In this episode, Olivia interviews Maury Wills, Iowa Specialty Crop Growers Association (ISCGA), Board President and Benji Deal, ISCGA Board Member and Head Cider Maker at Deal's Orchard. Tune in as they discuss the upcoming ISCGA Field Day that will be held July 27, 2023, and what participants can expect from the day!
Episode Links:
• Registration Link: https://www.iowaspecialtycrop.org/events-2/#!event/2023/5/10/test-page-summer-field-day
• Orchard Questions: benjaminpdeal@gmail.com
• Registration Questions: ohanlon@iastate.edu
What are your favorite flowers?
In this episode, Olivia interviews Dan Brabec, Assistant Professor of Practice with Iowa State University Horticulture Department. Tune in as they discuss cut flower arrangements, how to make them last longer, and what you can find outside here in Iowa to create your own!
Episode Links:
• Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Master Gardener Program: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/mastergardener/
• Aaron Steil: ajsteil@iastate.edu, 515-294-8953
• Dan Brabec: dbrabec@iastate.edu, 515-294-2751
In this episode, Olivia interviews Adam Janke, Wildlife Specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Tune in as they share some sounds that may or may not be familiar to you, and learn how you can identify some common sounds of summer here in Iowa!
Episode Links:
In this episode, Olivia interviews Ajay Nair, Commercial Horticulture Specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Tune in as the discuss what some of the benefits may be with tarping your vegetable plots, and what Ajay and his team are doing to research this topic!
Episode Links:
• Sustainable Vegetable Poduction Website: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/vegetablelab/
• Ajay Nair Email: nairajay@iastate.edu
• Ajay Nair Office Number: 515-294-7080
Tune in as Olivia interviews Aaron Steil, Consumer Horticulture Specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. In this episode, they discuss a few different spring garden crops, including rhubarb, asparagus, and horse reddish!
Episode Links:
• Horticulture and Home Pest News: https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/
In this episode, Christa interviews Matt Russell, State Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Iowa. Tune in as they talk about the USDA FSA, the importance of having a relationship with your local FSA, and what opportunities they offer.
Episode Links:
• USDA Website: https://www.usda.gov/
• USA Jobs: https://www.usajobs.gov/
If you have a private water well, do you get it tested every year? Did you know Iowa has a water well program that allows private well owners to have their private well water tested for free?
Tune in as Olivia interviews Catherine DeLong, Water Quality Program Manager for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. In this episode, they discuss the importance of having your private well water tested yearly, the things you would want to test for, and the resources to help.
Episode Links:
• County Environmental Health Sanitarians for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources: http://www.iowasrf.com/media/cms/Sanitarians5_1A50952E9532E.pdf
• Extension Staff by county: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/countyservices/
• The Private Well Class: https://privatewellclass.org/
• Iowa Department Of Natural Resouces: https://www.iowadnr.gov/
• State of Iowa Department of Health and Human Services: https://hhs.iowa.gov/
• State Hygienic Laboratory at The University of Iowa: http://www.shl.uiowa.edu/
• Drinking Water Quality in Iowa from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach - Natural Resource Stewardship: https://naturalresources.extension.iastate.edu/drinking-water-quality-iowa
Do you know the best practices when mushroom foraging? Tune in as Olivia interviews Chelsea Harbach, Plant Disease Diagnostician in Iowa State University's Plant & Insect Diagnostic Clinic. They discuss tips when it comes to foraging for mushrooms and even growing your own at home. Chelsea also gives some great resources you can use!
Episode Links:
• Iowa Mushroom Calendar: https://naturalresources.extension.iastate.edu/encyclopedia/mushroom-foraging-iowa
• Safe Mushroom foraging webinars by Lina: part 1- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bdiEBwMzZI&t=534s
• Safe Mushroom foraging webinars by Lina: part 2- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNIPxbGbJtU&t=3s
• Safe Mushroom Foraging Book: https://store.extension.iastate.edu/product/Safe-Mushroom-Foraging
• Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic e-mail: pidc@iastate.edu
Growing mushrooms at home resources from other universities:
• Pen State University- https://extension.psu.edu/forage-and-food-crops/mushrooms/production-and-harvesting
• University of Florida- https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/vegetables/growing-mushrooms-at-home.html
• Cornell University- https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/projects/mushrooms/
• University of Vermont- https://www.uvm.edu/news/extension/growing-mushrooms-indoors
Do you have coyotes or foxes around your farm? Or maybe you even see/hear them around town! Tune in as Olivia interviews Andy Kellner, Wildlife Biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. They discuss why you may see these creatures around, what steps you can take if they become a problem, and some of the great benefits they can actually provide for us!
