AMES, 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 on Tuesday, Nov. 7, from 3:30-5:30 p.m. on the Gordon Wassenaar farm, rural Prairie City. The event is free and open to the public and includes a complementary meal.
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.
The field day site is located at 8718 W 109th St. S., Prairie City. At Prairie City, take exit 18 from IA-163 and go south on W 109th St (gravel road) for approximately 1 mile. The farm is located on the east side of the road with many large grain bins.
The workshop is free and open to the public, but reservations are suggested to ensure adequate space and food. If you need accommodations, please notify the Jasper SWCD by Nov. 3 at 641-792-4116 ext. 3 or email jessica.rutter@ia.nacdnet.net to RSVP.
Contact:
Curtis Donohue, NRCS District Conservationist, 641-792-4116 x3