Cover Crop and Soil Health 101 Field Day at the Wassenaar Farm

Cover Crop and Soil Health Field Day in Prairie City, Iowa

Iowa Learning Farms, along with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Jasper County Soil and Water Conservation District, will host a cover crop and soil health field day.

Field Day Agenda

Speaking at the field day are host farmer Gordon Wassenaar and tenant Will Cannon. Wassenaar has been farming for over 50 years and is using conservation practices including no-till and a cereal rye cover crop on the 1,200 acres. This fall Wassenaar and Cannon partnered with the Jasper County SWCD to establish a multi-species cover crop trial using different seeding methods and rates. Wassenaar and NRCS District Conservationist Curtis Donahue will lead attendees on a tour through the plots of various common winter hardy and winter kill cover crop species.

Also speaking at the field day is Liz Juchems, Iowa Learning Farms event coordinator. She will share research results from their long-term cereal rye demonstration sites, cover crop mixtures trail and seeding techniques project. Weather permitting, a rainfall simulator demonstration will also be presented to illustrate different practices, like cover crops, that can be beneficial to soil health. The field day will conclude with a complimentary meal catered by Magg Family Catering from Prairie City.

Details:

This field day is free and open to the public and will include a complimentary meal. Please RSVP to ensure space and food. RSVPs can be made to Jessica Rutter at (641) 792-4116 ext. 3 or at jessica.rutter@ia.nacdnet.net.

About Iowa Learning Farms

Iowa Learning Farms is a hands-on education and outreach program. It provides farmers throughout Iowa with information and best practices in soil, water and nutrient management solutions.

• Click here to learn more about Iowa Learning Farms and its available programs.
• Click here to learn more about cover crops and other water quality solutions at work.