Editors' Picks - Articles

Invest in Soil Health to Reduce Loss & Risk

May 1, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

It goes without saying that 2019 was an extremely difficult year for farmers like me. Unprecedented amounts of snow and rain led to 3.9 million acres in South Dakota that couldn’t be planted. Read more in this blog post from the Environmental Defense Fund.

Cover Crops Provide Pollinator Habitat

April 29, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Ohio's Country Journal

A good deal of attention has been given to honey bees and other pollinators the last several years. Honey bees first began to draw notice back in 2006 when concerns over Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) first emerged. Read more in this article from Ohio's Country Journal.

Cover Crops in High Country Pastures

April 29, 2020 | Posted in Grazing

Source: Lancaster Farming

Glenn Elzinga converted leased BLM land to organic, improving forage quality by improving the soil. When Elzinga began looking at the soil and the forages that they provided for his cattle, he wanted to do better. Read more in this article from Lancaster Farming.

Use Legumes as a Cover Crop in Orchards

April 27, 2020 | Posted in Seeding Practices

Source: Good Fruit Grower

Cover crops are common, and most growers use grass. However, a few soil researchers suggest growers consider covering their alleys with legumes instead, as some organic growers already do. Read more in this article from Good Fruit Grower.

Whole Orchard Recycling Increases Carbon Sequestration, Increases Yields

April 27, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Recycling trees onsite can sequester carbon, save water and increase crop yields, making it a climate-smart practice for California’s irrigated almond orchards, finds a study from the University of California, Davis. Whole orchard recycling is when old orchard trees are ground, chipped and turned back into the soil before new almond trees are planted.

For Cover Crop Creativity, the Best is Yet to Come

Trial and error trumps comfort zone complacence in strip-tiller Trent Sanderson’s perpetual pursuit of cover cropping innovation.

April 24, 2020

The greatest of growing seasons has little affect on Trent Sanderson’s approach to cover crops across his family’s 2,000-acre corn, soybean and wheat operation in Clare, Ill. In his mind, more can always be done to maximize the value of every field, whether it’s a new seed variety, application method or frugal machinery investments.

Protecting Carbon in the Soil a Win for Farmers

April 24, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: GreenBiz

Countries are struggling to keep farming sustainable while meeting the mounting demand for production — which must increase by between 25 percent and 70 percent by 2050 to feed growing populations. A groundbreaking new study reports that the secret to making this possible lies in the soil — or more specifically, in the carbon stored in the soil. Read more in this article from GreenBiz.

Managing Prevent Plant Acres This Spring

April 24, 2020 | Posted in Seeding Practices

Source: University of Minnesota Extension

The spring planting season is soon upon us. Prevent plant acres, or fields that were too wet to be planted to a cash crop last year, may need some special attention this season. Read more in this article from the University of Minnesota Extension.

Add Trees to Cover Crops for More Carbon Farming

April 22, 2020 | Posted in Economics

Source: Popular Science

Anecdotally, the United States Department of Agriculture sees a tiny but growing number of silvopasture farms, while other methods that suck greenhouse gases from the air—collectively known as carbon farming—are experiencing greater resurgences. Cover crops, typically sown in the offseason and left in fields to decompose, are also rising in popularity. Read more in this article from Popular Science magazine.

Organic Soybean Producers Can Be Competitive with Reduced Tillage, Cover Crops

April 22, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Penn State University Extension

Organic soybean producers using no-till and reduced-tillage production methods that incorporate cover crops — strategies that protect soil health and water quality — can achieve similar yields at competitive costs compared to tillage-based production. That’s the conclusion of a new study by researchers in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. Read more in this article from Penn State University Extension.

Editors' Picks
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Invest in Soil Health to Reduce Loss & Risk

Cover Crops Provide Pollinator Habitat

Cover Crops in High Country Pastures

Use Legumes as a Cover Crop in Orchards

Whole Orchard Recycling Increases Carbon Sequestration, Increases Yields

For Cover Crop Creativity, the Best is Yet to Come

Protecting Carbon in the Soil a Win for Farmers

Managing Prevent Plant Acres This Spring

Add Trees to Cover Crops for More Carbon Farming

Organic Soybean Producers Can Be Competitive with Reduced Tillage, Cover Crops

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Get all things Cover Crop all the time!

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