Cover Crops and Weed Control: Beyond the Basics Herbicide-resistant weeds like waterhemp continue to challenge Iowa farmers, putting pressure on weed management programs and increasing costs. During our recent Iowa Learning Farms Conservation Webinar, Iowa State University Extension weed scientist Dr. Wesley Everman joined host Matt Helmers for Cover Crops: Beyond the Basics to discuss if cover crops can be a valuable tool for weed management. The short answer?

Cover Crops and Weed Control: Beyond the Basics

Herbicide-resistant weeds like waterhemp continue to challenge Iowa farmers, putting pressure on weed management programs and increasing costs. During our recent Iowa Learning Farms Conservation Webinar, Iowa State University Extension weed scientist…

What’s That Noise? Frogs of Iowa  Ribbit, ribbit – Spring is here! Frogs all over Iowa are making their presence known once again. Did you know that Iowa has over 16 frog and toad species? Here is a brief overview of some of Iowa’s frogs. Gray Treefrog There are two species that are found here in Iowa: the Eastern Gray Treefrog (Dryophytes versicolor) and Cope’s Gray Treefrog (

What’s That Noise? Frogs of Iowa 

Ribbit, ribbit – Spring is here! Frogs all over Iowa are making their presence known once again. Did you know that Iowa has over 16 frog and toad species? Here is a brief overview of some of Iowa’s frogs. Gray Treefrog There are two species that are found here in…

What’s That Noise? Frogs of Iowa  Ribbit, ribbit – Spring is here! Frogs all over Iowa are making their presence known once again. Did you know that Iowa has over 16 frog and toad species? Here is a brief overview of some of Iowa’s frogs. Gray Treefrog There are two species that are found here in Iowa: the Eastern Gray Treefrog (Dryophytes versicolor) and Cope’s Gray Treefrog (

What’s That Noise? Frogs of Iowa 

Ribbit, ribbit – Spring is here! Frogs all over Iowa are making their presence known once again. Did you know that Iowa has over 16 frog and toad species? Here is a brief overview of some of Iowa’s frogs. Gray Treefrog There are two species that are found here in…

More than a Pile of Woodchips: The Forest Stewardship-Bioreactor Connection

The Forest-to-Farm effort If you’re a regular reader of the ILF Blog, you’ve most likely heard of the Forest-to-Farm effort, an interdisciplinary research-extension effort aimed at increased denitrifying woodchip…

Cover Crops Live – Beneficial Weed Management Approaches Please join us for the Iowa Learning Farms webinar at noon CDT, Wednesday, April 15, featuring Iowa State University’s (ISU) Wesley Everman, assistant professor and extension weed specialist, in a live studio interview hosted by ISU professor Matthew Helmers. Everman’s research centers on identifying herbicide resistant weeds and integrated methods to manage them. His current research projects include exploring cover crops, application technology, novel traits, and existing chemistry to develop optimal management strategies.

Cover Crops Live – Beneficial Weed Management Approaches

Please join us for the Iowa Learning Farms webinar at noon CDT, Wednesday, April 15, featuring Iowa State University’s (ISU) Wesley Everman, assistant professor and extension weed specialist, in a live studio interview hosted by ISU…

Cover Crops Live – Beneficial Weed Management Approaches Please join us for the Iowa Learning Farms webinar at noon CDT, Wednesday, April 15, featuring Iowa State University’s (ISU) Wesley Everman, assistant professor and extension weed specialist, in a live studio interview hosted by ISU professor Matthew Helmers. Everman’s research centers on identifying herbicide resistant weeds and integrated methods to manage them. His current research projects include exploring cover crops, application technology, novel traits, and existing chemistry to develop optimal management strategies.

Cover Crops Live – Beneficial Weed Management Approaches

Please join us for the Iowa Learning Farms webinar at noon CDT, Wednesday, April 15, featuring Iowa State University’s (ISU) Wesley Everman, assistant professor and extension weed specialist, in a live studio interview hosted by ISU…

Comparing the Treatment of Manure and Human Wastewater Manure in Iowa is both a by-product of livestock production, and a valuable nutrient resource to boost the state's crop production. With the large amounts of manure produced in Iowa, questions arise to how that manure is handled to ensure a minimal environmental impact. One question posed by Daniel Andersen, Associate Professor at Iowa State University, in Iowa Learning Farms’ most recent webinar is “Should We Treat Manure Like Human Wastewater?”

