Iowa Learning Farms Cover Crop Field Day

Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with Northwest Iowa Ag Stewardship Alliance (NIASA), will host a cover crop field day near Spirit Lake on Wednesday, Aug. 26 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Boettcher Family Farms. The no-cost 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, including nutrient management. 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,” said Liz Ripley, conservation and cover crop outreach specialist with Iowa Learning Farms.  “When paired with no-till and strip-till, additional benefits include increased water infiltration and reduced erosion during heavy rain events.”

Nestled among the Iowa Great Lakes in rural Dickinson County, Boettcher Family Farms is unlike most farms in Iowa. Emily and her father, John, take great pride in taking care not only of the land they farm, but the many water bodies nearby. Growing corn, soybeans, and alfalfa along with their beef cattle herd, the Boettcher’s understand the importance that their actions have on the surrounding environment. John began practicing no-till and strip-till more than 20 years ago and has planted cover crops for more than 10 years. Returning to the farm in 2009, Emily quickly learned the ins and outs of the operation. Over the years, the pair has been able to maintain productivity while improving their farming practices to better the environment.

The agenda will also include Gentry Sorensen, ISU Extension and Outreach field agronomist, John Wills with Iowa Great Lakes Project, and Alex Slagle, Iowa Soybean Association conservation agronomist. The Iowa Learning Farms will be presenting their Conservation Station rainfall simulator.

The field day will be held at the Boettcher Family Farms, 1200 215th Ave, Spirit Lake, IA 51360. The no-cost event and open to farmers and landowners, though we require reservations to ensure adequate space and food. For reasonable accommodations and to RSVP, please contact Liz Ripley at 515-294-5429 or ilf@iastate.edu by Aug. 19.

Iowa Learning Farms field days and workshops are supported by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. For more information about Iowa Learning Farms, visit www.iowalearningfarms.org.