Producers are increasingly planting cover crops to improve soil quality, help manage weeds or pests, and provide livestock forage – but is root rot a possibility when pulses, specifically peas and lentils, are added to improve the nutrition of the mix?
March is the month across much of Michigan to improve pastures by frost-seeding legumes like clovers or some grasses into them. Frost-seedings are most successful when the seed is broadcast approximately 45 days before grass growth begins in your area.
In this video from Michigan State University, Paul Gross shares cover crop recommendations for fields with compacted soil, why you want to choose covers with a tap root, why red clover, alfalfa or radish might be good choices and more.
In this video from Michigan State University Extension, Paul Gross explains how you can dig a little and learn a lot about soil health on your farm through a soil pit.
Dr. Kim Cassida, Forage & Cover Crop Specialist with Michigan State University, explains how to increase forage yield in alfalfa, why you should reconsider planting spring-seeded alfalfa, how alfalfa acts like a cover crop in corn, and more.
Cover crops and other regenerative agriculture practices have been getting a massive amount of attention lately. There have been stories about them in major news outlets like Forbes and the New York Times and politicians have been working these concepts into their speeches and climate platforms, spreading the word about the benefits of keeping the soil covered with diverse living plants.
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.
Last week we had boots on the ground at the Big Soil Health Event in Cedar Falls, Iowa where agronomist David Kleinschmidt emphasized the importance of considering Carbon to Nitrogen ratios of cover crops and residues.