Upcoming Events 2010
Enhancing Greenhouse Productivity
Wednesday, September 22nd
Registration Fee: $40
Late Registration: $65 (beginning Sep. 20th)
Schedule: 9:00am-4:15pm (registration begins at 8:30am)
Location: Mutchler Community Center, 900 East North Street, Bloomfield, IA
Phone: 641-664-3939
Speakers
Duane Headings is a soil consultant with International Ag Labs. Duane has assiduously studied the teachings of Dr. Carey Reams and International Ag Labs for the past 4 years. Duane comes with a strong background in turf management, market gardens, greenhouse consulting, production agriculture, and backyard gardens. Duane recently started farming 2 acres of produce with half of it devoted to bramble fruit. Duane lives in Green Forest Arkansas with his wife Janet, and their 5 children.
David Yoder is chairman of the Southern Iowa Produce Auction in Drakesville, Iowa. David has been raising and selling produce for 8 years and selling greenhouses and associated supplies for 7 years. Three years ago David began selling International Ag Labs’ fertility products and began offering custom mixes for market gardens, greenhouses, and backyard gardens. David lives near Drakesville with his wife Edna Fay, and their 4 children.
Jon Frank is a partner in International Ag Labs. Jon started the high brix garden program in 2005 as an undertaking of IAL. From that the program has expanded to market gardens and greenhouses. Jon’s focus is on two primary areas; soil stewardship and health to the consumer eating the produce. Jon and his wife Rebecca have 5 children and live in Granada Minnesota within shouting distance from the Iowa border.
Itinerary
8:30 Registration
9:00 Welcome and Devotions
9:15 Experiences in Greenhouse
Production --David Yoder
9:45 The Carbon Cycle In Your
Greenhouse – Jon Frank
10:30 Morning Break
10:40 How To Use Mulches and
Plastic – David Yoder
12:00 Lunch Buffet
1:00 Factor Affecting Soil
Conductivity – Duane Headings
2:15 Overcoming Green Core – Jon
Frank
3:00 Afternoon Break
3:15 Economics of Foliar Feeding
– Duane Headings
3:45 Q & A Session
4:15 Dismiss
Hope you join us, Jon Frank
Download brochure in PDF
Online registration
Dan Skow Will Be Speaking at the Following Field Day Events
September 7, 2010
3rd Annual Mike Lewis Field Day, Osage, Iowa (more info here)
On the Mike Lewis Farm from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. Admission is FREE to those who pre-register by September 1, 2010!
Speakers include:
Jeff Littrell, Vice President of B.R.T.
Dr. Dan Skow, D.V.M, Founder and Partner of International Ag Labs, Inc.
Dr. Michael McNeill, Ag Advisory, Ltd.
Bob Streit, Agronomy Consultant
Dr. Don Huber, Prof. Emeritus of Plant Pathology, Purdue University
September 10, 2010
5th Annual KV Mud Creek Field Day, Stockton, Iowa (more info here)
On the Keith Schlapkohl Farm from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Admission is FREE to those who pre-register by September 1, 2010!
Speakers include:
Jeff Littrell, Vice President of B.R.T.
Keith Schlapkohl, Co-Owner of B.R.T.
Dr. Dan Skow, D.V.M, Founder and Partner of International Ag Labs, Inc.
Dr. Michael McNeill, Ag Advisory, Ltd.
Bob Streit, Agronomy Consultant
Dr. Don Huber, Prof. Emeritus of Plant Pathology, Purdue University
International Ag Labs 2010 Field Day
Thursday, August 26th in Fairmont, MN
Registration Fee: $20 (includes lunch)
Late Registration: $30 (after Aug. 23rd)
Schedule: 10:00am-4:30pm
Location: VFW at 301 S. State St., Fairmont, MN 56031
Come and see our fields on August 26th 2010!
Speakers include Dr. Don Huber, Dr. Dan Skow, and Wendell Owens.
Here is your opportunity to find out what fertility program Wendell Owens and Dan Skow use on their own farms and what foliars sprays were applied. The results will be observed in the fields. We start by meeting at the Martin County VFW at 301 S. State St. in Fairmont Minnesota. Don’t be late because starting at 10:00 am sharp is Dr. Don Huber who will be sharing about the cumulative effects of glyphosate in soil. Since glyphosate is a strong metal chelator it binds to trace elements and even to calcium rendering them unavailable to plants. Dr. Huber will be sharing strategies on how to overcome these mineral tie-ups in the soil and in the plant. This is cutting edge (and somewhat controversial) information that everybody who uses Round-Up needs to hear.
