Cover Crop Cocktail Walk July 28 at Carey Ranch

Cover crop cocktails are relatively new to the Jefferson Valley. You can use them to simultaneously create feed and increase the health of your soil. Cover crops use a diverse blend of species to increase organic matter, nitrogen, water infiltration and storage in our soils. They also can generate a large volume of quality forage that can be used as silage or grazed off.

During a field walk on Friday, July 28, Kate Vogel of North Forty Ag will discuss how to identify areas of resource concern, set goals, and then select multiple cover crop species to accomplish those goals.

The walk will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Chris and Sandy Carey Ranch. The ranch is located at 2300 MT Highway 69; Boulder, MT 59632. The phone number at the ranch is 406-287-5756.

In addition to Vogel’s discussion, Dave Scott, a livestock specialist with the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), will show how to set up an intensive grazing system to improve soil health and how to efficiently harvest the crop.

Glen Green and Nancy Sweeney of NRCS will add their experiences with covers in Deer Lodge Valley. Chris Carey will discuss why he decided to plant this 80-acre irrigated cover crop, how he grew it and how he plans to harvest it. Find out from Chris the pluses and minuses of covers.

The fee for the workshop is $8 per person, which includes lunch. All proceeds will go to 4H Ambassadors, who will be cooking the lunch.

The deadline to register is July 21. Register online at https://www.ncat.org/events/

For more information, contact Dave Scott at 406-533-6642 or daves@ncat.org

This workshop is sponsored by NCAT, North Forty Ag, and NRCS.

NCAT is a non-profit organization headquartered in Butte, MT, with five regional off ices around the country.

In partnership with businesses, organizations, individuals and agricultural producers, NCAT has worked since 1976 to advance solutions that will ensure the next generation inherit a world that has clean air and water, energy production that is efficient and renewable, and healthy foods grown with sustainable practices. More information about its programs and services is available at http://www.ncat.org or by calling 1-800-ASK-NCAT.