Comparing the Treatment of Manure and Human Wastewater

Manure in Iowa is both a by-product of livestock production, and a valuable nutrient resource to boost the state's crop production. With the large amounts of manure produced in Iowa, questions arise to how that manure is handled to ensure a…

Hops to it: Tapping into local breweries and distilleries to expand conservation outreach Check out our recent article in the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation highlighting Conservation On Tap! As part of the open-access article, we worked to develop a Conservation On Tap Toolkit that walks through planning, promotion, hosting, and evaluation. Conservation On Tap is a series of casual events hosted at breweries and distilleries throughout Iowa, designed to highlight the importance of water quality in the brewing process and its connection to agricultural land management choices.

Check out our recent article in the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation highlighting Conservation On Tap! As part of the open-access article, we worked to develop a Conservation On Tap Toolkit that walks through planning, promotion, hosting, and evaluation.

Livestock Manure and Human Wastewater Treatment: Same or Different? Please join us for the Iowa Learning Farms webinar at noon CDT, Wednesday, April 8, featuring Daniel Andersen, associate professor, Iowa State University. Andersen spends an unusual amount of time thinking, talking and teaching about manure. His research focuses on manure management, cropping systems and treatment technologies, with the goal of turning what we have into something we use better…

Livestock Manure and Human Wastewater Treatment: Same or Different?

Please join us for the Iowa Learning Farms webinar at noon CDT, Wednesday, April 8, featuring Daniel Andersen, associate professor, Iowa State University. Andersen spends an unusual amount of time thinking, talking and teaching…

Livestock Manure and Human Wastewater Treatment: Same or Different? Please join us for the Iowa Learning Farms webinar at noon CDT, Wednesday, April 8, featuring Daniel Andersen, associate professor, Iowa State University. Andersen spends an unusual amount of time thinking, talking and teaching about manure. His research focuses on manure management, cropping systems and treatment technologies, with the goal of turning what we have into something we use better…

Livestock Manure and Human Wastewater Treatment: Same or Different?

Please join us for the Iowa Learning Farms webinar at noon CDT, Wednesday, April 8, featuring Daniel Andersen, associate professor, Iowa State University. Andersen spends an unusual amount of time thinking, talking and teaching…

All About Bees If you have any interest in Iowa bees, this is the webinar to watch! In the webinar, Dr. Amy Toth addresses three main questions. Do honey bees spread diseases to native bees? What is the potential for competition for the same forage plants? Do honey bees affect native bee communities or populations? The full recording of the webinar can be found here, …

All About Bees

If you have any interest in Iowa bees, this is the webinar to watch! In the webinar, Dr. Amy Toth addresses three main questions. Do honey bees spread diseases to native bees? What is the potential for competition for the same forage plants? Do honey bees affect native bee…

All About Bees If you have any interest in Iowa bees, this is the webinar to watch! In the webinar, Dr. Amy Toth addresses three main questions. Do honey bees spread diseases to native bees? What is the potential for competition for the same forage plants? Do honey bees affect native bee communities or populations? The full recording of the webinar can be found here, …

All About Bees

If you have any interest in Iowa bees, this is the webinar to watch! In the webinar, Dr. Amy Toth addresses three main questions. Do honey bees spread diseases to native bees? What is the potential for competition for the same forage plants? Do honey bees affect native bee…

From Classrooms to Communities: Mitch Harting’s Earns CYtation Award We are proud to highlight that our very own Mitch Harting is a recipient of the 2025 Individual CYtation Award—an honor that highlights his exceptional dedication, leadership, and statewide impact. Since joining ISU in June 2023, Mitch has made an extraordinary mark through his work with the Iowa Learning Farms and Water Rocks! programs, delivering dynamic environmental education to youth across Iowa.

