A group of farmers from South Dakota discuss cover crop species selection, timing of planting covers, cover crop mixes, and more.

At the 2020 Farm Science Review earlier this August, a team of Extension educators planted multiple cover crop species, including forage turnips, clover, ryegrass, hairy vetch, radish, canola, regular turnips, balansa clover, sorghum, and oats. The team will be monitoring the cover crops over the winter to see how each species, except for the clovers, breaks down.

I’ve heard many farmers express frustration with late-summer or fall planted cover crops that didn’t take off as expected. Of course, the main reason we witnessed slow fall growth in much of the state was lack of moisture, a stark comparison from many areas last year! Read more in this article from the Brookings Register (Brookings, SD).

This week’s podcast, sponsored by Yetter Equipment, features the second of a two-part series featuring Austin Carlson, Soil Health Technician with the South Dakota Soil Health Coalition. In part 2, Carlson discusses when interseeding should occur, interseeding a cover crop mix vs. a single cover crop species, environmental conditions that impact interseeding, and more.

An online survey of almond growers showed more interest in growing bee-friendly cover crops than in planting other pollinator habitat, and explored additional aspects of how almond farmers can boost the health of the insects that pollinate their trees. The survey, which concluded in February, collected information from 329 respondents who represented about 14% of California's 2019 almond acreage, with orchards from 1 acre to 49 acres in area. Read more in this article from the Daily Democrat (Woodland, CA).

There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to utilizing cover crops. Cover crops can be a boon for soil health, but how much the covers can improve the soil depends on how much biomass that cover crop species produces.

This week’s podcast, sponsored by Yetter Equipment, features the first of a two-part series featuring Austin Carlson, Soil Health Technician with the South Dakota Soil Health Coalition. In part 1, Carlson discusses choosing the best cover crop seeding method, finding and calibrating cover crop seeding equipment, choosing the right timing for seeding covers, and more.

Research results from a study led by Extension specialist Fabian Fernandez at the Rosholt Research Farm in Westport, Minnesota show data from 2016 to 2019 for two cover crop systems: winter rye and Kura clover living mulch. The farm is in the Bonanza Valley and has an irrigation system. Read more in this press release from the University of Minnesota.

As harvest progresses, its not too late to plant cover crops, but the options are becoming more limited. Most cover crops need a minimum of 60 days of growth before cold freezing winter weather limits growth. Read more in this article from Ohio's Country Journal.

With the soybeans being harvested a little earlier than usual this year, some producers are finding themselves making management decisions which often include the use of cover crops. There are a lot of agronomic benefits for planting cover crops such as soil health, soil erosion control, weed reduction, animal feed, and nutrient recycling. Read more in this article from South Dakota State University Extension.