UMN Extension Olmsted County - Agriculture & Horticulture

Cover Crop Academy- a hybrid course for ag advisors- will run June 2026-May 2027! You'll get access to research sites at Lamberton, Waseca, or Westport, MN, build a cohort of other experts in your area, and build your agronomic skills around cover crops. We'll cover nutrient management, pest and w**d control, grazing and herbicide issues, and planter setup. Bring your curiosity. Registration open until June 5. https://extension.umn.edu/courses-and-events/cover-crop-academy

Soil health systems improve spring field access and resilience, study shows - Brownfield Ag News Research at the University of Minnesota is finding farmers implementing soil health principles can start spring field management sooner than their conventional counterparts. Extension soil health specialist Anna Cates says practices like reduced tillage create better physical structure for soil to m...

Oxbow Park is hosting another local UMN Master Naturalist course. This is a great opportunity to blend service and science.

As part of the University of Minnesota Extension, Oxbow Park and Chester Woods Park will be hosting the MN Master Naturalist program! This program will teach participants about the natural world (plants, animals, water, environment, etc.) in Minnesota and promote awareness, understanding, and stewardship. There will even be all day field trips on 2 of the course dates! See the poster for more info. Can't wait to see you there!

If you would like even more information, please reach out to Sharon Columbus at [email protected] OR talk to a staff member at Oxbow or Chester Woods!

Are you curious about the management plan for the invasive spongy moth? Join the Minnnesota Department of Agriculture for these upcoming information session.

📢 Community Information Sessions – Olmsted County

Join us to learn about proposed management activities and what they mean for your community:

📍 March 31 | 4:30–6:00 PM
Focus: City of Rochester
Development Services & Infrastructure Center (DSIC)
Room 163A
4001 West River Parkway NW, Suite 100
Rochester, MN

📍 April 1 | 4:30–6:00 PM
Focus: City of Stewartville
Stewartville Civic Center
120 City Center
Stewartville, MN

These sessions are a great opportunity to stay informed and ask questions.

Caption: Pictured here are a female (light) and male (dark) spongy moth.

Olmsted County SWCD Grow Olmsted: Gardening tips from Master Gardeners

I’m excited to see this comprehensive program come so close to us. Check it out!

New Farmer U retreat in Lanesboro aims to sharpen business skills for beginning farmers The two-day program is designed to help early-career producers build financial and management skills needed to run a successful farm.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is proposing three areas for spongy moth management in the City of Rochester. Spongy moths are an invasive forest pest that can damage trees, impact forests, and affect human health.

Join us for an informational public open house to learn more and ask questions.

• March 31
• 4:30–6:00 p.m.
• Development Services & Infrastructure Center

More information: https://www.rochestermn.gov/Home/Components/News/News/10416/1121 #!/

Interested in learning more about conservation programs for your acres? Check out this event that is coming to town next week.

The Tri-County Pheasants Forever Chapter is offering a FREE educational event on March 17th. Check out the details below !

Meet some neighbors. Clean up our green spaces. Protect water resources. Join us!

Spring 2026 Litter Bit Better — RNeighbors This spring, Rochester residents are invited to take part in a beloved community tradition as A Litter Bit Better celebrates its 20th anniversary. Join us April 25–May 3, 2026, as we mark two decades of neighbors coming together to keep Rochester clean, healthy, and beautiful. Spring Litter Bit

We are happy to see this project continue its work into 2026! It’s a great way for farmers to see who is planting which cover crops around them. The data that is collected becomes part of an interactive map linked in #1 of the post below.

Is anyone growing a cover crop around you? Toggle through to see what the nitrogen content of their biomass sample was.

The Great Lakes Cover Crop Project (GLCCP) is back for another season of data collection! z.umn.edu/glccpsite

This community science effort brings together farmers from across the upper Midwest to build a regional database of cover crop performance to help identify which cover crops and management practices work best across different growing conditions. Participating farmers complete a short management survey online this winter, and then collect cover crop photos and stand heights from their fields before spring termination to measure performance. In return, all participants receive a personalized report with cover crop biomass and nutrient estimates, along with $50 per field for up to three fields. Any farmer with an overwintering cover crop growing this season in MI, OH, IN, IL, WI, or MN is eligible. Click this link to sign up: z.umn.edu/glccpsignup

If you'd like to learn more about the project or get further involved, check out these resources:
1. Interactive Cover Crop Map: evansgeospatial.com/glccp/map
2. Virtual Cover Crop Chats - third Wednesdays @ 9am ET/8am CT
Register here to join fellow farmers and conservation professionals in a casual online space to exchange cover crop questions, challenges, and ideas. Sign up link: z.umn.edu/covercropchats

Contact [email protected] with questions.

I hope to see some producers in Olmsted County taking advantage of this opportunity to build some resiliency into their farming operation. You still have a week to put together a proposal!