Want to learn about growing your own cover crops, managing manure in “planting green” systems, alternative forage crops and more — from farmer-experts? Then mark July 26 and 27 in your datebook and plan to attend Pennsylvania No-till Alliance’s summer field day, Cover Crops: Keeping it

Simple, near Willow Street, Pa., just south of Lancaster.

Future View Farm, at13 Radcliffe Rd., Willow Street, hosts two events rolled into one. The lead-off session will be July 26: Wednesday evening’s Meeting of the Minds dinner at 6 p.m., in the tent. It’s an opportunity to sound out experienced farmers and industry professionals on manure management in no-till and cover crops. And, no-tiller Steve Berger from Iowa, the next morning’s keynote speaker, will be on hand.

Thursday’s schedule
Registration opens at 8 a.m. After a welcome by No-till Alliance President Jim Hershey, here’s the program:

• 9 a.m.: Panel No. 1 on practical experience and lessons learned when “planting green.” Panelists include: Heidi Myer for Penn State’s Planting Green Project and farmers Lucas Criswell, Jim Harbaugh and Ben Peckman.

• 10:15 a.m.: Panel No. 2 on growing your own cover crop seed. Panelists include Ross Pifer from Penn State’s Agricultural Law Resource and Reference Center and Wayne Ebersole from Future Generation Ag (seed company).

Related:Learn what works — and doesn’t — from this no-tiller

• 10:45 a.m.: Keynote speaker Steve Berger, an award-winning longtime no-tiller will address “Why we always want something covering the soil.” Learn what works — and doesn’t — for this Southeast Iowa producer of corn, soybeans and hogs.

• 11:45 a.m.: Cover crop seed giveaway, sponsored by Penn State University and the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program.

• 11:55 a.m.: Pennsylvania No-Till Alliance update by Jim Hershey.

• Noon: Lunch.

• 1 p.m.: Soil health demonstration by Leroy Bupp.

• 1:30 p.m.: Panel No. 3 on why water quality matters. Panelists include Lamonte Garber of the Stroud Water Research Center, and farmers: Roger Rohrer, Jeff Frey and Jim Hershey.

• 2:15 p.m.: Two concurrent sessions.

Panel No. 4 on summer/alternative forage options. Panelists include Konrad Martin of Future Generation Ag plus farmers Matt Ulmer and Joel Myers.

Manure management in no-till and cover crops: A roundtable discussion with Steve Berger.

• 2:45 p.m.: Moderated session on what was learned today and where to go from here.

• 3 p.m.: No-Till Alliance annual member meeting.

Both events are free if preregistered by July 21. If not preregistered, expect a $10 fee for each event. Preregister via email to [email protected] or call 717-651-5920.