Cover Crop Conversations at Hoffman Organic Farm

Join us, OGRAIN, Paul Hoffman, and IDEA Farm Network at Hoffman Organic Farm. We’ll focus on Paul’s organic field crops, but this family farm has much more to offer including organic vegetables and grass-fed lamb and beef. Our cover crop conversations will include frost seeded red clover post wheat harvest and cash cover cropping for buckwheat seed production while including pearl millet and sunn hemp. We’ll look at using solar corridors for growing winter squash interseeded into corn. We’ll also spend some time talking about our Organic Grain Mentorship Program with Paul and his mentee, Vickie. Our mentorship program pairs experienced organic farmers with experienced conventional farmers looking to transition acres into organic to facilitate peer support and information sharing.

FIELD DAY SCHEDULE

9:30 am Registration & Check-in
10:00 am Introduction & background on the farm, how it has evolved, and how the different operations work together
11:00 am Frost seeded red clover post wheat harvest.
11:30 am Pasture grasses with winter wheat – tall fescue & wheat seed. Adapting poorly drained field areas.
12:00 pm Cash cover cropping of buckwheat seed with pearl millet and sunn hemp.
12:30 pm Winter squash interseeded into open pollinated corn
1:00pm Lunch
2:00 pm TOPP Organic grain mentorship program – hear from Paul and Vickie and The Land Connection
3:00pm Adjourn

Hoffman Organic Farm is a third generation family farm outside of Earlville, IL. The Hoffman family has been farming for over 100 years and their farm has gone through many transitions to adapt to a changing landscape in farming while staying true to their roots. Our host Paul Hoffman has raised certified organic crops since 2014. Winifred Hoffman (Paul’s mother) maintains a grass-fed, dual-purpose cattle herd and genetics business that works symbiotically to allow extended rotations for the organic row crop system. Additionally, Paul’s wife Trisha and their children help maintain a small, grass-fed, hair sheep flock.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to connect with fellow farmers, gain valuable insights, and take your farming practices to new heights. Reserve your spot today and embark on a journey of discovery with Farmer-Led Learning!