4230.
Nov. 29 – ISU Extension and Outreach Cherokee County Office, 209 Centennial Dr., Cherokee. RSVP to 712-225-6196.

All workshops are from 1 to 3 p.m. and are free to attend. Participants should preregister two days in advance of the workshop they plan to attend.

For those unable to attend a training, BQAT is available on-line at https://www.bqa.org/programs.

For more information, contact Doran at 712-737-4230 or email doranb@iastate.edu.

June 16: North Central Iowa Research Farm Field Day

KANAWHA, Iowa –Tar spot, recent analysis of the corn nitrogen rate calculator and a review of current growing season issues will highlight the summer field day of the Iowa State University Northern Research and Demonstration Farm.

The field day will take place June 16 at the farm’s southern location, one mile south of the main farm on R35 or 1040 James Ave. Registration and refreshments will begin at 9 a.m. and the field day will start at 9:30 a.m. Certified Crop Adviser credits will be available. Lunch will be served at noon and the field day will conclude by 1 p.m.

Matt Schnabel, farm superintendent, will begin the day with a season review of the farm activities, followed by Greg Guenther, North Central Iowa Research Association president, with an update on the on-going capital campaign.

Alison Robertson, corn pathologist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, will discuss current concerns with tar spot and fungicide timing.

Graduate students Mitchell Baum and Kyle King will discuss interactions between plant density and nitrogen rates on economic optimum ranges and yearly variability of the economic optimum N rate for corn.

Gentry Sorenson and Angie Rieck-Hinz, field agronomists with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, will discuss current crop management topics including planting date impacts on yield potential, crop development and pest issues. Depending on planting and herbicide application timing, an optional tour of the herbicide mode of action demonstration plots will be available to tour.

The board of directors of the North Central Iowa Research Association will briefly meet upon the conclusion of lunch.

This field day is free and open to all interested people.