An Aug. 26 plot tour at Blight Farms, Albion, MI, will provide a first-hand look at slurry seeding methods and research showing how nutrients from manure applications can be captured, held and recycled to the following season.
"Some perceive that no-till situations don't mix with manure and cover crops, but these plots will also show how those situations can be turned into success," explains Natalie Rector, Michigan State University (MSU) senior Extension nutrient management educator.
The plots were planted using slurry seeding, which uses a combination of disturbance tillage, hog manure and cover crop seed planted all in one pass. The plots include turnips and radishes separately and in combination with oats. Plots have been prepared both with and without manure. Drilled vs. slurry-seeded plots will also be compared.
MSU Extension researcher Tim Harrigan will demonstrate slurry seeding methods during the tour. A discussion will summarize results collected from past research plots tracking nitrogen losses and the ability of cover crops to utilize manure nitrogen for release in the following year’s corn crop.
Tour host Ken Blight, a hog and beef producer, will talk about his success using rye cover crops to help control manure runoff, while capturing the nutrients and reduce the need for purchased nitrogen the following season.
The tour will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon at 24010 Division Drive, Albion, MI, located at the corner of Division Drive and 24 Mile Road. Contact Natalie Rector for more information at rector@msu.edu or call 269-967-6608.