We are proud to highlight that our very own Mitch Harting is a recipient of the 2025 Individual CYtation Award—an honor that highlights his exceptional dedication, leadership, and statewide impact.

March 2026 Webinar Rewind No jokes or tricks here today, just some awesome webinars to catch up on from last month! Assessing Sediment Sources, Nutrient Storage, and Long-term Sustainability of Farm Ponds in Southern Iowa: How quickly is your farm pond filling up with sediment? Is it faster than you were told it would? Watch this webinar to learn more from Matthew Streeter and Calvin Wolter about using GIS and LiDAR to visualize soil movement and deposition across the watershed.

March 2026 Webinar Rewind

No jokes or tricks here today, just some awesome webinars to catch up on from last month! Assessing Sediment Sources, Nutrient Storage, and Long-term Sustainability of Farm Ponds in Southern Iowa: How quickly is your farm pond filling up with sediment? Is it faster than…

March 2026 Webinar Rewind No jokes or tricks here today, just some awesome webinars to catch up on from last month! Assessing Sediment Sources, Nutrient Storage, and Long-term Sustainability of Farm Ponds in Southern Iowa: How quickly is your farm pond filling up with sediment? Is it faster than you were told it would? Watch this webinar to learn more from Matthew Streeter and Calvin Wolter about using GIS and LiDAR to visualize soil movement and deposition across the watershed.

March 2026 Webinar Rewind

No jokes or tricks here today, just some awesome webinars to catch up on from last month! Assessing Sediment Sources, Nutrient Storage, and Long-term Sustainability of Farm Ponds in Southern Iowa: How quickly is your farm pond filling up with sediment? Is it faster than…

Connecting the Dots between Honey Bees, Agriculture and Pollinator Conservation Please join us for the Iowa Learning Farms webinar at noon CDT, Wednesday, April 1, featuring Amy Toth, professor, Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University. Toth’s research focuses on the behavior, genetics, ecology, and evolution of social bees and wasps. In the webinar, “Honey bees: Friends for agriculture, Foes for conservation?,” Toth will discuss aligning farming decisions to support both honey bee and native bee pollinator populations.

Connecting the Dots between Honey Bees, Agriculture and Pollinator Conservation

Please join us for the Iowa Learning Farms webinar at noon CDT, Wednesday, April 1, featuring Amy Toth, professor, Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University. Toth’s research focuses on the…

Connecting the Dots between Honey Bees, Agriculture and Pollinator Conservation Please join us for the Iowa Learning Farms webinar at noon CDT, Wednesday, April 1, featuring Amy Toth, professor, Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University. Toth’s research focuses on the behavior, genetics, ecology, and evolution of social bees and wasps. In the webinar, “Honey bees: Friends for agriculture, Foes for conservation?,” Toth will discuss aligning farming decisions to support both honey bee and native bee pollinator populations.

Connecting the Dots between Honey Bees, Agriculture and Pollinator Conservation

Please join us for the Iowa Learning Farms webinar at noon CDT, Wednesday, April 1, featuring Amy Toth, professor, Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University. Toth’s research focuses on the…

A Discussion on Disease and Cover Crops Corn and cover crops, specifically cereal rye, don’t always get along. As stated by Alison Robertson, professor and field crops extension pathologist for Iowa State University, “corn is a princess”. As a host for pathogens like pythium, cereal rye can bridge the gap between cropping years. This carryover of disease can lead to root rot, dead plants, and reduced yields. As part of the new Beyond the Basics: Advanced Cover Crop Series, ILF hosted…

A Discussion on Disease and Cover Crops

Corn and cover crops, specifically cereal rye, don’t always get along. As stated by Alison Robertson, professor and field crops extension pathologist for Iowa State University, “corn is a princess”. As a host for pathogens like pythium, cereal rye can bridge…

Farming For the Future of Iowa’s Great Lakes Iowa’s land and water resources go hand in hand, especially on the Boettcher Family Farm in rural Dickinson County. Situated among the Iowa Great Lakes, John and Emily Boettcher grow corn, soybeans, and alfalfa on roughly 650 acres, alongside their herd of beef cattle. Farming in such a unique location has guided the father-daughter duo to implement conservation practices on their land to ensure better soil and water quality.

