2023 Cover Crop and Soil Health Field Day

By Paul Jasa

The annual University of Nebraska Rogers Memorial Farm Cover Crop and Soil Health Field Day will be 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19, with a free lunch.

A soil pit will be dug on the long-term tillage study, now in its 43rd year of comparing no-till to other tillage systems. Functional cover crop mixes for different purposes, with two planting dates, will be shown and discussed.

Also featured will be a statewide study to evaluate cover crop variety selection and performance. In addition, attendees will see a nitrogen versus carbon cover crop comparison, a nitrogen production from legumes study, and how cover crops suppress weeds in wheat stubble.

Field Day Presentations

• Learn about soil structure and soil health as Ray Ward and Candy Thomas explore the soil pit.
• Observe various cover crops and cultivars in a study by Andrea Basche.
• Meet Nebraska Extension’s Soil Health Specialist Carolina Córdova, speaking on carbon and nitrogen aspects of cover crops.
• Gain understanding about herbicide carryover concerns, grazing restrictions, and termination recommendations from Chris Proctor.
• Learn about growing and managing cover crops for livestock grazing from Mary Drewnoski.

Registration for the free field day is required for the lunch count. Please email Paul Jasa before Thursday, Sept. 14 to be included in the lunch count and ensure enough handouts are available.

The farm is located at 18630 Adams St., Lincoln, Nebraska, about seven miles east of the city.