Queen Anne's County Cover Crop Field Day

This all day cover crop event will include tours of two Queen Anne's County farms that are using cover crops to advance soil health and agronomic outcomes. Cover crops are an integral piece in improving soil quality outcomes by armoring the soil, maintaining a living root, and adding diversity to a cropping system. Learn how these farms of varying agricultural enterprises use cover crops in their management practices to improve their soil and their bottom line!

Farmers and ag service providers are invited to learn about cover cropping strategies from two successful farmers and how they came to their current practices. We will also offer hands-on training about how to use the Maryland Soil Health Card, a discussion about cover crop planning strategies and tools, and information about opportunities for conservation technical and financial support through NRCS and MDA. See the detailed agenda below.

This event is FREE. Ticket includes coffee and snacks in the morning, and lunch to be held indoors at the Ruthsburg Community Hall.

Detailed agenda with speakers:

8:30-9:00 Coffee and donuts

Arnold Farms vegetable operation (219 Double Creek Point Rd, Chestertown, MD 21620)

9:00-10:00 Maryland soil health card hands-on training (Dana Rushovich)

10:00-11:00 Discussion of cover crop purpose, challenges, and opportunities in vegetable production (Bob Arnold)

Ruthsburg Community Hall lunchtime presentations (105 Damsontown Rd, Queen Anne, MD 21657)

11:45-12:15 Purposeful cover crop planning (Sarah Hirsh)

12:15-12:45 Opportunities for conservation technical and financial support through NRCS and MDA (Dana Rushovich, Nicholas Miller)

Mason Heritage Farm organic grain operation (1905 Ruthsburg Rd, Queen Anne, MD 21657) 

1:00-2:00pm Discussion of cover crop purpose, challenges, and opportunities in organic grain production; No-till in organic grain (Steve Kraszewski)

2:00-3:00pm Opportunities and challenges with transitioning from conventional to organic grain (Steve Kraszewski)

This is a partially outdoor event. For questions or to request special accommodations email Sarah Hirsh at shirsh@umd.edu. Please request special accommodations at least two weeks prior to event.