Practical Experiences in Nutrient Management is a workshop conducted by the University of Maryland Extension Agricultural Nutrient Management Program that provides participants with hands-on farming and nutrient management related activities including yield and moisture estimates of grain crops, harvest machinery overview and demonstration, and compost and cover crop application to fields.

9:00-9:30 -     Registration

9:30-12:00 - This session will provide a practical overview of key post-season grain crop management and harvest evaluation activities. Participants will review common grain crop yield estimate procedures, examine a combine and its major components, and observe the machine harvesting a grain crop in the field. The program will also include a comparison of moisture readings taken with a hand test moisture meter and those recorded by the combine yield monitor to highlight accuracy and calibration considerations. In addition, attendees will see post-harvest field operations including compost application, broadcast seeding of a cover crop, and vertical tillage used to incorporate the compost and cover crop seed into the soil. 

12:00-12:30- Lunch

12:30-1:00-   MDA Nutrient Management Update

1:00-3:30-     This session will provide participants with an overview of vegetable production and harvest, and view the vegetable harvesting conveyor.  The program will end with an overview of the production of compost on the farm and the planning process for fall applications.

CEUs: 5.5 hours of credit toward consultants’ or operators’ continuing education requirement will be earned from full participation in this event.

Secure your spot for the Maryland Native Plant Society's 2026 Annual Conference

Co-Hosted with UMD Extension Maryland Native Plants Project and UMD Plant Science and Landscape Architecture Dept. 

• 2 day event | Sept. 12-13

• Meals included

• Presentations by native plant professionals 

• Native plant sale

• Field trips & workshops

• Optional add-on: Saturday evening dinner and presentations 

Register here: mdflora.org/fall-conference 

This session will cover the 8 keystone habits of the Bay-Wise Living Landscape Metric, and tell you more about steps involved in getting your landscape certified as Bay-Wise.