Cover Crops in a Corn/Soybean Rotation Field Day – Nov. 13

Interest in cover crops has increased over the past few years. How to most effectively integrate cover crops into a corn/soybean rotation, however, remains a key question.

On Nov. 13, you are invited to join us at the “Cover Crops in a Corn/Soybean Rotation Field Day.” The field day will start at the American Legion in Okabena at 10 a.m. Following lunch, which will be supplied courtesy of program sponsors, we will travel to the Jerry and Nancy Ackermann farmsite by Lakefield for further presentations and in-field activities. The field day will run from 10 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

Local farmers Jerry Ackermann, Jerry Perkins, and Dave Christoffer, will discuss their experiences with various cover crop seeding methods, timings, and mixes. Liz Stahl, Extension Educator in Crops, will present results from demonstration trials conducted in corn across 3 on-farm sites in southwest MN this growing season. Jill Sackett, Extension Educator in Ag Production Systems and Co-Coordinator for MN North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE), will discuss the latest cover crop research being conducted by the University of Minnesota.

During the afternoon session, Michael Lehman, Research Microbiologist with the USDA/ARS, will discuss the potential benefits of using a cover crop from a soil microorganism perspective. Attendees will be able to view soil biological activity through use of the Prairie Ecology Bus. Field day participants will also have the opportunity to conduct indicator tests of soil quality under different cropping systems, led by Stephanie McLain and Loren Clarke, District Conservationists with the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS).

There is no charge to attend the field day, courtesy of program sponsors, which include: U of MN Extension, NCR-SARE, NRCS, AgStar, Extended Ag Services, FCA Co-op, Heron Lake Watershed District, Jackson County Corn and Soybean Growers Association, Jackson County SWCD, La Crosse Seed, Nobles County Corn and Soybean Growers Association, Nobles County SWCD, and the Okabena-Ocheda Watershed District.

Pre-registration is not required. Please contact Liz Stahl at 507-372-3900 or stah0012@umn.edu if you have any questions about the program. In case of inclement weather, please check with the Farm Information Line (1-800-232-9077) for weather related updates.

For further details about the program, check out the program flyer at: http://z.umn.edu/covercropfd2014. Continuing Education Credits for Certified Crop Advisors have been applied for.