Drones, Extended Rotations and Cover Crop Grazing in Bloomfield

Friday, Sept. 9 | 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Host: Tim Dotterer

(641) 208-5059

Address: 15601 285th St. | Bloomfield, IA 52537

Join us in Bloomfield, Iowa, to learn from Tim Dotterer about how he has added cover crops, small grains and cover crop grazing into his operation.

Tim raises conventional corn, conventional and non-gmo soybeans, small grains and rye for seed. He uses cover crops to build soil health and provide extra forage for his cattle and backgrounding calves. He sells his extra rye to farmers directly after cleaning at a local grain cleaner.

Interested in trying new equipment and production practices? Tim recently acquired a high-capacity drone for seeding cover crops and spraying, and experimented with legume cover crop mixes hoping to reduce synthetic nitrogen inputs. Tim has grazed diverse mixes of legumes and grasses. While these mixes have worked as forage for him, moving forward he would like to build more soil nitrogen and is keen to try new forage mixes like hairy vetch and crimson clover ahead of corn. Learn more about how Tim incorporates cover crops to his rotation and cover crop grazing into his cattle operation at his September field day!

Speaker: Clair Martin – Byron Seed

Sponsors:

Byron Seeds/Martin’s Farm Service
Sinclair Tractor
Davis County Corn Growers Association

See & Discuss:

Wheat and rye production for on-farm use
Harvest equipment
Fertilizer equipment
Drone seeding and spraying
Rye production for cover crop seed
Grazing cover crop mixes
Spring and fall covers
Cover crop and forage variety selection
Small grains variety selection

Location Notes: The farm is 5 miles west and 7 miles south of Bloomfield. From US 63 S, turn right (west) onto 285th Street. The farm is the first on the south side.

Meal Information: Lunch will be held from 11:30 a.m.-Noon; the field day will begin promptly afterward.

RSVPs are appreciated by Sept. 4