Field Day

On Friday I spent the morning with some local farmers at a field day sponsored by the Potter-McKean County Conservation Districts. The purpose of the field day was to demonstrate the use of cover crops and the no-till planting method.
Last fall, after a corn planting had been harvested, the Conservation District planted several cover crops using several different methods on a beautiful field in Coneville.
It was an interesting morning and I learned a lot about conventional agriculture and new processes (like no-till) that focus on conservation of the soil. However, the process, like most of conventional agriculture, is heavily dependent on herbicides and chemical fertilizers. 
As we all introduced ourselves, I was pleased to note that I wasn't the only one who used the word "organic." I was, however, the sole female workshop participant.
Pictured at left is Joel Myers from the Pennsylvania No-Till Alliance. His cap says "Soil Is Meant To Be Covered.: