On October 4-9, 2019, the Watershed Agricultural Program expanded the aerial cover crops initiative that seeded into 713 acres of standing corn last year and seeded over 1,200 acres this year. There were 18 Watershed farms seeded, and three additional farms outside of the Watershed were seeded with funding from the Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District. JBI Helicopter Services once again expertly planted the rye seed via helicopter and gps systems. The cost of the cover crop seeding was $80/acre, and dropped into standing corn. The ideal harvest time of the corn is within two weeks after cover crops are planted. The crops will grow over the winter to protect soil erosion and increase soil health.
In total, Watershed farms planted a total of 1,700+ acres (500 traditional planting) of cover crops in 2019. See our cover crop video here.
