The Golden Belt Residue Management Alliance is hosting a No Till Cover Crop Field Day starting at 4 p.m. on Oct. 28th. This event will start in the field located ½ mile north of Rush Center, located in Rush County on the Jamie Holopirek Farm.
The day will begin in the field to look at four cover crop mixes and seven monoculture varieties. Producers will have hands on identification as well as be able to ask questions of experts as to their use, plant characteristics, nutrient and grazing values. There will also be a soil pit to allow producers to get an upclose look at the soil profile and root systems and a demonstration of the rain simulator to discuss runoff and infiltration. After the field review producers will proceed to the Township Hall in Rush Center for a dinner. Continued discussion about cover crops in crop rotations with producers and NRCS personnel will have demonstrations on Soil Health.
Partial funding was provided by the Rush, Barton and Pawnee Conservation Districts, Division of Conservation, Kansas Department of Agriculture through appropriation from the Kansas Water Plan Fund; the USDA, Natural Resource Conservation Service.
Cover Crops are an important part of any crop rotation. Deciding how they will fit into your crop rotation is totally up to you. The target is to improve the health of the soil so that it will increase water holding capacities, increase organic matter, increase nutrient cycling, improve compaction issues, provide weed control and reduce runoff. The benefits of no-till farming are economic as well as environmental. The no-till farmer can see an increase in the organic matter of the soil, and a decrease in the amount of erosion. More organic matter and less erosion mean more fertility, less fertilizer, and higher yields. Additionally, with the advances in cover crops and green manures, the no-till farmer can greatly reduce some of high-cost herbicides.
All area producers are encouraged to attend this field day and if they are unable to make the meeting, a self-guided tour is set up at the field. Started in 1992, the Golden Belt Residue Management Alliance was created to encourage producers to leave more residues to protect the natural resources. Since its inception this producer lead organization has produced many field days, conferences and bus trips to expand producer’s knowledge of new and innovative farming practices. The Golden Belt Residue Management Alliance is dedicated to the protection and preservation of our natural resources while promoting sound agronomic development.