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Summer Field Day is Aug. 21
Field Day
Jeremy Luckey, a farmer near Juda, is a part of Farmers of the Sugar River. He broadcasts cereal rye into his corn field in early July hoping it will sprout and provide some protection for the soil when the corn is harvested for silage in the fall.

JUDA — Farmers of the Sugar River are hosting a field day beginning with registration at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 21 at the Jerry and Barb Daniels farm, W2340 Wisconsin 11 and 81. The program will start at 10. 

A soil pit will be dug into a standing corn field so attendees can see how the corn roots make their way toward water and nutrients. Francisco Arriaga from UW-Madison will guide everyone through the details of the pit and show how deep corn roots grow.

Natural Resources Conservation Service and Land and Water Conservation staff will use a rainfall simulator demonstration to show the impacts of tillage and cover crops to the soil’s ability to infiltrate water: Degraded soil isn’t able to soak in as much rain as healthy soil. Healthy soil is protected from rain drops, so soil particles can’t detach and erode as easily. 

Lunch will begin around noon and there will be time for farmers to talk to each other. At 1 p.m. farmers can discuss cover crops and ask questions. Cover crop booklets will be available to interested farmers as guides to understanding the species choices they have.

Preregistration is preferred, to help plan for lunch. To register or get more information, contact Tonya Gratz with the Green County Land and Water Conservation Department at 325-4195 ext. 121 or email her at Tonya.Gratz@wi.nacdnet.net. 

This free event is open to the public and all area farmers. The field day and lunch are provided by the Farmers of the Sugar River, a producer-led watershed group funded by DATCP.