On September 22, Catoctin Land Trust joined farmers, agricultural professionals, and conservation partners at Windy Springs Farm in Smithsburg for the “Take Cover” Cover Crop & Drone Field Day, an event supported through Whole Watershed funding. Hosted at Windy Springs Farm, the rainy field day brought together members of the agricultural and conservation communities for a hands-on opportunity to learn about practices and resources that can support healthy soils, productive farms, and clean water.

Throughout the morning, participants explored a range of topics, including multispecies cover crops, aerial seeding technology, farm economics, and available funding opportunities. The event provided an opportunity to see conservation practices in action while connecting directly with professionals who can help landowners explore options for their own properties.

Catoctin Land Trust was proud to participate in the field day and share information about our work through the Whole Watershed Program, including conservation opportunities available to landowners throughout the Antietam Watershed. Through the Whole Watershed Program, CLT works alongside partners and local landowners to advance projects that protect and restore the woods and waters that make up the Antietam Watershed. For agricultural landowners, conservation practices such as cover crops can play an important role in improving soil and crop health while helping reduce runoff and protect local waterways. Events like the “Take Cover” Field Day are an important part of this work. Reaching and gathering farmers and conservation professionals together creates opportunities to share knowledge, build relationships, and connect landowners with resources that can help make these practices more accessible.

Thank you to all the partners that helped make this event possible and to everyone who joined us. Thank you to Elevate Agriculture, Virginia Seed Company, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Maryland Department of Agriculture for sharing expertise/resources and organizing the event. We are also thankful to Windy Springs Farm for hosting us and to all the community members who took the time to participate.

Interested in learning more about conservation opportunities for your property? Check out our Whole Watershed Act page here to learn about the resources and opportunities available for landowners in the Antietam Watershed.

This project was funded completely or in part by the Maryland Whole Watershed Program. For more information, visit https://dnr.maryland.gov/Pages/whole-watershed-fund.aspx.