Learn about the many benefits of cover crops during on-farm field day
Iowa Learning Farms will host a cover crop field day on Tuesday, Aug. 27, from 10 a.m. to noon at Bill Hammitt’s farm near Portsmouth. The free event is open to farmers and landowners and includes a complimentary meal.
This field day aims to equip attendees with best management practices for establishing and managing cover crops. Cover crops offer many benefits to farmers and landowners, including reduced soil erosion, weed suppression potential, reduced nitrogen and phosphorus loads entering water bodies, and increased organic matter in the soil. When paired with no-tillage, additional benefits include increased water infiltration and reduced erosion during heavy rains.
Iowa Learning Farms is a conservation program with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
The host, Bill Hammitt, began using no-till in the 1980s as a tool to build soil health, reduce soil erosion and save on energy and moisture. “Soil health not only benefits yield but conserves the resource. No-till and cover crops are the best recipe for good soil health,” said Hammitt.
He has recently added camelina ahead of corn and uses winter cereal rye ahead of soybeans. Using multiple seeding methods, including drill and drone applications, Hammitt will share his experiences and lessons learned for successful cover crop integration into a no-till system.
The field day will feature the rainfall simulator from Iowa Learning Farms and a cover crop drone seeding demonstration by Mark Archibald, with Universal Aerial Solutions. Nick Warner, owner of Armour Ag, will continue the discussion with how cover crops and no-till work to build and maintain soil health, and Luke Zaiger, Harrison County NRCS district conservationist, will highlight current cost-share opportunities.
The field day will be held at the Hammitt Farm, 3620 240th St., Portsmouth, Iowa. From Portsmouth, head west on IA-44 for 5 miles. Turn right to head north on Toledo Avenue for 1 mile. Turn right to head east on 240th St. for 0.2 miles. The farm is located on the south side of the road and field day signs will mark the driveway.
The event is free and open to farmers and landowners, though reservations are required to ensure adequate space and food. For reasonable accommodations and to RSVP, contact Liz Ripley at 515-294-5429 or [email protected] by Aug. 21. Attendees will be entered into a drawing for Iowa State Prairie Strips honey.
Iowa Learning Farms field days and workshops are supported by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. More information about Iowa Learning Farms is available online.