CLICK THE ABOVE IMAGES TO ENLARGE
At 1:00pm Wendell Owens will be dicussing his fertility program for his corn and beans. That’s him in the picture above in his bean field and no he was not squatting or kneeling. Wendell will share his results using GMO-free corn and soybeans. You will see the results firsthand. Wendell is also preparing a special visual demonstration of corn roots in the field you won’t want to miss. Next up: Dan Skow will also detail his fertility program and foliar sprays applied to his soybeans. Most of Dan’s talk will center around how to use tissue analysis to help push soybean yields to 100 bushels. Look for some new ideas as we press toward that 100 bushel goal.
At 2:30 we close up shop and head for the field for a guided tour of Wendell and Dan’s fields. If you register before August 24th your seat on the motor coach will be reserved. We should be back at the VFW parking lot by 5:00pm.
What to bring?
I suggest bringing a camera and voice recorder and/or pen and paper to capture those “ah-ha” ideas that come up all of a sudden. I’ll stop with this quote. Great ideas, like slippery fish, get away if they aren’t nailed down with a pencil.
See you soon, Jon Frank
Download brochure in PDF
Online registration no longer available
Past Events 2010
Farming's Next Frontier - Foliar Plant Nutrition
June 29-30, 2010 in Branson, Missouri
Tue. 8:00 am -- 5:00 pmWed. 8:00 am – 12:00 noon
Registration Fee:
$200 per person
[+$100 spouse]
Late Registration fees will start on June 21st at the price of $250 and $375 respectively.
Venue:
Welk Resort Hotel Branson
1984 State Highway 165
Branson, MO 65616
417-336-3575
Overview:
Speakers include Dan Skow, Wendell Owens and Jon Frank
Guest Speaker James Lovelady
The Neglected Step Child of Crop Nutrition
With the possible exception of soil microbes beneath our feet no other sphere of crop production lies so wide open and unexplored as feeding plants through their leaves.
Most universities and large agri-business corporations are just waking up to the idea that foliar plant nutrition might be of some advantage. Meanwhile, back in the private sector, foliar feeding has been in practice among knowledgeable consultants and farmers for over 50 years.
It has often been said “Don’t feed the plant—rather feed the soil and the soil will feed the plant automatically.” While this statement seems intuitively correct it is not. Ideally we must feed the biology in the soil, feed the plant at the root level, and feed the plant directly through the leaves. For too long feeding plants through the leaves has been the neglected step child of crop nutrition—an after thought if the farmer had some extra time.
So what is foliar plant nutrition? In essence foliar feeding is a fulcrum point allowing the farmer to apply tremendous leverage toward crop production and quality. In plain English this means that with only minimal inputs great results can be achieved when properly applied. There is a catch of course. Just like in the analogy of a large boulder and a crowbar the fulcrum point must be used and it must be positioned properly. If the fulcrum point is at the wrong end of the crowbar nothing moves.
Similarly, the leverage of foliar spraying must be applied properly in order to obtain the desired results. What kind of results are we talking about?
- An increase in 6 bushels of soybeans from only 1 foliar application less than a month before harvest.
- A reduction in bitter pit in honey crisp apples from 30% down to 1% by following a regular foliar program.
- An 8-fold increase in dry matter compared to a control plot harvested from a New Zealand forage paddock in the midst of a severe drought with only 8 foliar applications.
The question that begs to be answered is: how can foliar feeding provide this much leverage? The answer lies in truly understanding how leaves function and how to increase their efficiency of capturing solar energy. It is also keenly important to know when, how, and what to spray on plants. A misunderstanding here could cost you big time.
James LoveLady
International Ag Labs is pleased to have James LoveLady speak on how to interpret plant tissue analysis and how to use this information to improve crop quality and yield. James is a master at this and consults on a wide array of crops (anything from strawberries to pecans) in California’s San Joaquin valley.
Dan Skow
Dan Skow will be sharing on the practical aspects of foliar spraying. If you have questions about foliar spraying and are looking for answers come and throw the book at him—we will all learn in the process. Dan will also cover the following major objection to foliar spraying: “Foliar spraying takes too much time.”
