AMES, Iowa — Iowa Learning Farms, along the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), will host a cover crop field day on Wednesday, November 15th. The 4:00-6:00 p.m. field day will be held at Lucas Bayer’s farm, rural Guernsey. The event is free and open to the public and includes a complimentary meal.
Poweshiek County farmer Lucas Bayer did not like seeing his soil erode on his land. Seven years ago he decided to do something about it and began using cover crops to keep the soil in place. A couple years later, he made the transition to all no-tillage for his corn and soybeans to protect the fragile soil. The combination of cover crops and no-tillage are tolls helping improve soil health. Lucas will discuss his experiences using cereal rye, radish, turnips and winter wheat in his operation and share tips for successfully transitioning to no-tillage and incorporating cover crops.
Also speaking at the field day is Tom Kaspar, plant physiologist with USDA-Agricultural Research Service, will share results from more than twenty years of cover crop research in Iowa. He has looked at different cover crop species, seeding techniques, rates and dates, termination options, as well as soil health and will discuss best management practices for successfully adding cover corps. Weather permitting, a field tour of nearby cover crop fields will conclude the program.
The field day site is located at 2310 430th Ave, Guernsey, IA 52221. From I-80 take exit 201 toward Belle Plaine/What Cheer on Highway 21. Go south on IA-21/220th St for 1.4 miles. Turn left and head east on 430th Ave for 1.1 miles. The farm is located on the south side of the road.
The workshop is free and open to the public, but reservations are suggested to ensure adequate space and food. Contact Liz Juchems at 515-294-5429 or email ilf@iastate.edu.
For more information about Iowa Learning Farms, visit the website: http://www.iowalearningfarms.org.
Established in 2004, Iowa Learning Farms is building a Culture of Conservation, encouraging adoption of conservation practices. Farmers, researchers and ILF team members are working together to identify and implement the best management practices that improve water quality and soil health while remaining profitable. Partners of Iowa Learning Farms are the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa Natural Resources Conservation Service, Iowa Department of Natural Resources (USEPA section 319), and Conservation Districts of Iowa.
— Iowa Learning Farms
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