Register now for the 2024 University of Minnesota “Cover Crop Field Day: Setting up for Success” at the Southwest Research and Outreach Center by Lamberton on Thursday, June 27. Check-in will start at 8:30 a.m., and the field day will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (lunch included). The field tour will start promptly at 9 a.m., weather permitting, and the event will be held rain or shine. 

This program is for farmers and those who work with farmers, with or without cover crop experience, and anyone else who would like to learn more about cover crops. After lunch, members of the 2024 Cover Crop Academy will be meeting for a short time (if interested in being a part of the 2024 Cover Crop Academy, see http://z.umn.edu/covercropacademy for more details and to register).  

Pre-register by June 20 to ensure yourself a meal at https://z.umn.edu/covercropfieldday. Later registrations and walk-ins are still welcome but timely registration is required to ensure yourself a meal. 

Planned tour stops and topics include:  

• Cereal rye seeding rates

• Cover crop seeding methods

• Cover crop variety trial

• Interseeding cover crops in corn

• Residual herbicide impacts on cover crop establishment

• Insect interactions with cover crops

• Resources to get started with cover crops

• Cover crops and soil health implications

Presenters include: 

• Axel Garcia y Garcia, Assoc. Professor / Sustainable Crop Systems Specialist, Dept. of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, SWROC, Lamberton

• Anna Cates, Assistant Professor / Extension Specialist in Soil Health, Dept. of Soil, Water, and Climate

• Bruce Potter, Integrated Pest Management Specialist, SWROC, Lamberton

• Claire LaCanne, Extension Educator – Crops, Andover Regional Extension Office

• Liz Stahl, Extension Educator – Crops, Worthington Regional Extension Office

There is no cost to attend, thanks to sponsorship from Minnesota North Central Region- Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (MN NCR-SARE).  

Article contributed by Liz Stahl, Extension educator – crops, U of M Extension.