Wendell Owens
Wendell Owens, a longtime consultant and farmer will be sharing a number of true stories showing foliar successes and failures. He will then interpret these stories to give you the key principles of success and the red flags to avoid failure. This could save you a lot of agony—don’t miss his long years of experience. Wendell will cover the following major objection to foliar spraying: “Foliar spraying costs too much thus it doesn’t really pay.”
Jon Frank
Jon Frank will be taking a birds-eye view and then a close up view of plant leaves. The goal is how to make leaves super efficient. Jon will also cover the major objection to foliar spraying: “Foliar spraying is not needed if you just have a good soil program.”
See you in Branson!
Dan, Wendell, and Jon
Download brochure in PDF
Online Registration no longer available
Foundations For Success
February 19-20, 2010 in Shipshewana, Indiana
Fri. 8:00 am -- 5:00 pmSat. 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Registration Fee:
$200 per person -- Includes noon meal both days
[$250 after Monday, February 8]
Venue:
Shipshewana Town Center
800 S. Van Buren St.
Shipshewana, IN 46565
260-768-3021
Hotel Reservation:
Super 8 Motel — 260-768-4004
- 740 South Van Buren
- Very close, complimentary breakfast, reasonable rates
Splash Universe — 260-768-7688
- 800 S. Van Buren St.
- Very close, family-friendly rooms, water park, bunk-beds for children
- www.splashuniverse.com
Overview:
Speakers include Dan Skow, Wendell Owens and Jon Frank
What are the foundations for success in farming? Before looking at the core sciences consider a new farmer just starting out. What does he do? First he finds out where he can win i.e. what type of farming suites him. Second he carefully analyzes his strengths so he can use them to his advantage. Next he goes operational, but circumstances change and then he must respond to changing circumstances. This leads to a new form of operations and the cycle repeats itself.
Operations ⇒ Circumstances change ⇒ Respond to Circumstances ⇒ Back to Operations
The weak link in the chain is responding to changing circumstances. This is what separates the top 2% of farmers from everybody else. Agriculture is always in a state of change. Why do so many producers fail to change with the circumstances? I believe it is because most farmers do not integrate the 3 core sciences their whole operation rest on; soil microbiology, soil agronomy, and plant physiology. In addition to this they have not assembled a proper team to guide them through these changing circumstances. This course addresses the 3 main sciences and the importance of a consulting team that will allow a farmer to actually start reaching the pinnacle of success.
Hope you join us in Shipshewana!
Dan, Wendell, and Jon
Download brochure in PDF
Online Registration no longer available
World Ag Expo 2010
February 9-11, 2010 in Tulare, California
International Ag Labs will be exhibiting at the World Ag Expo. If you'd like to stop by and talk, we'd be happy to meet with you there. To make it easy to find us, click on the button above to locate our exibit space on the Show Grounds.
Fruit Trees On Steroids
Stone Fruit, Apples, Pears, Wine Grapes
February 5-6, 2010 in Yakima, WA
Fri. 9 am - 5 pm [noon meal included]Sat. 9 am – 12 pm
Registration Fee: $150/person
Venue:
Hotel Howard Johnson Plaza
9 North 9th St.
Yakima WA 98901
Phone 509-574-0884
Note: Special room rate given if you mention it’s for IAL seminar.
Overview:
Speakers include Dan Skow, Wendell Owens and Jon Frank
Is the lifeblood of your operation sweet and hang on trees or vines? Are you marketing tree and vine fruits only to find your produce undervalued by the marketplace? If so why?
Fresh fruit is a wonderful gift from our Creator meant to be savored for its excellent flavor. While vegetables and other foods have their place, nothing else can take fresh fruits’ position as“cream of the crop.”
Fruit quality can be measured from many perspectives including, proper sizing, flavor, brix reading, market value, total solids, acid-to-brix ratio, storage characteristics, and nutrient density.
From a growers perspective getting beyond alternate bearing and achieving consistent good yields is a tremendous indicator of success.
Ultimately fruit production must be profitable. And for that to happen the market must value your fruit above mediocre.
To be a resounding success in fruit production you need to over deliver on quality by completely surpassing market expectations.
When eating your fresh fruit elicits a response of “Wow—this is the best apple (or whatever fruit) I have ever eaten” then you just created a high fidelity epicurean experience. At this point you can just about name your price. This is the key to wild success in fruit production.
