CRP Field Day

[dbltree]

Anyone interested in NWSG and CRP management might want to attend this field day.
Planning on attending myself

CRP Management Field Day

Establishment and Mid Contract Management

Thursday, August 24 6:00 pm

SE Research Farm by Crawfordsville

· Native grass plots 2, 3, and 4 years after seeding.

· See different varieties of switchgrass, big bluestem, Indiangrass, little bluestem, and side oats grama in long term plots.

· Mid-contract management of existing CRP land.



Directions - Go 1¾ miles south of Crawfordsville on Hwy 218, then 2 miles east on G-62, then ¾ mile north on Louisa-Washington Co. line





Sponsored by

* Iowa DNR

* Iowa State University Extension

* Farm Service Agency

* Natural Resources Conservation Service



---------------------------------------------------------------

Greg Brenneman - Ag Engineering Spec

Iowa State University Extension

4265 Oak Crest Hill Rd. SE, Iowa City, IA 52246

 

[bjkpharmd]

Anyone else planning to attend?

 

[Daver]

I am about 90% likely to make it there. Hope to see some of the other posters...

 

[dbltree]

The field day was well worth the trip! I learned a lot and got to meet pharmer as well!

They have an amazing array of sample/test plots some dating back to the 80's. You can see almost every variety of each type of prairie grass and if it has withstood the test of time...or not. I'll pass on info and an pics in other posts.

For those of you with CRP that is an old stand of brome, your mid-contract managment will be a fantastic time to rejuvenate it and encourage growth for wildlife of all lkinds.

Tim Thompson from the IDNR had done some of his own.

He disked in early April leaving 40-60% residue.
Sprayed 1 quart of Roundup per acre in early May to set back the brome.
Broadcast a mix of alfalfa, ladino clover and red clover as well as some sorghum in early June.

He brought samples of what came up, how it benifited wildlife etc..
Plenty of weeds come up like foxtail, sunflower and giant ragweed all of which are used by a wide array of wildlife.
Eventually the legumes prospered and the field was full of deer.
In time the brome comes back but much taller then the old root bound original stand that we often see on old CRP stands.
Mid-contract managment will be your chance to improve your property for wildlife and get paid for it too!

 

[bjkpharmd]

It was a very good night for some different information. I think the wildlife people were a bit slanted towards birds but deer would sure benefit too.

I spotted Dbltree first (I just looked around and figured out who knew the most about this stuff) but by then it was too late to sneak away. I did leave early because I was safe-guarding my cooler.

 

[dbltree]

[ QUOTE ]
I did leave early because I was safe-guarding my cooler.

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't expect to get away with that next time pharmer