Hancock, IA 51536
USA
Cover Crop Field Day for Corn and Soybeans
Practical Farmers of Iowa and farmer Russ Brandes will host a cover crop field day on Tuesday, April 4, from noon to 3 p.m., at Russ’ farm near Hancock (37333 Mahogany Rd., 6 miles west of town).
The event is part of Practical Farmers’ 2017 spring cover crop “caravan” field day series, which features events at locations across Iowa exploring cover crop issues in grazing and row crop systems.
Russ operates Brandes Farms Inc., a 400-acre corn and soybean operation that incorporates cover crops and some alfalfa. He also has a small cow-calf herd and hogs.
The field day will start with lunch at noon, provided by Russ. After lunch, guests will head to the field. Here, Russ will share his experience with planting cover crops using his corn and soybean planter; managing spring cover crops; growing cover crop seed; and variety selection for summer cover crops. Colten Catterton, of Green Cover Seed, will also be on hand to discuss and answer questions about choosing varieties for summer cover crops.
Farmer Russ Brandes’ Experience Planting Cover Crops Using His Corn and Soybean Planter
“I’d like to be able to show the practices I do that people might not have thought of,” Russ says. “For example, I use my corn and bean planter to plant my rye, and I don’t know that everyone is aware you can do something like that.”
“I am certainly no expert, but I base my practices on what I hear. Also on what I read and my gut feelings about the whole thing. By hosting this field day, other farmers who learn the same way I do can get to know more about cover crops and some unique practices they might want to try.”
The event – “Cover Crops for Corn and Soybeans” – is free to attend and includes lunch. Please RSVP for the meal to Alisha Bower, alisha@practicalfarmers.org or (515) 232-5661, by Friday, March 31.