Iowa Learning Farms, along with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Jasper County Soil & Water Conservation District, will host a cover crop and soil health field day this week.

The event on Tuesday from 3:30-5:30p.m. on the Gordon Wassenaar farm in rural Prairie City is free and open to the public, and includes a complimentary meal. Speaking at the field day is host farmer Gordon Wassenaar and tenant Will Cannon. Wassenaar has been in agriculture for over 50 years and is using conservation practices including no-till and a cereal rye cover crop on the 1,200 acres. This fall, Wassenaar and Cannon partnered with the Jasper County SWCD to establish a multi-species cover crop trial utilizing different seeding methods and rates.

The field day site is located at 8718 W 109th St. S., Prairie City. At Prairie City, take exit 18 from IA-163 and go south on W 109th St (gravel road) for approximately 1 mile. The farm is located on the east side of the road with many large grain bins.