Cover Crop and Water Quality Field Day in Jones County

Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with Maquoketa River Watershed Management Authority, will host a cover crop and water quality field day Sept. 21, 5-7 p.m. at the Central Park Pavilion near Center Junction. The free event is open to farmers and landowners and includes a complimentary meal.

Cover crops in corn.The field day will provide best management practices for establishing cover crops and maintaining yields during the transition to a higher residue system of no-tillage and cover crops with Dave Lubben, Jones County farmer and 2022 Iowa Conservation Farmer of the Year, as well as the Iowa Learning Farms Conservation Station. Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the use of prairie on the farm and along county road systems to improve water quality and soil health with Jones County Secondary Road Crew Wes Gibbs and William Roller.

Field day attendees will also have the opportunity to learn about the recent Central Park lake restoration project from Jones County Conservation executive director Brad Mormann, and additional water quality efforts led by the Maquoketa River Watershed Management Authority, from watershed coordinator Erin Erickson.

The field day will be held rain or shine at the Central Park Pavilion, 12515 Central Park Road, Center Junction, Iowa. Prior to the event, Jones County Conservation will be hosting a monarch tagging event from 1 to 5 p.m.

The event is free and open to farmers and landowners, though reservations are required to ensure adequate space and food. For reasonable accommodations and to RSVP, contact Liz Ripley at 515-294-5429 or ilf@iastate.edu. Attendees will be entered in a drawing for Iowa State Prairie Strips honey.

Iowa Learning Farms field days and workshops are supported by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. For more information about Iowa Learning Farms, visit www.iowalearningfarms.org.