Leopold Center events
This calendar lists events that the Center is sponsoring, co-sponsoring or has helped plan, or events where Center staff are making presentations. Events sponsored by other groups are listed on the Other sustainable ag events page.
Are you looking for something that's already happened? Check our Reports from Past Leopold Center Events page.
What's coming up?
- 2009 Shivvers Memorial Lecture Richard Levins, professor emeritus of applied economics at the University of Minnesota, will present this lecture at 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 1. His speech is entitled,
"Why Don't We Have Sustainable Agriculture Now? The Roles Research, Policy, and Market Power Must Play If We Are to Move Forward." The lecture, which is open to the public, will be in the Sun Room of the Iowa State University Memorial Union.
- Marketing workshop Mark your calendars for Monday, March 30 at the Gateway Hotel and Conference Center in Ames. Featured will be the latest findings and research in the Center’s Marketing and Food Systems Initiative, as well as work of the five workings groups in the Value Chain Partnership project led by the Leopold Center. Sessions will be scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is no charge to attend the workshop, but reservations must be received by March 23 to guarantee a lunch ticket. Registration will be available on the Leopold Center web site by February 1.
- Farmscape ISU Distinguished Professor Mary Swander is bringing a reader's theater about the changing rural environment to Iowa communities this year. The project is supported by the Leopold Center and a new group at Iowa State. Details about each performance are below. Event flier [PDF]
| January 31 | "Farmscape: Documenting the Changing Rural Environment," directed by Iowa State University Distinguished Professor of English Mary Swander, 7 p.m., B.G. Voerkman Theatre, 927 Fourth Avenue, Grinnell. The play was a 2007 ISU class project after students researched the plight of the contemporary Iowa farmer and this performance is part of an Iowa tour of the play. The reader's theater production features people from Grinnell Community Theatre reading each character's roles with minimal costumes and sets. Contact: Tom Lacina, tom@lacina.us, (641) 236-6668. Tour flier [PDF] More about the play |
| February 6-7 | Annual Local Foods Conference, Connecting the Dots: From Farm to Fork in North Iowa, Clear Lake. Organized by the Iowa Network for Community Agriculture (INCA), this event includes a Friday afternoon work session to map north Iowa's local food system, a Friday evening Slow Food benefit meal, and 10 workshops on Saturday plus an all-Iowa potluck lunch. The Leopold Center is among the co-sponsors for this event. Contact: Conference coordinator Richard Schinnow, (641) 696-5706, schinric@hotmail.com. On-line registration |
| February 7 | Fourth Annual Beginning Farmers Conference, Gateway Hotel, Ames. The Leopold Center is a co-sponsor for this event, organized by the ISU Beginning Farmers Network, a student group whose goal is to keep beginning farmers informed on current events in agriculture. The conference will feature 10 speakers on topics ranging from livestock marketing and tax management to how to expand a farm operation. Featured speakers include Successful Farming magazine editor Loren Kruse and Brian Gossling, assistant director of the USDA's Farm Loan Program. Registrations after February 2 will include a late fee. Contact: Chris Bone, cbone@iastate.edu, (319) 480-0639. Event flier [PDF] |
| February 8 | "Farmscape: Documenting the Changing Rural Environment," directed by Iowa State University Distinguished Professor of English Mary Swander, 2 p.m., Betty Strong Performance Center, Sioux City. The play was a 2007 ISU class project after students researched the plight of the contemporary Iowa farmer and this performance is part of an Iowa tour of the play. The reader's theater production features people from Grinnell Community Theatre reading each character's roles with minimal costumes and sets. Contact: Marcia Poole, Sioux City Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, (712) 224-5242, mpoole@siouxcitylcic.com. Tour flier [PDF] More about the play |
| March 1 | 2009 Shivvers Memorial Lecture, 7 p.m., Sun Room, ISU Memorial Union, Ames. Richard Levins, professor emeritus of applied economics at the University of Minnesota, will present "Why Don't We Have Sustainable Agriculture Now? The Roles Research, Policy, and Market Power Must Play If We Are to Move Forward." The lecture is open to the public and is sponsored by the Leopold Center and Gamma Sigma Delta at ISU. Contact: Blue Maas, Leopold Center, (515) 294-3711, leocenter@iastate.edu |
| March 7 | "Farmscape: Documenting the Changing Rural Environment," directed by Iowa State University Distinguished Professor of English Mary Swander, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls. The play was a 2007 ISU class project after students researched the plight of the contemporary Iowa farmer and this performance is part of an Iowa tour of the play. The reader's theater production features people from Grinnell Community Theatre reading each character's roles with minimal costumes and sets. Contact: Vicki Simpson, Vicki.Simpson@cedarfalls.com. Tour flier [PDF] More about the play |
| March 22 | "Farmscape: Documenting the Changing Rural Environment," directed by Iowa State University Distinguished Professor of English Mary Swander, Coon Rapids. The play was a 2007 ISU class project after students researched the plight of the contemporary Iowa farmer and this performance is part of an Iowa tour of the play. The reader's theater production features people from local theatrical groups reading each character's roles with minimal costumes and sets. This performance is co-sponsored by the Leopold Center and a staff member will lead a discussion after the performance. Contact: Karan Benton, Creating Great Places, KaranB@CreatingGreatPlaces.org. Tour flier [PDF] More about the play |
| March 30 | Leopold Center Marketing and Food Systems Initiative Workshop, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Gateway Hotel and Conference Center, Ames. Featured will be the latest findings and research in the Center’s Marketing and Food Systems Initiative, as well as reporting from the five working groups in the Value Chain Partnership project led by the Leopold Center. On-line registration will be available by February 1. Contact: Beth Larabee, (5150 294-8530, blarabee@iastate.edu. |
| April 2 | "Farmscape: Documenting the Changing Rural Environment," directed by Iowa State University Distinguished Professor of English Mary Swander, Technology Center Lecture Hall, Clinton Community College, Clinton. The play was a 2007 ISU class project after students researched the plight of the contemporary Iowa farmer and this performance is part of an Iowa tour of the play. The reader's theater production features people from local theatrical groups reading each character's roles with minimal costumes and sets. Contact: Anne Schmidt, aschmidt@eicc.edu, 563-244-7050. Tour flier [PDF] More about the play |
| May 9 | "Farmscape: Documenting the Changing Rural Environment," directed by Iowa State University Distinguished Professor of English Mary Swander, Iowa Book Festival, Adel. The play was a 2007 ISU class project after students researched the plight of the contemporary Iowa farmer and this performance is part of an Iowa tour of the play. The reader's theater production features people from local theatrical groups reading each character's roles with minimal costumes and sets. This performance is co-sponsored by the Leopold Center and a staff member will lead a discussion after the performance. Contact: Julie M. Bailey, adel@netins.net. Tour flier [PDF] More about the play |