15 – Cover Crops: Green Fields, Clear Water
At a Glance
Time
One week:
Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026
9 – 10:30 a.m. CT
Cost
$25.00
Location
Online with Zoom
Class limit 55+
Course Description
What is growing in the green fields early in the spring? Those are cover crops, a conservation practice that helps protect water quality and improve soil health. This course will cover the benefits that cover crops provide, the management considerations for implementing cover crops in Iowa’s cropping systems, and how to talk with tenants about cover cropping.
Instructor
Ethan Thies is the ISU Extension and Outreach Conservation Field Specialist, where he promotes conservation practices across the state and assists the Midwest Cover Crop Council, providing cover crop information to the Midwest and Canada. As a watershed coordinator, he has helped farmers and landowners implement cover crops on their land.
Liz Ripley is the conservation and cover crop outreach specialist with the Iowa Learning Farms and Water Rocks! Originally from a farm in Butler County, Ripley earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business-economics from Iowa State University and a master’s degree in agricultural economics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.