Soil health - Articles

Cold Doesn't Always Kill Covers Over the Winter

December 28, 2020 | Posted in Grazing

By definition, cover crops are planted to protect the soil and contribute to improved soil health. However, often these annual forages are also grazed or harvested as livestock feed in the spring or early summer in an effort to make them more cost effective. Read more in this story from Hay & Forage Grower.

Cover Crops in Potato Rotations

December 23, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Potato News Today

In humid climates, there is a high risk of topsoil loss from erosion on bare soil as well as nitrogen from fertilizers leaking or leaching from the soil into water sources, which can cause groundwater pollution. This is especially true in the fall, after potato harvest, and in the spring, due to melting snow. Read more in this story from Potato News Today.

Cover Crops Can Influence Pest Populations

By Sarah Hill posted on December 21, 2020

Cover crops have numerous benefits, which we’ve discussed at length in this blog—everything from improving soil health, increasing water infiltration, suppressing weeds, and more. One under-utilized benefit of covers is how cover crops can be used for pest management.

Suppressing Pests in Healthy Soils

December 18, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Ohio's Country Journal

Farmers who improve soil health increase the amount of soil carbon being stored, and recycled. The increased carbon flow increases microbial numbers and efficiency leading to improved plant photosynthesis. Read more in this article from Ohio's Country Journal.

Soil Health Indicators

December 16, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Delaware Gazette

Most of us don’t spend much time (or any time) thinking about the ground under our feet. But soil is one of a landowner’s most valuable assets and one most of us take for granted. Read more in this article from the Delaware Gazette (Delaware, OH).

What Are Indicators of Soil Health?

December 4, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Ohio's Country Journal

How do I know if my soil is healthy and what are indicators of soil health? Plants thrive in healthy soils and are not overtaken by pests (weeds, insects, diseases). Read more in this article from Ohio's Country Journal.

Best Soil Health Practices Vary by Region

November 27, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: American Society of Agronomy

Farmers can use a variety of practices to keep their soils healthy. Some of these practices include not tilling the land, planting cover crops between growing seasons and rotating the type of crop grown on each field. Read more in this article from the American Society of Agronomy.

[Podcast] Interseeding Ideal for Wide Rows

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.

November 25, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

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.

Using Covers to Produce Biomass Offers Multiple Benefits

By Sarah Hill posted on November 24, 2020

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.

[Podcast] Follow the Combine with Cover Crop Seeding

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.

November 23, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

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.