Fruit Trees on Steroids is an indepth look at the nutritional foundations it takes to produce top quality fruit in today’s competitive environment. We also look at how to incorporate nutritional foliar sprays to increase flavor and shelf life, help size cherries, and reduce bitter-pit in apples.
Local host Dwayne Bowman will share his story and the results he has seen following our fertility program for the last 2 years.
We look forward to seeing you in Yakima!
Dan, Wendell, and Jon
Download brochure in PDF
Online registration no longer available
Past Events 2009
Acres U.S.A. Pre-Conference Advance Learning Course
Nutrient-Dense Foods from your Market Garden & Greenhouse
Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 1-2, 2009
Registration Fee: $350/person
Schedule: 8:30am-5pm
Location: Crowne Plaza Hotel Riverfront, St. Paul, Minnesota
Speakers include Jon Frank and special guest presenters
Have you ever noticed that many of the complex problems of the world are actually solved with really simple solutions? Take, as an example, the complexity of healthcare. The heart of the issue, which most people completely miss, is actually health. Where does health come from? In a complex world health, i.e. healthcare, comes from the top down. In reality true health always comes from the soil up.
Food is the delivery mechanism where nutrition, starting in the soil, is taken up by plants and is ultimately used to create and maintain human health. When the delivery method breaks down human health falters and suddenly there is a tremendous need for “healthcare.”
Today more and more people are realizing that the nutrition they need isn’t being delivered due to a failing food supply. This environment is creating an unprecedented opportunity for enterprising market gardeners. Now is the time to:
- Offer the market top-quality produce
- Offer consumers a real alternative to industrially produced foods
- Prepare for the upcoming market standard: "Nutrient Density"
Achieving top-quality produce, as measured by a refractometer, is no walk in the park. If it was so easy the market would already be flooded with top-quality. Here's a secret for you: If achieving nutrient density is no walk in the park, neither is it impossibly hard. Achieving nutrient density in your produce is within grasp — all you have to do is meet natures’ requirements. Meeting natures’ requirements is the primary purpose of this class.
This class is chiefly a nuts-and-bolts type of class teaching practical management techniques on how to achieve results. What else does this class offer?
- Case Studies — real people sharing real stories
- 5 essential tools that must be integrated for best results
- Cutting edge information in both vision and application
- Practical demonstration of soil conductivity — your #1 tool
- Basic marketing skills you need to sell your produce as premium prices
Intensive pre-conference course by pre-registration only. Space limited.
- Register for this course online or call 1-800-355-5313.
- Order the audio CD of Jon's 2006 conference speech on nutrient-dense foods.
Lecture at Main Session of Acres U.S.A.
10 Tips to Increase Greenhouse Profitability
Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009
Schedule: 11 a.m. - 12 noon
Location: Crowne Plaza Hotel Riverfront, St. Paul, Minnesota
Speaker: Jon Frank
As consumers demand fresher and locally-supplied food, people all across the country are looking to meet this demand through various forms of market gardens. One way to rapidly tap into this market is by putting up a greenhouse. When done right greenhouses can be a real money-maker. If poorly managed they can be a fast way to lose a lot of money. In this talk, market garden consultant Jon Frank hands off 10 valuable tips to keep you smiling — all the way to the bank.
Acres U.S.A. Conference Registration
- Register for Acres U.S.A. Conference online or call 1-800-355-5313.
- Register before Friday, November 27, 2009 to save.
Field Day
Wednesday, August 26th in Fairmont, MN
Registration Fee: $20 (includes lunch)
Schedule: 9:30am-4pm (registration begins at 8:30)
Location: 436 220th Ave., Fairmont, MN 56031
Leading agronomists share their expertise. A great opportunity to pick up new ideas from your fellow producers. There will be corn and soybean test plots to look at during the day.
Speakers include Mike McNeill, Bob Streit, Jeff Littrell and Dan Skow.
Topics to be covered in this 1-day event:
- The wonders of ammonium sulfate use on corn and soybeans.
- Roundup resistance and what to do. Bob Streit's experience in South America soy production.
- Use of reverse osmosis water for sprays. Tusa Bros. experiences with reverse osmosis water.
- Moving soy and corn yields to new levels with new technology.
