Deadline to enroll in the Continuous Reserve Program (CRP) or to re-enroll is fast approaching. Farmers enrolled in the program agree to remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and plant species that will improve environmental health and quality. Local NRCS District Conservationist Cathy Froelich offers these tips in maintain the CRP land:
“Cool season grasses, everybody that seeded a companion crop of oats with their grasses this last spring, you need to be clipping the oats. We really didn’t want those to go to seed, so if they haven’t gone to seed yet, get out there with the lawn mower and get those clipped off high six to eight inches, let that grass grow underneath that is sitting there. Native grasses, your first year you want to mow the weeds off six to eight inches. You can do that anytime right now. We prefer you don’t mow it after August 1st with the native grasses. Second year you will see a lot of marestail, giant ragweed and thistles, so go ahead and mow those as well.”
Enrollment into the Continuous Reserve Program is due by August 30th.
**Written by WMOI/WRAM Director of Communications Kelsey Crain**
