STORM LAKE – Iowa Learning Farms, along with Iowa State University Extension, will host a cover crop field day at 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 1 in the the Buena Vista County Extension office, 824 Flindt Drive, Storm Lake.

The field day will wrap up at the cover crop trial plots located northeast of Storm Lake. The field day will focus on cover crop management for soil health and grazing.

Cover crops are part of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy to help protect Iowa’s water quality. They reduce soil and nutrient runoff and build soil organic matter.

The plots in Buena Vista County consist of a mixture of cereal rye, tillage radishes and turnips, and were aerially seeded into standing corn and soybeans.

The plots are part of the North Raccoon River Watershed project to improve water quality within the watershed.

The field day is an opportunity to learn about growing cover crops mixtures and their costs and benefits.

Speakers for the field day include Iowa Learning Farms soil scientist Jill Motschenbacher and Paul Kassel, an ISU agronomist .

Beth Doran, an ISUEO beef specialist, will talk about the benefits and cautions in grazing on cover crop acres.

Anita Patrick, with Natural Resources Conservation Service, will discuss cost-share opportunities for growing cover crops.

After lunch, attendees may travel to the cover crop trial site to see the growth of the cover crop mix.

Kris Kohl, an ISU ag engineer, will discuss the cover crop trial plots and answer questions.

The field day is free and includes a complimentary lunch.

The field day is sponsored by Iowa Learning Farms in cooperation and Buena Vista County Extension.

The field trial plots are located east of Storm Lake, one mile north of the intersection of county roads C49 and M50.