Discovering Covers

Discovering Covers: Options From Seeding to Species and How They Affect Soil Health

Thursday, June 20 | 4-6 p.m.

Location

26143 Ivory Rd. | Garnavillo, IA 52049

Hosts

Edmund & Barbara Ruff

Edmund and Barbara both grew up on farms in Clayton County, Iowa. Today, they steward Edmund’s family farm, a century farm, growing corn and soybeans on approximately 85 acres. They have planted cover crops across the whole farm since 2018 using rye and a mix of other species. To seed their cover crops, they have explored seeding by airplane, no-till drill, drone and even by hand.

Years of work in agriculture education helped inspire Edmund to plant educational cover crop plots last fall on a rodeo arena at the Clayton County Fairgrounds. Join Edmund and Barbara to view a range of cover crop management practices at the fairgrounds. Then head to the farm to discuss how no-till and cover crops can help build soil health and improve nutrient management.

Meal

Dinner will follow the field day.

See & Discuss

Planting single- and multi-species cover crop test plots for education
Using terracing and no-till to minimize soil erosion
The ins and outs of different cover crop seeding methods
Soil health assessments from a carbon-nitrogen perspective
A project to preserve a historic 90-year-old barn

Discovering Covers