SENECA FALLS, N.Y. — Cover crops to boost soil health and to add cool season forage production and other benefits for farmers will be the focus of a daily 1-2pm field demonstration tour at the August 6-8, 2019 Empire Farm Days in Seneca Falls, N.Y.
USDA-NRCS Northeast Soil Health Specialist (ret.) Paul Salon, CCA, will be joined by representatives of King’s AgriSeeds and Seedway for the daily tour of side-by-side cover crop plots as part of the numerous seminars, demonstrations, and learning experiences at the agricultural trade show and rural living event at Rodman Lott and Son Farms.
Salon, Rod Porter of King’s AgriSeeds, and Adam Robertson of Seedway will discuss crop timing, seeding rates, termination methods, and benefits of the different monocultures and mixtures.
“This year, King’s AgriSeeds is featuring our diverse cover crop mixes including TerraLife Brand professional cover crop mixes designed to precede specific crops with specific soil benefits in mind for the crop following the cover crop. Benefits of the mixtures include diverse rooting structures, alleviating compaction, greater amounts of various root exudates for enhanced microbial activity, mobilizing and supplying nutrients for subsequent crops, erosion control, and suppressing weeds,” said Porter.
“In a year where there are many acres that have not been planted to row crops, there are plenty of opportunities to plant cover crops and provide a benefit to your operation and bottom line. Every product has a different end use and benefit. Seedway is highlighting cool season cover crop products that have a fit either for erosion control, soil remediation, or as an emergency forage. The plots at Empire Farm Days include our standard mix multi-species offerings and single species plots,” said Robertson.
Empire Farm Days show hours are 9 am to 5 pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, 9 am to 4 pm on Thursday; admission is free, parking is $10 per vehicle. For daily schedules and more information on the entire 300-acre show, see www.empirefarmdays.com, Facebook, and Instagram, or call 1-877-697-7837.
–Empire Farm Days
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