MONROE - Field days will be held on Sept. 15, Oct. 13 and Nov. 9 to showcase numerous cover crops.
Low-flying planes in the area have been delivering seeds to be used as cover crops. The seeds are released over the growing corn or soybean crop and float to the ground to germinate and grow. Soon the corn or soybeans that once shaded the seedling will be harvested, and the seedlings will flourish, turning the field green again. The seed's root will feed the soil biology in exchange for nutrients and the green growth will provide protection to the soil from rain and wind. As the roots grow, they create new paths for future roots to seek out nutrition easily.
Aerial application of cover crops is one method, but other farmers broadcast or drill their seed. Two Green County farms drilled plots into wheat stubble in early August in order to show what some varieties of cover crops look like and do for the soil.
Jim, Jeff and Jamie McNeely's farm, also known as Rollin' Green Dairy, will host the field days from 10 a.m. until noon. Insight FS provided seed for their plot. They have six different strips planted. The types of covers planted are crimson clover, radish, Austrian winter peas, winter triticale, cereal rye and a mix of rye and radish. The farm is about three miles south of Brooklyn, off Elmer Road, just west of Wisconsin 104 and the Green and Rock county line.
The afternoon session will be from 1 to 3 p.m. at Dennis Miller's farm west of Brodhead, off Wisconsin 11 and 81. Heritage Seed Company provided the seed for Miller's plot. The seed that was planted included rapeseed, berseem clover, forage turnip, purple top turnip, crimson clover, sunn hemp, barley, tillage radish and several mixes.
Farmers, agronomists and interested landowners are invited to attend any one or all three field days. The attendees to the field days will direct the discussion, but there will also be staff from the Green County Land and Water Conservation Department, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the University of Wisconsin-Extension to contribute and answer questions about why to use cover crops, advantages and disadvantages to certain plants and herbicide effects on cover crops. For more information, contact Tonya Gratz with the Green County LWCD at 608-325-4195 extension 121.
Low-flying planes in the area have been delivering seeds to be used as cover crops. The seeds are released over the growing corn or soybean crop and float to the ground to germinate and grow. Soon the corn or soybeans that once shaded the seedling will be harvested, and the seedlings will flourish, turning the field green again. The seed's root will feed the soil biology in exchange for nutrients and the green growth will provide protection to the soil from rain and wind. As the roots grow, they create new paths for future roots to seek out nutrition easily.
Aerial application of cover crops is one method, but other farmers broadcast or drill their seed. Two Green County farms drilled plots into wheat stubble in early August in order to show what some varieties of cover crops look like and do for the soil.
Jim, Jeff and Jamie McNeely's farm, also known as Rollin' Green Dairy, will host the field days from 10 a.m. until noon. Insight FS provided seed for their plot. They have six different strips planted. The types of covers planted are crimson clover, radish, Austrian winter peas, winter triticale, cereal rye and a mix of rye and radish. The farm is about three miles south of Brooklyn, off Elmer Road, just west of Wisconsin 104 and the Green and Rock county line.
The afternoon session will be from 1 to 3 p.m. at Dennis Miller's farm west of Brodhead, off Wisconsin 11 and 81. Heritage Seed Company provided the seed for Miller's plot. The seed that was planted included rapeseed, berseem clover, forage turnip, purple top turnip, crimson clover, sunn hemp, barley, tillage radish and several mixes.
Farmers, agronomists and interested landowners are invited to attend any one or all three field days. The attendees to the field days will direct the discussion, but there will also be staff from the Green County Land and Water Conservation Department, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the University of Wisconsin-Extension to contribute and answer questions about why to use cover crops, advantages and disadvantages to certain plants and herbicide effects on cover crops. For more information, contact Tonya Gratz with the Green County LWCD at 608-325-4195 extension 121.
