AMES, Iowa — Iowa Learning Farms, along with Natural Resources Conservation Service and Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, will host a cover crop, strip-tillage and water quality field day on Thursday, Nov. 30 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. The free event will be held at the Roland Community Center, is open to the public and includes a complementary meal.
Brian Sampson, a Story County farmer, will discuss his transition to strip-tillage and addition of cover crops, as well as his experience with the conservation planning process with the NRCS and Iowa Learning Farms. Sampson grows corn and soybeans and manages a feeder cattle operation. As a participant in the Conservation Learning Lab project, he has seeded cover crops and implemented strip-tillage on over 40 percent of the nearby research watershed acres.
The field day agenda will continue with Matt Helmers, Iowa State University professor and extension ag and biosystems engineer, highlighting the research behind the Conservation Learning Lab project. Helmers will lead a discussion of conservation practices that can help improve soil health and water quality. ISU Extension and Outreach cropping specialist Mark Licht will lead a discussion on improving soil health with practices that reduce soil erosion.
The field day will be held at the Roland Community Center, 208 Main Street, Roland. The complementary meal will be prepared by Guys with Grills BBQ. The event is free and open to the public, but reservations are suggested to ensure adequate space and food. Contact Liz Juchems at 515-294-5429 or email ilf@iastate.edu.
For more information about Iowa Learning Farms, visit the website: http://www.iowalearningfarms.org.