Farming For the Future of Iowa’s Great Lakes

Iowa’s land and water resources go hand in hand, especially on the Boettcher Family Farm in rural Dickinson County. Situated among the Iowa Great Lakes, John and Emily Boettcher grow corn, soybeans, and alfalfa on roughly 650 acres, alongside their herd…

Good News From Monarch Overwintering Site The eastern monarch butterfly population overwintering in Mexico’s oyamel fir forests occupied 2.93 hectares during the 2025-2026 overwintering season, according to the latest survey released by Mexico’s National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (CONANP) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). This represents about a 64% increase compared to last year’s estimate of 1.79 hectares. Each winter, researchers survey monarchs while they cluster together at their overwintering sites in central Mexico.

Good News From Monarch Overwintering Site

Cover Crops Unscripted – Reaping Benefits while Managing Yield Effects Please join us for the Iowa Learning Farms webinar at noon CDT, Wednesday, March 25, featuring Iowa State University’s (ISU) Alison Robertson, professor and field crops extension pathologist in a live studio interview hosted by ISU professor Matthew Helmers. Robertson provides leadership for corn and soybean disease diagnosis and management information, and education programs for corn and soybean farmers and agribusiness professionals throughout Iowa.

Cover Crops Unscripted – Reaping Benefits while Managing Yield Effects

Please join us for the Iowa Learning Farms webinar at noon CDT, Wednesday, March 25, featuring Iowa State University’s (ISU) Alison Robertson, professor and field crops extension pathologist in a live studio interview hosted by…

Cover Crops Unscripted – Reaping Benefits while Managing Yield Effects Please join us for the Iowa Learning Farms webinar at noon CDT, Wednesday, March 25, featuring Iowa State University’s (ISU) Alison Robertson, professor and field crops extension pathologist in a live studio interview hosted by ISU professor Matthew Helmers. Robertson provides leadership for corn and soybean disease diagnosis and management information, and education programs for corn and soybean farmers and agribusiness professionals throughout Iowa.

Cover Crops Unscripted – Reaping Benefits while Managing Yield Effects

Please join us for the Iowa Learning Farms webinar at noon CDT, Wednesday, March 25, featuring Iowa State University’s (ISU) Alison Robertson, professor and field crops extension pathologist in a live studio interview hosted by…

Cover Crops as Another Tool to Combat Weeds In a time of increasing herbicide-resistant weeds, what can be done? Try cover crops! Dr. Debalin Sarangi talked adding cover crops, the benefits as well as what to look out for in our most recent webinar, Cereal Rye Cover Crops for Weed Control: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Dr. Sarangi starts the webinar off by talking about the issues farmers in Minnesota are having with controlling waterhemp, giant ragweed, and lambsquarter. 

Cover Crops as Another Tool to Combat Weeds

In a time of increasing herbicide-resistant weeds, what can be done? Try cover crops! Dr. Debalin Sarangi talked adding cover crops, the benefits as well as what to look out for in our most recent webinar, Cereal Rye Cover Crops for Weed Control: The…

Cover Crops as Another Tool to Combat Weeds In a time of increasing herbicide-resistant weeds, what can be done? Try cover crops! Dr. Debalin Sarangi talked adding cover crops, the benefits as well as what to look out for in our most recent webinar, Cereal Rye Cover Crops for Weed Control: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Dr. Sarangi starts the webinar off by talking about the issues farmers in Minnesota are having with controlling waterhemp, giant ragweed, and lambsquarter. 

Cover Crops as Another Tool to Combat Weeds

In a time of increasing herbicide-resistant weeds, what can be done? Try cover crops! Dr. Debalin Sarangi talked adding cover crops, the benefits as well as what to look out for in our most recent webinar, Cereal Rye Cover Crops for Weed Control: The…

Corncobs to the Rescue: Scaling Up Bioreactors for Iowa’s Water Quality Goals The scale of change needed to meet Iowa’s nutrient reduction goal is, well, pretty difficult to comprehend.  Different scenarios can be used to estimate the number of conservation practices needed, but in general, we know that at least 100,000 woodchip bioreactors will be required to meet water quality targets (along with wetlands, saturated buffers, cover crops, and other practices). How can we get from ~300 currently installed bioreactors to 100,000 bioreactors in Iowa?

