Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host a Windbreak School program at the Neal and Laura Schrage Farm at 27651 290th Street near Parkersburg Friday.
“They’ll certainly learn how to plan for their windbreaks, how to trim trees, how to restore areas that have died,” Neal Schrage says. “For example, ash trees were put in at one time, they’re all gone now, so what do we do to restore that? It’s also good for learning how to establish wildlife habitat. We’ve got some prairie grass out here, so we see a lot of pheasants, turkey and deer out there.”
The half-day program is designed to empower farmers, landowners and natural resource professionals to plan, implement, maintain and renovate windbreaks. The focus of the event will be proper windbreak establishment, management and restoration techniques.
Those in attendance will tour the facility on a hay rack, and may also see equipment demonstrations.
“We’re hoping to have a firewood processor that can do about a cord of wood per hour. We will have two different stump grinders. One is a walk behind and the other is going to be on the front end of a skid loader. There will be a brush mulcher. So we’ll demonstrate the capabilities of that. We will drive by them as they’re going through the three hours in the morning, but they will stay around all afternoon for people to take another look at them.”
Forestry specialists from ISU Extension and the Iowa DNR will speak at the event, which runs from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Neal Schrage interview:
