• Dave Brakhane, PrairieScapes of Winterset
• Kirk Bedwell, Bedwell Gardens of Norwalk
• Mark Pingenot, Arbor Care LLC of Vinton
• Tommy Ghrist, Ag Property Services of Murray
• Virgil Widger, Country Landscapes of Clear Lake

Here is more about the Green Farmstead Partner program, contact information for all of the landscapers involved in the program, and tree planting design considerations for any livestock farm.

Mark Your Calendar: Upcoming Events

FFA State Leadership Conference

Are you (or someone you know) headed to the FFA State Leadership Conference April 18-19 in Ames? Be sure to swing by the Coalition’s booth in the tradeshow. We’ll be surveying FFA members to gauge their outlook on careers in agriculture and, more specifically, farming. And to sweeten the deal, we’ll have delicious treats for the students who participate!

Being a Successful Farmer Means Being a Good Neighbor

Raising livestock and poultry takes time, money and attention to detail. It also requires farmers who are growing their livestock farms visit with their neighbors about their intentions prior to moving dirt. Farmers wanting to build new livestock and poultry barns need to be respectful of their neighbors and willing to communicate their plans to them.

Community acceptance is key for farm families wanting to build a new livestock barn or grow their existing farm. The days of putting up a new barn or feedlot without talking to your neighbors and hoping they will “just get over it” are long gone. Character certainly counts when it comes to raising livestock and poultry in today’s society… READ MORE

Windbreak Design Tip: Species Selection

Deciduous trees? Evergreens? Ornamentals? Shrubs? Native grasses? Questions?

Look no further than the Green Farmstead Partner program blog. Here’s a new article that provides a nice summary and links to more information about various types of trees that work well in windbreaks for Iowa farms.

Farmgate Quotables

“It was very helpful to have an organization like the Coalition to come and provide this service for free. It makes the rules and regulations easy to follow and know what to do.” – Greg Troyer, Washington County, hog & turkey farmer