RUSHMORE, Minn. — Register today for the “Cover Crop and Soil Health Learning Tour,” September 8th at the Bruce and Mary Brunk Farm, Rushmore, MN from 9:00 – 3:00.
The “Cover Crop and Soil Health Learning Tour” will feature many aspects to improve your soil’s health and production. The tour will include water infiltration demonstrations, hands-on activities, cover crop by herbicide demonstrations, research updates, a farmer panel, soil-root pit, and equipment demonstrations.
Topics include:
- Cover crop choices, benefits and challenges
- Reduced tillage benefits and residue management
- Weed management with cover crops and heavy residue
- The latest research on nutrient management
- How to fit injected manure into corn, soybean, and cover crop systems
- Water infiltration other soil health measures
Equipment demonstrations include:
- 2 strip till implements from Twin Diamond
- 2 cover crop interseeders from Penn State and Hiniker
- 2 manure applicators from VTI
Speakers include: Shannon Osborne, USDA-ARS; Jennifer Hahn, Pheasants Forever; Brian Christianson, USDA-NRCS; John Shea, Nobles Co. SWCD; and Scotty Wells, Gregg Johnson, Jodi DeJong-Hughes, Liz Stahl, Randy Pepin, and Dan Raskin, U of MN Extension. The farmer panel includes: Bruce Brunk, Bryan Bielger, and Mike Erbes.
Registration and check-in will start at 8:30, and the program will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registration is requested at http://z.umn.edu/cover-crops-tour by September 1st to assist with meal count. A registration fee of $20 will be collected at the door to help cover program costs, including lunch. Scholarships are available upon request.
The site is located 2.5 miles north of I-90 (exit 33), at the intersection of Co Rd 13 and 220th Street.
For more information and to pre-register visit http://z.umn.edu/cover-crops-tour. This program is supported in part by a Conservation Innovation Grant from the USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service and funding from MN North Central Region-Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education.
Hope to see you there!
— Lizabeth Stahl, Extension Educator – Crops, University of Minnesota Extension
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