Learn the basics: How to get started in cover crops

STOCKTON, Ill. — Join University of Illinois Extension for a program on “Getting Started with Cover Crops.”

This program will be from 8 to 11:45 a.m. Aug. 5 at the Stockton Public Library, 140 W. Benton Ave., Stockton. Doors will open at 7:50 a.m.

This program is being offered free of charge, but preregistration is requested. To register or for more information, call the U of I Extension office in Jo Daviess County at 815-858-2273 or go online to go.illinois.edu/jsw.

Are you curious about cover cropping, but aren’t sure where to begin? The benefits of cover crops are widely known, but information on getting started with cover cropping isn’t as extensively covered.

This program is designed to equip you with the knowledge you need to determine if cover cropping is right for you and how best to get started.

During the program, participants will learn about the benefits of cover crops in addition to how to select and manage them via presentations from Kathryn Seebruck, U of I Extension commercial agriculture educator, who serves Jo Daviess, Stephenson and Winnebago counties.

Abby Mielke, Natural Resources Conservation Service soil conservationist, will provide information on cost-share programs that can help alleviate the economic burden of taking on this new practice.

And Nicole Haverback, a Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy outreach associate with U of I Extension, will inform participants of the effects of cover cropping on nutrient loss reduction.

The program also will feature a panel of local farmers who use cover crops, enabling participants to learn from their experiences and ask questions.