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[Podcast] Cover Crops After Silage Prevent Erosion

This week’s podcast, sponsored by GS3 Quality Seed, features Amanda Kautz, district conservationist with NRCS. Kautz will discuss why silage is a good opportunity for growers to incorporate covers, how growers ensure good cover crop growth for silage, soil health benefits offered by covers after they’ve been harvested as silage, and more.
August 5, 2021 | Posted in Soil Health
This week’s podcast, sponsored by GS3 Quality Seed, features Amanda Kautz, district conservationist with NRCS. Kautz will discuss why silage is a good opportunity for growers to incorporate covers, how growers ensure good cover crop growth for silage, soil health benefits offered by covers after they’ve been harvested as silage, and more.
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Rotational Crops After Potatoes Improve Soil Health

July 28, 2021 | Posted in Soil Health
Source: WAGM
"Instead of controlling one disease versus multiple, we do the integrated way by using different crops as a nutrient input and also as a disease suppression strategy,” says Jay Hao, Professor of Plant Pathology for the University of Maine. Read more in this article from WAGM.
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Cover Crop Standpoint

‘Getting Paid’ to Help Offset Climate Change

The carbon market system is a Wild West right now, says no-tiller Trey Hill. But carbon-smart farming and balancing carbon-to-nitrogen ratios in your fields starts with cover crops.
By Trey Hill posted on July 26, 2021 | Posted in Soil Health
I think folks who are into the cover crop movement and no-till are really starting to think about sustainability a little differently.  


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Cover Crops Build Strong Orchards That Can Withstand Droughts

At the Petty Ranch in southern California, where it sometimes rains less than 5 inches per year, covers are an effective line of defense against dryness.
By Julienne Isaacs posted on July 26, 2021 | Posted in Soil Health
Lemons and avocados aren’t your typical cash crops accompanying cover crops. But Chris Sayer’s family successfully uses covers in their lemon and avocado orchards on Petty Ranch in Saticoy, Cal., which they’ve owned for 130 years. 


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‘Zone Approach’ with Cover Crops Boosts Sustainability at Vegetable Farm

On his Minnesota vegetable farm, Ryan Pesch uses cover crops to lighten and enrich heavy soil and improve production prospects.
By Julienne Isaacs posted on July 25, 2021 | Posted in Soil Health
Building soil nutrients is one of the major benefits of using cover crops, and it’s the benefit of choice for Ryan Pesch and his family. Pesch has used cover crops on his farm since he and his family started Lida Farm in 2004.


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Cover Crops: The Final Piece of the Water Quality Puzzle

Growers share how widespread cover cropping has helped reduce water quality problems in Kansas’ Black Vermillion River watershed.
By Julienne Isaacs posted on July 24, 2021 | Posted in Soil Health
On a clear, late November day 60 years ago, 11-year-old Maurice Buessing was out getting the cows home from pasture on the family dairy operation near Baileyville, Kan.


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Cover Crops Can Turn Around Soil Degradation

When used in combination with reduced tillage and diverse crop rotations, covers can restore farm soils to a more healthy and productive state.
By Sarah Hill posted on July 23, 2021 | Posted in Soil Health
Problems with soil degradation impacting agriculture go all the way back to ancient Greece. Many of today’s growers have the same problems, but they are now armed with the knowledge and tools needed to reverse the trend, says David Montgomery, author, geologist and professor of Earth & Space Sciences at the University of Washington. 


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Buffering the Soil with Long-Term Covers

Jeff Olson is protecting the soil and improving water infiltration with a mixed bag of application methods and plenty of patience.
By Libby Wawzenek posted on July 23, 2021 | Posted in Soil Health
Jeff Olson isn’t afraid to step outside his comfort zone. A 5th-generation corn and soybean farmer in Winfield, Iowa, Olson attributes part of his willingness to take risks and try new things to his years of experience.


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The National No-Tillage Conference returns January 7-10, 2025! Build and refine your no-till system with dozens of new ideas and connections at the 33rd Annual National No-Tillage Conference in Louisville, Ky. Jan. 7-10, 2025. Experience an energizing 4-day agenda featuring inspiring general session speakers, expert-led No-Till Classrooms and collaborative No-Till Roundtables. Plus, Certified Crop Adviser credits will be offered.

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Videos

Ray McCormick’s Conservation Buffer

Ray McCormick’s Conservation Buffer

Earlier this week we paid another visit to this year’s Conservation Ag Operator Fellow, Ray McCormick in Vincennes, Ind., and one thing about Ray is that even when it’s the “off season,” he’s still thinking ahead for next season.
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