For more information regarding the location, itenerary and speakers:
Download brochure in PDF
Online registration no longer available
Teleseminar "Source For Nutrient Dense Peaches Revealed!"
Thursday Evening, June 11th, 7 p.m. CDT
High Brix Gardens is please to announce an upcoming teleseminar with Jennifer Ochs discussing her peaches and the road it took to bring them to quality. We'll be looking at some results of soil tests and seeing the progression.
We'll also be discussing Magick Fans which are something that her husband builds and is now selling. It's a new kind of a fan designed to keep the air moving so that the frost doesn't kill the peach buds.
Hope you join us on the call!
Telephone playback of this call is now available
Playback Dial-in Number: 1-518-825-1401 East Coast
Playback Access Code: 960946
Duration of Call: 56 Minutes, 18 Seconds
Recording Expiration Date: July 11, 2009 8:27 PM
A download and transcript of the above teleseminar is available by going to the High Brix Gardens Audio Downloads page.
Teleseminar on Linking Greenhouse Productivity With Soil Conductivity and Foliar Sprays
Tuesday Evening, April 7th, 7 p.m. CDT
You're invited to join us for a free teleseminar "Linking Greenhouse Productivity With Soil Conductivity and Foliar Sprays" on Tuesday evening, April 7th at 7 p.m. CDT.
In this call, Jon Frank will be interviewing Duane Headings. You'll learn how to use the most important tools to measure soil energy and supercharge greenhouse productivity. We'll detail the importance of soil conductivity and how it directly relates to plant health and greenhouse productivity, and cover specific fertigation techniques based on the conductivity reading.
We look forward to joining together in the discussion and hope to see you there!
A download and transcript of the above teleseminar is available by going to the Audio Downloads page.
Unlocking The Secrets Of Soils And Foliars (3-day Class)
Feb. 25-27, 2009 in Branson, Missouri
8:00-5:30 for the 25th and 26th8:00 to 12:00 noon for the 27th
Registration Fee: $295
Spouse $150Late registration $350 after February 18th
Location:
The Grand Plaza Hotel245 No. Wildwood Dr.
Branson, MO 65616
800-850-6646
http://www.bransongrandplaza.com
Special Room Rate: $62
Room Code: Ag2009
Overview:
Speakers will be Dr. Dan Skow, Wendell Owens and Jon Frank of International Ag Labs
Are you achieving top grain yields? Are your forages 16 brix or above? Are you producing fruits and vegetables at the highest level of nutrient density? If these things represent the epitome of success for your farming operation what is holding you back?
The answer is surprisingly simple; obstacles, hindrances, blockages, constraints. These are the things that stand between where your farming operation is right now and what you want it to become. The job of a successful farmer is to systematically remove these hindrances so that plants can express their full genetic potential.
Take out your reading glasses because here is the fine print. How do you know what your hindrances truly are? This is the difficult part of the equation that requires considerable finesse. The key to reading these fine print details is a really good pair of reading glasses. For soil this just happens to be the Morgan soil test. This class will teach you how to read the Morgan soil test so you can remove hindrances in your farming operation.
We will also cover important foliar tools. Foliar sprays offer tremendous opportunity to increase yields and nutrient density. There is just one catch—they need to be used on top of a proper soil program. In other words, foliar sprays are like icing on the cake. Without a proper soil program there is no cake to ice. This is why foliar sprays must be studied and used in the context of a proper soil fertility program.
Download brochure
Soybean Summit - Pushing The Yields On Soybeans (One-day Class)
Jan. 19, 2009 in Fairmont, MN
Registration Fee: $50
Schedule: 9am -5pm
Location: VFW, 301. S. State Street, Fairmont, MN 56031
For too long soybean production has languished while corn yields have made steady gains. Where do we go from here? The Soybean Summit is an introductory look at combining best practices and soybean-specific fertility recommendations to move beyond typical yields. How far can we go? The answer might surprise us all. International Ag Labs is pleased to present a world-class panel of soybean specialists.
Featured speaker will be Kip Cullers, Champion Soybean Grower from Missouri. Other speakers include Mike McNeill, Bob Streit and Dr. Dan Skow.
Topics to be covered in this 1-day event:
- Soil fertility and soybean health
- Setting stage for planning, mid-season and late-season management
- Soybean fertility based on our soil test
- Questions and Answers with panel of speakers