Aerial Cover Crop Seeding Sign Up Underway

Sunny, warm beautiful days are upon us, as we watch the crops and children grow we wonder where time has gone. It is hard to believe the time is here to start planning cover crop seeding for this fall. Cover crops reduce soil erosion, help weed control all while increasing soil stability. Cover crops can be planted in a variety of ways, including, interseeding, drilling, broadcasting and aerial seeding.

Ashland Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) will be partnering with Fisher Crop Care by Air and coordination of cover crops to be aerial seeded again this year for local producers.   

Harvest is a busy and stressful time for many producers in our area.  To producers having the time and man power to seed cover crops may seem impossible. Aerial seeding can be an ideal choice for those that are in a time crunch or the weather hasn’t been the most cooperative to make another pass in the field with equipment.

When aerially seeded, a cover crop can establish months before the cash crop is harvested in the fall. The cash crop is then harvested, the canopy opens and allows the cover crop to continue to grow and will protect the soil for the winter months. Along with soil erosion prevention it is very beneficial to better prevent nutrient leaching and surface run-off during the winter months.

Be sure to watch for the planes seeding this year. Enjoyment can be from the pilots amazing skills and great pictures being captured, but also from knowing the benefits of slowing nutrient run off, stabilizing the soil and reducing erosion. Watch for updates as to when cover crop seeding will take place in Ashland County. For more questions contact Katie Eikleberry with Ashland Soil & Water at 419-281-7645. A reminder our office as moved and we are now located at 110 Cottage Street Floor 1 in downtown Ashland.