Winter Cereal Rye Field Day
This field day aims to assist farmers and landowners with establishing and managing cereal rye and similar overwinter species for forage and feedstock.
Registration
The event is free and open to farmers and landowners, though we require reservations to ensure adequate space and food. For reasonable accommodations and to RSVP please contact Liz Ripley by September 5 at 515-294-5429 or ilf@iastate.edu.
Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with Horizon II Climate-Smart Partners, will host a cereal rye seeding, forage and feedstock field day Wednesday, September 11 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at ISU McNay Memorial Research and Demonstration Farm near Chariton. The free event is open to farmers and landowners and includes a complimentary meal.
This field day aims to assist farmers and landowners with establishing and managing cereal rye and similar overwinter species for forage and feedstock. As a cover crop, cereal rye reduces soil erosion and nutrient loss, while increasing organic matter and providing potential weed suppression benefits. Cereal rye can also provide high quality forage and grazing opportunities for livestock. Additionally, the field day will highlight the innovative use of harvested winter biomass crops like cereal rye for renewable fuel generation through anaerobic digestion.
Mark Licht, Iowa State University Extension Cropping Systems Specialist, will begin the program highlighting best management practices for establishing and managing cereal rye to meet producer goals. Shelby Gruss, Iowa State University Assistant Professor in Forage will discuss opportunities and tips for successfully utilizing cereal rye for grazing and forage. Dan Andersen, Iowa State University Associate Professor of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, will discuss ongoing research utilizing cereal rye biomass in anaerobic digesters for renewable fuel generation.
The field day will be held, rain or shine, at the ISU McNay Memorial Research and Demonstration Farm, 45249 170th Ave, Chariton, IA 50049. The event is free and open to farmers and landowners, though we require reservations to ensure adequate space and food. For reasonable accommodations and to RSVP please contact Liz Ripley by September 5 at 515-294-5429 or ilf@iastate.edu. Attendees will be entered in a drawing for ISU Prairie Strips honey.