Episode Links:
• Andy Kellner: (515) 975-8318
• Vince Evelsizer: (641) 231-1522
• University of Wisconsin Urban Canid Project: http://uwurbancanidproject.weebly.com/
• Iowa Department of Natural Resources: https://www.iowadnr.gov/
• The Red Fox in Iowa by Ron Andrews: https://www.iowadnr.gov/Portals/idnr/uploads/Hunting/book_red_fox.pdf
We’re happy to share a podcast from our friends, Dan Fillius, ISU Extension Horticulture Field Specialist, and Dr. Justin Glisan, Iowa’s State Climatologist. This episode is the pilot episode and gives a recap of weather this past winter, how it stacks up against past winters, and provides a climate outlook for the coming growing season. Typically this podcast will be for those who want to learn more about weather, its recent impacts on fruits and vegetables, and it’ll provide a climate outlook for the coming week. Stay tuned for details on how to subscribe and future weekly episodes!
In this episode of the Beginning Fruit Farm Series, Suzanne Slack, Assistant Professor of Horticulture at Iowa State University specializing in perennial fruit crops, Brandon Carpenter, Agriculture Specialist with Iowa State Horticulture Research Station, and Liv Meyer, a graduate student in the department of Horticulture at Iowa State University talk about getting your small fruit farm ready for spring! What needs to be cleaned up, when is the most opportune time to clean those things up, what sort of maintenance do we need to keep in mind, when to plant new plants, and MORE!
Do you have a backyard garden, or maybe a flower bed or two? Do you know what you should do in the spring to get them cleaned up and ready for planting?
In this episode, Olivia interviews Aaron Steil, Consumer Horticulture Specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Aaron gives us great advice and insight on best spring practices to get your gardens and flower beds ready!
Episode Links:
• Horticulture and Home Pest News: https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/
• Spring Garden Tasks: https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/spring-garden-tasks
In this episode of the Beginning Fruit Farm Series, Suzanne Slack, Assistant Professor of Horticulture at Iowa State University specializing in perennial fruit crops, Randall Vos, Commercial Fruit Crop Specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, and Liv Meyer, a graduate student in the department of Horticulture at Iowa State University are discussing grape pruning. Tune in to learn all about pruning your grape vines!
We're bringing you a very special episode with guest host Dr. Kathleen Delate. Tune in as she interviews 4 organic farmers and an organic researcher engaged in organic technologies that may offer some value in organic operations. As with all technology, the benefits of technological innovations must be evaluated along with any trade-offs, which are explored in this podcast.
In this episode of the Beginning Fruit Farm Series, Suzanne Slack, Assistant Professor of Horticulture at Iowa State University specializing in perennial fruit crops, Brandon Carpenter, Agriculture Specialist with Iowa State Horticulture Research Station, and Liv Meyer, a graduate student in the department of Horticulture at Iowa State University are discussing Apple Tree pruning. Tune in to learn tips, tricks, and best practices when it comes to pruning your apple trees!
In this episode of the Beginning Fruit Farm Series, Suzanne Slack, Assistant Professor of Horticulture at Iowa State University specializing in perennial fruit crops, Brandon Carpenter, Agriculture Specialist with Iowa State Horticulture Research Station, and Liv Meyer, a graduate student in the department of Horticulture at Iowa State University discuss all things bramble (mainly raspberries and black berries) pruning. Tune in to learn tips, tricks, and best practices when it comes time to prune brambles.
Are you considering buying an acreage? You should keep a handful of things in mind before doing so! There are also plenty of resources you can research before committing to a property.
In this episode, Olivia interviews Ann Johanns, Extension Program Specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Ann gives us some great advice and questions to ask ourselves before we make an acreage purchase. She also informs us of some great resources we can utilize to research a property and other surrounding properties!
