Soil Health And Cover Crops Workshops are coming up in December and January across the state for agriculture producers. The first workshops will be held December 17 in York County and January 10 in Mercer County.

Come out and join Penn State Extension to hear local Extension Educators and farmers talk about soil health, soil fertility, cover crop management, and more!

Wendell Berry, American philosopher, poet, and farmer, once wrote that, “what I stand for is what I stand on.” Published in 1980, these words ring true for farmers today.

Over the last several years, there has been a momentous increase in awareness and interest in protecting and improving soil while producing more food, feed, and fiber. However, the abundance of information on soil health and cover crops can be overwhelming to digest and implement on the farm.

Adding to this complexity, optimal cover crop management can vary depending on your crop rotation, equipment, experience level, goals for a given field, and location within Pennsylvania.

What we do know is that soil health, or the capacity of soil to perform according to its potential, can be impacted—both positively and negatively-- by how we manage our fields. We also know that cover crops are one tool we can use to promote soil health.

If you have ever wondered, for example, why you should care about microbes in your soil; why earthworms or ground beetles matter; how to set up your no-till planter to handle cover crop residue; which cover crop species or mixture is right for your crop rotation; or if there are any cost-share options available to help implement cover crops, we encourage you to attend one of our upcoming Soil Health and Cover Crop Workshops.

December 17 - York

The first event of this multi-county series is on December 17 at the York County Annex Building, Room 1, 112 Pleasant Acres Rd., York, PA 17402, from 9:00 to Noon.

Speakers include local farmers with hands-on experience and insight on soil health and cover crops; extension specialists and educators with helpful university trial data and interpretation; industry professionals, who help growers choose the best products to foster soil health; and NRCS and conservation district personnel, with expertise on cost-share options, how best to comply with Agricultural Erosion and Sedimentation Control and Manure Management Plans, and how these are influenced by cover crops.

You will leave the half-day workshop with a better understanding of why soil health is important, practices that can improve soil health, why to consider incorporating cover crops and how to manage cover crops in your rotation, and how neighbors of yours have done so, successfully.

The event is free to attendees and registration is encouraged, but walk-ins are accepted.

Click Here to register for the York County Soil Health and Cover Crop Workshop today.

January 10 - Mercer

A second workshop has also been scheduled for January 10 at the Penn State Extension Mercer County, 463 North Perry Highway, Mercer from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  Click Here to register.

For more information, visit Penn State Extension Soil Health And Cover Crops Workshops webpage.

NewsClips:

Crable: Study Looks At Moving Farming, Manure From Lancaster County To Western PA

Congress’s Lame-Duck Session: Farm Bill Other Critical Legislation

Northeast Cover Crop Conference Showcased Cover Crop Innovations

Related Stories:

Inspections Find 96% Of Small Farms In PA Making Good Strides To Improve Water Quality In Chesapeake Bay Watershed

NRCS-PA Accepting Applications For Farm, Forest Conservation Assistance In Central, Southeast PA

PA Sea Grant, Lake Erie Region Conservancy Receive DCNR Grants To Preserve 270 Acres Of Farmland

[Posted: Nov. 29, 2018]

12/3/2018