Iowa Organic Association

08/28/2026

Thank you so much to our friends at O'Connell Organic Acres for hosting our Iowa Organic Association Field Day on Wednesday, August 26! We had a beautiful day, and an amazing group of attendees that had a chance to learn about how the O’Connell family orchestrates a diverse blend of organic crops along with direct marketing the organic certified meats they produce on their farm.

We learned about:
•Organic certification for livestock raised for meat
•Crop rotations that include multi-year pasture plantings
•Organic production of beef, chicken, lamb, and pork in their pasture based system
•Benefits of integrating livestock into their organic cropping system
•And much more!

Again, thank you to everyone who was able to come out, and to our two field day sponsors: Albert Lea Seed and Persistent BioControl

08/26/2026

Thank You, Sammons Financial Group Companies!

We are grateful for the support of the Sammons Financial Group Companies Community Outreach Program and their Team Members.

Their support helps the Iowa Organic Association promote and educate Iowans about the benefits and successes of organic agriculture through community presentations, classroom education, farmer-to-farmer learning, and more.

Thank you for supporting Iowa’s organic farming community!

08/25/2026

Still time to join us tomorrow!

There’s still time to sign up for the Iowa Organic Association’s FREE Organic Field Day at O'Connell Organic Acres in eastern Iowa!

Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 26 at 9:30 am, come explore a diversified organic farm where five generations of family farming experience meet organic row crops, pasture-based livestock, and direct marketing.

During the field day, you’ll get a pasture and field tour and have plenty of opportunities to ask questions, share ideas, and connect with other farmers and agriculture enthusiasts.

We’ll dig into:
• Integrating organic livestock and row crops
• The benefits and challenges of a diversified organic operation
• Direct-marketing organic, pasture-based meats
• Organic certification and processing for retail sales
• Farming across multiple generations
• And much more!

The O’Connell family has farmed this land for more than 150 years, and today the fifth and sixth generations are working together to grow a diverse organic operation.

📅 Wednesday, August 26, 2026
⏰ 9:30–11:30 a.m.
📍 20595 Asbury Rd, Durango, IA

Best of all, it’s FREE!

👉 There’s still time to RSVP: https://www.iowaorganic.org/oconnell

Come learn, ask questions, make connections, and experience O’Connell Organic Acres for yourself. We’d love to see you there!

08/10/2026

What a great field day we had at Bridgewater Farm on Sunday, August 9! We learned about the farms history, their reason for transitioning to organic, why organic is so important to their farm (the practices and the certification), how they manage certification record-keeping for their 25 acre vegetable farm, and so much more. Thank you to everyone who joined us, and thank you to our two field day sponsors: Lucy's Soil and Persistent BioControl!

07/20/2026

Join IOA and Bridgewater Farm on Sunday, August 9th for a free field day at their 40-acre organic fruit and vegetable for a farm tour and a discussion of the organic certification best practices and how they are able to market their organic certified fruits and produce.

Register Here: https://www.iowaorganic.org/bridgewater
Sponsored By: Lucy's Soil

07/09/2026

What a great day for a field day at the Nees Family Farm! Thank you to everyone who came out to learn about the Nees family’s long history with organics and what is working best for them as they continue to learn and grow. Of course a BIG thank you goes out to Andrew Nees for sharing his knowledge, the whole Nees family for hosting, and our Field Day Sponsor — Albert Lea Seed!

06/02/2026

Want to see how Iowa farmers are making organic farming work in the real world?

Join the Iowa Organic Association for our 2026 Field Day season and learn directly from farmers who are innovating, adapting, and building successful organic operations across Iowa. Whether you're already farming organically, considering transition, or simply interested in sustainable agriculture, these free events offer a chance to see firsthand what's working on Iowa farms today.

Sign-Up Here: https://www.iowaorganic.org/fielddays

2026 Field Days:

🌱 July 9 – Early, IA
Explore the Nees Family's multi-generational organic row-crop operation and learn about organic equipment, field management, and new practices they're trying on their farm.

🌱 August 9 – Bridgewater, IA
Visit Bridgewater Farm to learn about organic certification best practices, recordkeeping, and how organic certification can open new marketing opportunities for fruit and vegetable growers.

🌱 August 26 – Durango, IA
Tour O'Connell Organic Acres and discover how organic row crops, livestock, and direct-to-consumer marketing work together in a diversified farm business.

🌱 September 21 – Decorah, IA
Visit Seed Savers Exchange and learn about the importance of seed saving, heirloom varieties, and preserving crop diversity for future generations.

Each field day includes farm tours, practical discussions, and plenty of opportunities to ask questions and connect with fellow farmers.

Registration is free. We hope to see you in the field this summer!

02/16/2026

Thank you to everyone who came out to our Central Iowa Organic Farmer Meet-up hosted by A&W Farms! There were a lot of great discussions out crop options, equipment, markets, insurance, and so much more. Also, thank you to Wendt Crop Insurance for providing our lunch!

02/03/2026

Spring will be here before we know it, and many farmers are already deep into their spring planting season preparations and plans! That means it's the perfect time for an informal meet-up of farmers and supporters of organic agriculture. Sign-up here: https://www.iowaorganic.org/meetup_centraliowa_2026

12/11/2025

Central Iowa Friends, enjoy the snow this evening ... just don't enjoy it on the way to our event with Mindful Nourishment Matters because that has been postponed until a future date (hopefully when the roads will be less slick). Stay tuned for a new date to be announced shortly!

Snow day! We are going to postpone the Roots of Organic Event that was scheduled for tonight 12/11 at the Knoxville Library in the interest of everyone's safety. Look for a new date soon!