North central Iowa beef producers can learn more about raising cattle in monoslope buildings, slotted deep pit barns and open lots in an Aug. 23 tour in eastern Mitchell County. The tour begins at 10:30 a.m. at the Bob Noble farm near Riceville, IA, followed by lunch. The Noble farm is located two miles west of Riceville at 3170 Hwy 9. Three additional stops are scheduled for the afternoon.
Tour sponsors are Iowa State University (ISU) Extension, Iowa Beef Center (IBC), the Coalition to Support Iowa's Farmers (CSIF), Mitchell County Cattlemen and the Osage Cooperative Elevator. Staff from ISU Extension and CSIF and the producer hosts will present a variety of information to attendees, ranging from managing cattle, facilities and manure in different operational set-ups to locating and identifying optimal locations for new facilities. A detailed agenda is available online at www.iowabeefcenter.org/.
There's no cost to attend the tour or for the meal, thanks to the sponsors, but registration is required to ensure an adequate meal count. Contact ISU Extension in Mitchell County by phone at 641-732-5574 or email daolson@iastate.edu to reserve a meal. For more information, call 641-923-2856 or email reuken@iastate.edu.