Editor’s note: Husker Harvest Days is Sept. 10-12 in Grand Island, Neb. Visit HuskerHarvestDays.com.

The cover crop craze continues to grow, but both new and experienced farmers struggle when it comes to managing them.

Husker Harvest Days is one place to get those questions answered. For the first time, the show site is offering the opportunity to see mono-species cover crops and popular cover crop mixtures growing in demonstration plots on-site.

“Green Cover stepped up to offer a special opportunity for show visitors,” says Matt Jungmann, national events manager for Farm Progress. “This is a great opportunity to stand over and view dozens of varieties and blends, while talking to the experts, all in one place.”

Green Cover, a family-owned cover crop seed company based in Bladen, Neb., planted 46 cover crop demonstration plots to provide Husker Harvest Days guests with a hands-on experience, offering insight into cover crop management.

The plots are open for observation throughout the show, with two guided tours scheduled daily:

Green Cover experts at the demo plot sites will discuss the growing plots, species selection and answer cover crop management questions from producers.

The cover crop plots are at Lot 162, north of First Street on the inside of the show field fence, between West Avenue and Central Avenue, not far from the BEEF Building.

Site management

There are two different planting-time plots at Husker Harvest Days, says Keith Berns, co-owner and sales and marketing manager for Green Cover.

“The first planting time in early July represents different cover crops you can grow if you have a summer-harvested situation, perhaps after field peas or small grain — or if you take some acres out of corn and soybeans and are highly focused on grazing cover crops and growing things through the warmer part of summer,” Berns says.

The second set of plots were planted in early August. “These won’t look perfect by showtime,” he adds, “but at least they allow us to have a conversation about later planting dates that are typical for corn and soybean farmers, for instance.”

Traditionally, this type of cover crop would be planted in early September in Nebraska, after a farmer chops corn silage. For demonstration purposes, however, Green Cover wanted to showcase mixes that represent a fall planting situation.

“Some of these overwinter, and some won’t,” Berns says. “But these plots won’t be as focused on grazing, although you could graze them. We will discuss both options, and I hope it generates a lot of questions and dialogue.”

Each cover crop plot consists of 6-foot strips that are roughly split, with about half of the strips planted to a single species, and the other half to common mixtures that include 10 to 12 different species. Berns notes that the plot also shows summer soil-builder and warm-season pollinator mixtures.

Immersive ag experience

Green Cover’s interactive plots will let visitors see, touch, feel and smell, using all of their senses, to get an understanding of cover crops, Berns says. Plus, the plots allow producers to talk with someone and get questions answered.

“There has never been a better time to try cover crops,” he says. “There are plenty of incentive programs that offer financial assistance through USDA NRCS [Natural Resources Conservation Service], Climate Smart Commodities grants and others.”

Stop by Green Cover plots, Lot 162, during this year’s Husker Harvest Days.