Any home gardener in Mercer County can come pick up free cover crop seed, which is a mixture of oat, radish, and cereal rye, for the winter. Please know the square footage of your garden when you come by. Putting in cover crop over the winter has many benefits for your garden, including nutrient retention in the soil, erosion prevention in the winter, and weed suppression in the spring. 

Cover crop seed will need terminated in the spring before planting vegetables or plants that you want to take root. Common termination methods include with an herbicide, pulling, smothering (with cardboard or a tarp), tilling, or crimping.

Maximum amount of seed given is 3 pounds or 2,000 square feet. Feel free to call the office at 419-586-2179 before coming to ensure we still have seed.