Farm & Fiber Tour Stop 3
2022-09-25 15:00 - 18:00 (America/Chicago) | WI
Join Three Rivers Fibershed (TRF) and Wisconsin Farmers Union (WFU) local chapters for a series of on-farm events highlighting local fiber farms, soil-to-soil farming practices, and regional textile systems in Wisconsin! Featuring WFU and TRF members/stewards, attendees will have the chance to connect with local farms and shepherds engaging in climate-beneficial, pasture-based farming practices and learn about TRF and WFU and their work to support farmers and cooperative efforts to promote local agricultural systems. Events will feature farmer-led pasture walks, hands-on fiber activities, and educational booths hosted by partners.
Info here.

Soil Health- Pine Creek Watershed
2022-09-27
Soil Health Workshop- Pine Creek Watershed
Location: Libertyland Farms – Greg Gries, Hwy 42
Date: September 27, 2022
Time: 9:30am – 3:00pm
Join us to discuss practices that benefit your farm and help water infiltrate into your soil. See how different management practices conserve soil and nutrients, and witness the results in real time with a rainfall simulator.
Get an earthworm’s view of the field from a soil pit and learn how to assess your own fields’ soil health; participating farmers will also be able to take a free soil-health test kit back to their farm to measure compaction, infiltration and soil stability, compliments of a grant.
Lunch is included in the registration. Pre-registration by Sept 24 is requested to ensure enough meals and handouts for all participants.
Once you register, you will receive a confirmation email.
Please complete one form for all participating from your farm or business
There is no registration fee.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to limited funding, priority for attendance (and soil health kits) will be given to those who farm in and adjacent to the Pine Creek watershed. If capacity limits are reached, those outside the target area may be placed on a waiting list.
Register here.

Soil Health and Sustainability for Field Staff
2022-09-27 - 2022-09-29
This training is designed to provide field level conservationists and resource soil scientists with an overall understanding of soil health and sustainability principles to guide them with recommendations for land management. The training can be tailored by landuse or specialty emphasis area using modules for cropland, pasture, range, eastern forests, sod and nursery crops, organic specialty crops, and/or salinity and sodicity. Upon completion of this course participants will be able to evaluate soil health, have an understanding of soil quality/soil health indicators and their relationship to onsite/offsite effects of management; communicate soil health concerns to employees, partners and land managers through conservation technical assistance and planning that complies with national policy; and apply soil health and sustainability principles and conservation technology holistically to supply safe, healthy and abundant food and fiber and sustain ecosystem functions on agricultural lands.
Primary Objectives
Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

Define or describe soil health terms and basic concepts to develop an understanding of the soil ecosystem, soil biology, and soil functions;
Discuss soil chemical, physical, and biological properties and the soil functions they affect;
Evaluate and compare management practices for limiting physical and chemical disturbance;
Apply agroecology technologies that build or degrade soil function
Be knowledgeable of soil features that indicate good soil health using field observations;
Use farmer input (goals) and background data to initiate inventory and assessment of soil resources;
Analyze collected data to identify soil health problems and priorities for improvements;
Understand how improving soil health improves productivity and profitability;
Understand the costs of poor soil health on air and water quality; and
Use soil health demonstrations to promote conservation.

Info here.

Soil Health and Sustainability for Field Staff
2022-09-27 - 2022-09-29
Course Description:
This training is designed to provide field level conservationists and resource soil scientists with an overall understanding of soil health and sustainability principles to guide them with recommendations for land management. The training can be tailored by land use or specialty emphasis area using modules for cropland, pasture, range, eastern forests, sod and nursery crops, organic specialty crops, and/or salinity and sodicity. Upon completion of this course participants will be able to evaluate soil health, have an understanding of soil quality/soil health indicators and their relationship to onsite/offsite effects of management; communicate soil health concerns to employees, partners and land managers through conservation technical assistance and planning that complies with national policy; and apply soil health and sustainability principles and conservation technology holistically to supply safe, healthy and abundant food and fiber and sustain ecosystem functions on agricultural lands.
Target Audience:
NRCS staff in the 400 & 800 Series and Partners, particularly those involved in resource inventory and conservation planning with land managers or assessment of dynamic soil properties for soil survey.
Primary Objectives:
Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:
Define or describe soil health terms and basic concepts to develop an understanding of the soil ecosystem, soil biology, and soil functions;
Discuss soil chemical, physical, and biological properties and the soil functions they affect;
Evaluate and compare management practices for limiting physical and chemical disturbance;
Apply agroecology technologies that build or degrade soil function
Be knowledgeable of soil features that indicate good soil health using field observations;
Use farmer input (goals) and background data to initiate inventory and assessment of soil resources;
Analyze collected data to identify soil health problems and priorities for improvements;
Understand how improving soil health improves productivity and profitability;
Understand the costs of poor soil health on air and water quality; and
Use soil health demonstrations to promote conservation.
NE Area: Waupaca, WI. Tuesday-Thursday Sept 13-15, sign up here.
SE Area: Fond du Lac, WI. Tuesday-Thursday Sept 27-29, sign up here.

