KANE — A cover crop workshop was held Jan. 24 at Lantz Corners, with 32 farmers and landowners taking part.
“Choosing a mix of cover crops is like choosing players on a football team,” said Zach Larson, Penn State Extension field and forage crops educator of Blair County. He described the benefits of choosing certain cover crops for specific functions or benefits.
“If you choose one cover crop that is kind of good at different tasks, the result will be a good team,” Larson explained. “Choosing rye for scavenging nutrients or oats for quick cover, what you need changes the play.”
Cover crops keep soil in place, improve water infiltration and increase organic matter which pay off in the long run. Short term benefits can include recycling nutrients, providing emergency forage, nitrogen credit for legumes and providing weed control. McKean County topsoil is difficult to manage, so including cover crops can pay off when they are added to the rotation, despite the short growing season.
Anyone interested in learning more about their soil can contact Penn State Extension in Potter County at 814-274-8540 or visit at extension.psu.edu.
