Pec farmer hosting ‘Going With the Grain’ field day for PFI

    Andrea Hazzard, of Pecatonica, will be hosting a Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) field day about grain farming called “Going With the Grain: Diversified, Small-Scale Grain Farming With On-Farm Processing” on Friday, July 19 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at 14041 Kelley Rd. in Pecatonica. The event is free to attend and open to the public.

    Hazzard farms heirloom corn, oats, wheat, barley, rye, flax and other small grains, oilseeds and dry beans on Hazzard Free Farm, her small farm outside of Pecatonica. After starting with a small vegetable CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) in 2007, Andrea decided to switch to grain production in 2012. Building on what she learned from her farming family growing up, she has expanded her diversity of crops and underseeds all her small grains with clover to increase ground cover and stabilize nutrient flow. She processes all her own grains and sells to local restaurants, grocers and co-ops, along with shipping her orders. Hazzard is eager to share her seed-saving process, show her diversity of crops and walk through steps for processing and marketing food-grade grains.

    Attendees can RSVP by visiting the event page at practicalfarmers.org/events/field-days/2024-field-days/going-with-the-grain, or calling PFI at 515-232-5661

    For more information about PFI field days, visit their Field Days webpage at practicalfarmers.org/events/field-days.

About Practical Farmers

    Practical Farmers of Iowa is a nonprofit with more than 8,000 members that equips farmers to build resilient farms and communities. They create learning opportunities via farmer-led events, on-farm research and educational content through their robust network of farmers. They also provide funding and technical assistance to help farmers adopt regenerative farming practices and grow farm businesses. Their vision is an Iowa with healthy soil, healthy food, clean air, clean water, resilient farms and vibrant communities. To learn more, visit practicalfarmers.org