The Role of Zoos in Conservation
2022-09-27 13:00 - 14:00
Zoos are playing a key role in insect conservation research and their labs are home to innovative programs designed to help at-risk insect species recover. Join us for updates and success stories with a focus on monarchs and the salt creek tiger beetle recovery program.
Info here.

Experience Agroforestry! – Sauk County Farm/Art DTour
2022-10-01 10:00 - 11:00
You can explore the sights, smells, sounds, and tastes of agroforestry for yourself during the Savanna Institute’s North Farm Open House on October 1st! Members of the public are encouraged to visit E6828 State Rd. 60 Spring Green, WI to learn more about how agroforestry can fit into the Sauk County landscape.
Info here.

World Dairy Expo
2022-10-02 - 2022-10-07
Location: Alliant Energy Center, Madison, WI
Info here.

Prairie Strips Part 2: Addressing Pesticide Risks to Pollinators
2022-10-03 13:00 - 14:00
Emily May and Karin Jokela from the Xerces Society will present on pesticide risks to pollinators in habitat near cropland, including field research on pesticide contamination and impacts, and how to address and mitigate those risks in planning prairie strips. The talk will include local case studies and partner experiences
Info here.

Iodine as a Plant Nutrient
2022-10-04 11:00 - 12:00
This webinar will discuss the fundamental science behind iodine as a plant nutrient based on phenotypic, genomic, and proteomic studies. The webinar will also cover the “right dose” (one of the 4Rs of nutrient management) of iodine for fertigation.
Info here.

Challenges and Opportunities in Organic Urban Agriculture
2022-10-04 15:00 - 16:00
Join this webinar to learn about production and marketing challenges and opportunities for farming organically in urban environments.
Organic producers of all sizes and across all landscapes must follow the same national standards to meet the requirements of USDA organic certification. However, certified organic farmers and farmers using organic growing practices may have different production and market opportunities and challenges when growing in an urban environment. This webinar will explore research in this field, as well as perspectives from farmers on growing organically in urban spaces.
Info here.

Soil Mechanics Field Day
2022-10-05 09:00 - 14:00
Who: Anyone who completes soil logs or interprets soils logs
When: 9am – 2 pm October 5th, 2022
Where: Waupaca County – Glendale Farms N9895 Kluth Rd, Clintonville, WI 54929
Enter Farm Road off of XX. Park along edge of farm rd test pits will be in small field west of road.
Lunch is on your own. Clintonville is 5 miles northwest of farm
Items to bring: Clip Board, Pens/Pencils, Trowel, Color Book, Spray Bottle, Texture Triangle. Chair to sit on for lunch and discussion.
We will have a few extras of some items but not much
Info and registration.

Harmful Algal Blooms Webinar Series – Remote Sensing and Strategic Management of CyanoHABs Across the Nation
2022-10-05 11:00 - 12:00
Join the Algal Bloom Action Team (ABAT) this October as we host three great HABs researchers. Corey Markfort, Ph.D. and Greg LeFevre, Ph.D. will discuss the exploration of complex HABs mixtures and mid-range remote sensing in Iowa lakes. Then Jennifer Graham, Ph.D. will discuss the structured decision-making research around cyanoHABs management in New York state parks.
Info here.

Salt Wise Stories: City of Eau Claire
2022-10-05 12:00 - 13:00
Cory Tietz, Street Superintendent with the City of Eau Claire, will overview Eau Claire’s salt reduction strategies, successes, and next steps. When the Streets Department was told that a new section of highway was to receive NO salt, Cory’s team went into overdrive. This challenge propelled them to rethink winter maintenance city-wide. They are pushing the envelope on gallons/ton used for pre-wetting salt (think 80+), engaging citizens through entertaining and informational social media posts, and more.
Info here.

