View various cover crop species and mixtures at a cover crop/soil health field day Wednesday, March 30 at the Jon Keithley Farm northwest of Falls City at 71475 650 Ave.

As part of an NRCS Conservation Innovative Grant Project, a cover crop research plot was drilled into Prevented Planting Acres in late August and early September. Several species and mixes of cover crops were planted for evaluation.

The field day will start with registration at 9 a.m. followed by discussion and field observations of the cover crop plots, a soil pit, and nearby cover crop fields from 9:30 – 12:00 p.m.  Several Nebraska Extension and NRCS specialists will present on cover crop and soil health issues. 

• Jay Parsons, Nebraska Extension agricultural economist, will discuss lease arrangements for grazing cover crops. 
• Mary Drewnoski, Nebraska Extension beef systems specialist, will review potential opportunities for grazing cover crops and discuss their forage value, even on Prevented Planted Acres. 
• Gary Lesoing, Nebraska Extension educator, will share recent soil health and soil chemical analysis data collected from the plots this spring. 
• Paul Jasa, no-till specialist with Nebraska Extension, will share his experiences with no-till, cover crops, and soil health. 
• Cory Brubaker, NRCS state agronomist, and Candy Thomas, the new NRCS Soil Health Specialist for Kansas and Nebraska, will discuss soil health and cover crops;

The Keithleys have been using no-till for many years and with the use of manure and cover crops have impacted soil health on their farms. While registration isn’t required, it is recommended to provide a count for resources.

To register, please call Gary Lesoing at the Nebraska Extension office in Nemaha County at (402) 274-4755.  

Gary Lesoing
Extension Educator in Nemaha County