Practical Farmers of Iowa invites farmers with questions about cover crops to stop by the Practical Farmers booth during this year’s Farm Progress Show, Aug. 30 to Sept. 1, at Boone in central Iowa. Experienced cover crop farmers will be available each day, along with PFI staff, to answer a wide range of cover crop production questions. Look for the Practical Farmers booth (#9513) on the westernmost side of the Varied Industries Tent, in the Southwest Exhibit Field of the show grounds.

The following farmers will be on hand during the show, each with expertise in specific aspects of cover crops:

On Tuesday, Aug. 30 you can meet with:
Ruth and Robert Harvey of Redfield (central Iowa), from 8 to 11 a.m. They’ve been using cover crops on more than 1,000 acres and can answer questions on: no-till and cover crops; aerial-seeding cover crops; planter setup for planting corn and soybeans into cover crops.

Jeremy Gustafson of Boone (central Iowa), from 2 to 5 p.m. He farms corn, soybeans and small grains close to the Farm Progress Show site and can answer questions on: using cover crops on heavy, wet soils; summer cover crop mixtures; planting soybeans into green rye.

Sarah Carlson, Midwest cover crops research coordinator at PFI, and Meghan Filbert, livestock coordinator at PFI, will be available all day to answer questions about cover crops in crop and livestock systems.

On Wednesday, Aug. 31 you can meet with:
Nathan Anderson of Cherokee (northwest Iowa), from 8 to 11 a.m. Nathan and his family raise corn, soybeans, cattle, small grains and hay. They have been using cover crops for more than four years and can answer questions on: grazing cover crops; aerial seeding multi-species mixes; making cover crops work with a corn-soybean rotation.

Mark Peterson of Stanton (southwest Iowa), will be at the booth throughout the day. Mark and his wife, Melanie, raise corn, soybeans and small grains on about 500 acres and have been using cover crops for eight years. Mark can answer questions on: spring nitrogen program for corn following cereal rye cover crop; drilling versus aerial-seeding with helicopters; cover crop variety trial observations.

Wade Dooley of Albion (central Iowa), from 1 to 4 p.m. Wade and his father farm about 1,500 acres raising corn, soybeans, cereal rye, alfalfa hay and pasture, as well as watermelons, squash and popcorn. Wade can answer questions on: grazing cover crops; aerial- and drill-seeding cover crops; making cover crops work with a corn-soybean rotation.

Stefan Gailans, research and field crops director at PFI, will be available all day to answer questions on cover crops in crop production systems.

On Thursday, Sept. 1 you can meet with:
Dan Hayes of Stanley, from 8 to 11 a.m. Dan raises asparagus and guinea fowl and can talk about: the benefits of cover crops; using cover crops after asparagus; cover crops for home gardeners.

Mark Peterson of Stanton (southwest Iowa), from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mark can answer questions on: spring nitrogen program for corn following cereal rye cover crop; drilling versus aerial-seeding with helicopters; cover crop variety trial observations.

Mark Schleisman, of Lake City, from 1 to 4 p.m. Mark farms more than 2,000 acres, using cover crops on at least 1,000 acres, and has a cow-calf operation. He can answer questions on: grazing cover crops; aerial-, highboy- and drill-seeding cover crops; making cover crops work with a corn-soybean-seed corn production system.

Sally Worley, executive director of PFI, will be available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and can answer questions about Practical Farmers of Iowa.

For more information on cover crops or PFI’s presence at the Farm Progress Show, contact Sarah Carlson at 515-232-5661 or [email protected].