Wisconsin Summit for Natural Resources Volunteers
2022-10-06 - 2022-10-08
Gather in-person with Master Naturalists and others interested in natural resources and volunteering in Wisconsin. Learn in small group settings during field tours, hikes, workshops and presentations about Wisconsin’s natural world and the nurturing aspect we give to the natural world and receive from our time in nature.
Info here.

Stream site assessment – Field day
2022-10-07 09:30 - 14:30
This is the third of a three part series on stream assessment and planning. This training will cover field data gathering for completing assessments including Rosgen classification, bank erosion assessment, habitat suitability, bank failure types, and soils investigations.
Must have attended or watched the recording of the Stream Site Assessment webinar (9/23). Contact isabelle@wisconsinlandwater.org if you need access to the webinar.
This is an additional training added. It is the same content as is what is offered on October 6th.
Info here.

It’s the little things that run the world: the importance of aquatic invertebrates
2022-10-07 10:30 - 11:30
Join stream ecologist Mike Miller to learn about the variety of invertebrates found in Wisconsin’s flowing waters and connected wetlands, including information on species diversity, biological fun facts, their role in the functioning of streams, and their use as indicators of ecosystem health.
Info here.

Discovering Wisconsin's Amazing Forestry Legacy: Driving Tour and Short Hikes
2022-10-07 11:30 - 16:30
Join us as we travel from eastern Iron county to the old growth forest surrounding Star Lake, to explore both historic and modern forestry sites surrounding the Northern Highland AmericanForest. By the late 19th century Wisconsin’s leaders wished to create a state park or forest reserve in Iron, Vilas, Oneida and Forest counties to serve generations of residents and visitors. During our travels will we will visit many early sites including ranger stations, watch towers, Civilian Conservation Corps camps, state nurseries, ranger patrol cabin, forest fires, Youth Conservation Camps and more. Some historic logging sites will be viewed as well. Importantly, we will also explore modern forest practices that illustrate the long-term commitment to sustainable forests in Wisconsin. Participants need to bring a lunch, water and shoes suitable for short hikes on uneven ground. Some paths may have fallen logs to step over. Hiking will be moderate to light.
Info here.

Soil Management for the Small Acreage Farm
2022-10-07 13:00 - 16:00
Visit Running Hills Farm to see their approach to soil management. Upper Midwest CRAFT farmers Tim and Betsy Pierce will share their strategies to build soil health using cover crops, silage tarps, tillage practices, and scale appropriate equipment to prepare their planting spaces. While their talk will focus on growers on small acreage (5-10 acres), all farmers are welcome.
Info here.

Harvest Your Conservation Potential
2022-10-07 15:30 - 18:30
Come celebrate fall and harvest season with other women who share your commitment to land conservation! Gather ideas and information for establishing your land conservation plan and how to use the upcoming winter months for planning, research and connections with NRCS.
All women farmers, landowners and conservationists from Polk, Barron, Dunn and surrounding counties are welcome to attend– whatever your background, from beginners to experts!
Info here.

Driftless Region's Día de los Muertos Celebration: A Mexican Cultural and Educational Event
2022-10-08 13:00 - 2022-10-11 19:30
Día de los Muertos, also known as the Day of the Dead, is a traditional Mexican cultural festival to honor loved ones who have passed away. This one-day festival offers modalities to honor loved ones and hands-on workshops to engage attendees in Mexican folk art. A Day of the Dead Altar or Ofrenda is constructed during the festival and attendees are encouraged to bring a photograph of a loved one who has passed away to add to the Ofrenda.
Hands-on workshops include: sugar skulls, corn husk flowers, embroidery, and nixtamal tortilla-making. Attendees can participate in painting a community mural, playing a traditional Loteria game with staff from the Consulate of Mexico in Milwaukee, and watching a professional Aztec Dance performance.
Info here.

Wisconsin Science Festival
2022-10-10 - 2022-10-16
Join hundreds of organizations around Wisconsin that connect people with science, technology, engineering, art and math. More than 90 communities and 40,000 people participated last year.
Info here.

