Women Managing Crops course is set

     Women Managing Crops, a five-session course focusing on crop production decisions, will be held on five consecutive Tuesdays at Jones County Extension, located in the Citizens State Bank Youth Development Center in Monticello.

     Dates for the sessions are Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25 and March 3. Each session begins with a light meal at 8:45 a.m. The program will run from 9 a.m. to noon each day.

     This course is designed for women of all ages and experience levels who want to know more about the key agronomic decisions for corn and soybean production. The sessions take a seasonal approach and cover decision-making for pre-planting, the growing phase, and harvest.

     Women own 47 percent of Iowa farmland. Whether these landowners farm the acres themselves, or lease out their land to other farmers, they are taking on increasing managerial roles. Other women are not landowners, but find themselves taking on many crop production roles. Still other women in rural Iowa just want to learn more about typical agronomic production and Iowa’s soil and water.

     The course curriculum includes:

     • Pre-planting, including seed selection, plant population, spring tillage practices, crop insurance and marketing strategies.

     • Growing, including how plants use N-P-K (nitrogen-phosporus-potassium) fertilizer, nutrient management, field scouting, pesticide/herbicide application, and marketing strategies.

     • Harvest, including timing of harvest, harvesting practices, storage and drying, fall tillage practices, and marketing strategies.

     Participants will benefit from topics of importance to their future in farming, presentations and extended discussions, practical hands-on activities, available decision-making resources, a comfortable and supportive learning environment, and networking with other farm women.

     Registration is $75, and deadline is midnight Jan. 28. Pre-registration is required. Registration includes meal and course materials. Class size is limited, and registrations will be accepted on a first come, first paid basis.

     For information, contact Program Services at 515-294-6429 or anr@iastate.edu; Jennifer Fischer at 319-465-3224 or jenfisch@iastate.edu; or Ryan Drollette at 319-337-2145 or drollett@iastate.edu.