It is possible to associate cover crops only with large commercial operations, but your vegetable garden could benefit from cover crops as well. Gardens are busy and productive for part of the year, then it sits dormant waiting for another season the following spring. With minimal labor, gardeners can keep the same garden busy for a little while longer by planting cover crops and, subsequently, reap many benefits.

Cover crops are all part of good land stewardship, says James Theuri, University of Illinois Extension local foods and small farms educator. Learn what cover crops are, when and how to plant them, and what environmental benefits come from planting cover during a free online webinar at 10 a.m. May 26. Register by May 22 to receive connection instructions.

University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. If you need reasonable accommodation to participate in programming, contact the Kankakee County Office (815-933-8337) at least two weeks prior to the event. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time for meeting your needs.

Illinois Extension is the outreach effort of University of Illinois, extending unbiased, research-based information to help residents identify and solve local problems that build better futures for individuals, families, businesses, farms, and communities.

Source: James Theuri
University of Illinois Extension, Local Food Systems and Small Farms