Urban Nonpoint Source (UNPS) Construction and Urban Targeted Runoff Management (TRM) Grants In BITS: DNR’s BMP Implementation Tracking System
2022-10-11 09:00 - 10:00
This webinar will be hosted by the WI DNR and UW Madison-Division Extension. It will provide an overview of the BMP Implementation Tracking System (BITS) and the use of this system to submit Urban Nonpoint Source (UNPS) Construction Grant and Urban Targeted Runoff Management (Urban TRM) Grant final reports. This webinar is targeted towards county and municipality conservation professionals who have an active UNPS Construction or Urban TRM grant, may be applying for a such a grant in the future, or are interested in learning more about BITS. You will receive a confirmation email after you register.
Info here.

MKE Women's Urban Ag Network: Fall Gathering
2022-10-11 16:00 - 18:00
Join in the Community Room of Urban Ecology Center’s Riverside Park location, to learn about urban agriculture!
We’ll hear from a few amazing women who are doing urban ag work in/near Milwaukee, and also learn about the different programs and resources available to Milwaukee County folks interested in urban agriculture
Info here.

Understanding Bird Populations and How They Change
2022-10-11 19:00 - 20:30
October 11 – November 1 (Tuesdays, 7:00 – 8:30 pm each week)
In less than a single human lifetime, 2.9 billion breeding adult birds have been lost from the United States and Canada, across every ecosystem, and including some of the most abundant and familiar bird species. In this course we will examine how we determine the abundance and distribution of different bird species, for both bird populations in Wisconsin and at the national level. State and federal monitoring programs will also be discussed. We will also consider how bird populations have changed, what species are currently “at-risk” and why, and how monitoring programs can be used in management and conservation. We will also review the many organizations that work on studying bird populations.
Info here.

Understanding UW-Madison Division of Extension’s new approach to Agriculture Staffing
2022-10-12 09:00 - 10:00
In response to evolving budgets and needs in the state, Extension has reformulated its approach to agriculture staffing across the state. Please join us for a discussion to understand the changes and provide feedback on how those changes will impact county conservation staff and opportunities for continued collaboration to support agricultural producers in Wisconsin.
Heidi Johnson, Patrick Robinson, and Amber Radatz from Extension will be facilitating the discussion.
Info here.

How do crop advisors do conservation?
2022-10-12 09:00 - 10:00
Ever wondered how to engage the private ag consulting world on soil conservation practices? Tune in to a webinar from the Minnesota Office for Soil Health, to discuss the findings of recent interviews with MN crop advisors who work with conservation practices. Participants will learn what difficulties and opportunities crop advisors see for increasing adoption of practices like reduced tillage and cover crops. A moderated discussion will follow to discuss how local government and agency employees can better engage with private retail or independent crop consultants to promote and implement conservation practices across Minnesota.
Info here.

Badger Crop Connect
2022-10-12 12:30 - 13:30
Tillage Costs and Benefits Dr. Francisco Arriaga, Soil Science Professor and Extension Specialist at UW-Madison
Introducing the New Entomology Precision Pest Ecologist Dr. Emily Bick, Precision Pest Ecologist at UW-Madison

Info here.

Managing Plant Surplus Carbon to Generate Soil Organic Matter in Regenerative Agriculture
2022-10-12 13:00 - 14:00
Soil degradation is a global problem. Intensive, chemical-based conventional agriculture focuses on aboveground biomass production and yield and overlooks belowground plant carbon input and plant-soil-microbe associations, leading to declined soil organic matter levels. In this webinar, Dr. Yichao Rui will explain how regenerative agricultural practices such as judicious use of fertilizers, incorporation of legumes, and adaptive grazing can increase SOM levels by enhancing plant surplus carbon. Fine-tuning of agricultural practices may provide an opportunity to facilitate SOM regeneration while optimizing long-term crop yields.
Info here.

The Earth Beneath Our Feet: Climate Change and the Soil Loss Crisis
2022-10-12 19:00 - 21:00
Jo Handelsman, Ph. D, will discuss our soil, the causes for its degradation, its relation to carbon transfer and climate change, and our relation to the issue. The Master Gardeners of Door County, Crossroads at Big Creek, The Ridges Sanctuary, and Waseda Farms are co-presenting this event on Wednesday, October 12 at 7 p.m. at the Kress Pavilion in Egg Harbor.
Info here.

Conservation Innovation Grants: New Grazing Lands Innovations
2022-10-13 11:30 - 13:00
Join to learn about two projects:
• A National Grazingland Information System: Expanding GlobalRangelands.org Through a Grazing land Thesaurus and Mobile Content Access
• Deploying CERT: Integrating satellite and field measures for improved grazing land management at ranch scales
Info here.