Corncobs to the Rescue: Scaling Up Bioreactors for Iowa’s Water Quality Goals

Plant with a Plan This Spring As spring approaches, anticipation grows for planting season 2026. With each warm spell comes hope of an early opportunity to get the crop in the ground. While it may seem like all we need is warm weather and good field conditions, there are many considerations that need to be taken into account before jumping in the tractor. Now is the perfect time to sit down, create a game plan for the spring, and remind ourselves of the steps need to make for a successful season.

Plant with a Plan This Spring

As spring approaches, anticipation grows for planting season 2026. With each warm spell comes hope of an early opportunity to get the crop in the ground. While it may seem like all we need is warm weather and good field conditions, there are many considerations that…

Cover Crop Contributions to Weed Management Strategies Please join us for the Iowa Learning Farms webinar at noon CDT, Wednesday, March 18, featuring Debalin Sarangi, Ph.D., assistant professor and extension weed scientist, University of Minnesota. Sarangi’s research and extension program are focused on providing leadership in the development and implementation of Best Management Practices to reduce the risks of herbicide resistance evolution in weeds. The program is informed by stakeholders’ needs and is committed to providing timely, science-based education materials to farmers and other partners.

Cover Crop Contributions to Weed Management Strategies

Please join us for the Iowa Learning Farms webinar at noon CDT, Wednesday, March 18, featuring Debalin Sarangi, Ph.D., assistant professor and extension weed scientist, University of Minnesota. Sarangi’s research and extension program are…

Cover Crop Contributions to Weed Management Strategies Please join us for the Iowa Learning Farms webinar at noon CDT, Wednesday, March 18, featuring Debalin Sarangi, Ph.D., assistant professor and extension weed scientist, University of Minnesota. Sarangi’s research and extension program are focused on providing leadership in the development and implementation of Best Management Practices to reduce the risks of herbicide resistance evolution in weeds. The program is informed by stakeholders’ needs and is committed to providing timely, science-based education materials to farmers and other partners.

Cover Crop Contributions to Weed Management Strategies

Please join us for the Iowa Learning Farms webinar at noon CDT, Wednesday, March 18, featuring Debalin Sarangi, Ph.D., assistant professor and extension weed scientist, University of Minnesota. Sarangi’s research and extension program are…

Till Less, Gain More Do we really have to disturb soils? That’s the question Dr. Humberto Blanco posed during our webinar last week while discussing the impact of no-till on soil health and carbon in the Midwest. As Dr. Blanco explains, no-till is a foundational practice for additional conservation practices like cover crops that can further improve soil health in the longer term. If farmers and landowners are interested in assessing soil health, the soil should be treated much like assessing human health: …

Till Less, Gain More

Do we really have to disturb soils? That’s the question Dr. Humberto Blanco posed during our webinar last week while discussing the impact of no-till on soil health and carbon in the Midwest. As Dr. Blanco explains, no-till is a foundational practice for additional…

Virtual Field Day: Impacts of Restoring Wetlands for Nutrient Reduction Iowa Learning Farms (ILF), in partnership with the Iowa Nutrient Research Center, will host a virtual field day on Thursday, March 26, at 1 p.m. CT. The event, which is available at no cost, will feature a live discussion with Charlie Loewen, assistant professor of ecology, evolution and organismal biology at Iowa State University, and ecology and evolutionary biology graduate research assistants Daniel Edwards, Kaitlyn Sanchez and Grace Jackson.

Virtual Field Day: Impacts of Restoring Wetlands for Nutrient Reduction

Iowa Learning Farms (ILF), in partnership with the Iowa Nutrient Research Center, will host a virtual field day on Thursday, March 26, at 1 p.m. CT. The event, which is available at no cost, will feature a live discussion with…