Episode Links:
• Ag Decision Maker: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/
• Beacon Shneider: https://beacon.schneidercorp.com/
• Iowa Land Records: https://iowalandrecords.org/
Olivia is again joined by Suzanne Slack, Assistant Professor of Horticulture at Iowa State University specializing in perennial fruit crops, Brandon Carpenter, Agriculture Specialist with Iowa State Horticulture Research Station, and Liv Meyer, a graduate student in the department of Horticulture at Iowa State University and on this episode of our Beginning Fruit Farm Series, they discuss grape trellising. Tune in as they discuss the different trellising options and what options would best suit your grapes here in Iowa!
Have you been noticing more Bald Eagles in Iowa lately?
In today's episode, Olivia interviews Heidi Anderson, a Naturalist with Polk County Conservation, and we're talking about Bald Eagles! Where can we go to see them, what should we do if we see them, and what are some ways we can attract them?!
It's that time of year again when we can go out and shed hunt!
If you're interested in shed hunting but don't know where to start, or maybe you're just looking for a few tips on where to find them, tune in to this episode! Olivia interviews Heidi Anderson, a Naturalist with Polk County Conservation, who gives some great tips on where to look for sheds, things to avoid, and what you can do with them once you find them!
Winters in Iowa can be really challenging! How do you prepare for them and keep yourself, your family, and your farm safe?
In this episode, Olivia interviews Brandi Janssen, Director of the Iowa Center for Agricultural Safety and Health. Tune in to hear all about winter weather hazards you should be aware of and emergency preparedness on the farm.
Episode Links:
• Iowa's Center for Agricultural Safety and Health: https://icash.public-health.uiowa.edu/
• Winter Weather Emergency Preparedness: https://icash.public-health.uiowa.edu/programs/seasonal-campaigns/winter-2019-winter-weather-emergency-preparedness/
• Prevent Farm Fires: https://icash.public-health.uiowa.edu/programs/seasonal-campaigns/winter-2015-campaign-prevent-farm-fires/
In this episode, Olivia interviews Kendra Meyer, Executive Secretary for the Iowa Specialty Crop Growers Association and Christie Jensen, Executive Director for the Iowa Wine Growers Association. Tune in to hear all about the upcoming 2023 Iowa Specialty Producers Conference! The conference will start on February 22, 2023 and go through February 23, 2023. There will also be a pre-conference workshop held on February 21, 2023.
Episode Links:
• Iowa Specialty Producers Conference: https://www.iowaspecialtyproducers.com/
• Conference Registration Link: https://www.iowaspecialtyproducers.com/registernow
• Pre-conference Workshop Registration: https://www.iowaspecialtyproducers.com/registeriscga
• Session Overview: https://www.iowaspecialtyproducers.com/2023-sessions
• Conference Speakers: https://www.iowaspecialtyproducers.com/2023-speakers
• Sponsors and Exhibitors: https://www.iowaspecialtyproducers.com/2023-sponsors
• Contact the Iowa Specialty Producers Conference: ispc@iowawinegrowers.org
Olivia is joined by Suzanne Slack, Assistant Professor of Horticulture at Iowa State University specializing in perennial fruit crops, Brandon Carpenter, Agriculture Specialist with Iowa State Horticulture Research Station, and Liv Meyer, a graduate student in the department of Horticulture at Iowa State University and on this episode they discuss Apple Tree Trellising. They dive into what some of the best practices are, what you need to think about before planting your trees, why trellises are so important for your apple trees, and more!
Egg prices are rising, and the idea of having backyard chickens is gaining popularity! In this episode, Olivia interviews our very own Christa Hartsook, Small Farms Program Coordinator with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Christa shares her professional knowledge about backyard chickens and how one can get started! There are a few things to consider before going out and buying a handful of chicks! Tune in to this episode and learn what you will all need before getting started!
Episode Links:
• Small Farm Sustainability with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/smallfarms/
• Getting Started with Backyard Chickens eCourse: https://store.extension.iastate.edu/product/15129
You want to start producing raspberries and/or blackberries, but what does the trellising systems look like for them?
In this episode, Olivia is joined by Suzanne Slack, Assistant Professor of Horticulture at Iowa State University specializing in perennial fruit crops, Brandon Carpenter, Agriculture Specialist with Iowa State Horticulture Research Station, and Liv Meyer, a graduate student in the department of Horticulture at Iowa State University. Listen in as hey go into more details and tips about what a trellising system for raspberries or blackberries should look like and include!