Are you looking for cover crops to fill a fallow period as small grains, snap beans, or other crops are harvested? Extension agronomist Heidi Reed explains that establishing cover crops in summer grants an opportunity to branch out beyond our fall-planted standbys. Read more in this article from Lancaster Farming.

According to a recent conservation survey, Indiana farmers have set a conservation record this year by planting an estimated 1.5 million acres of overwinter living covers, the largest amount ever recorded by an Indiana Conservation Partnership survey. Read more in this article from WBIW.

On paper, adding a cover crop to a farming production system looks simple enough: plant a small grain such as cereal rye as soon as the cash crop harvest is done; let it grow, then terminate it prior to planting in the spring. But farmers and agronomists know it’s not that simple. Read more in this article from Ohio's Country Journal.

An idea that started with the curiosity of an enterprising south-central Kentucky farmer is showing promise as another crop for Kentucky small grain producers, as well as a reliable source of Kentucky-grown cereal rye for bourbon distillers, bakers and millers. In a state long recognized for its progressive farmers, the Halcomb family of Walnut Grove Farms in Logan County are known as some of the most innovative. Read more in this article from the Sentinel-Echo (London, KY).

As small grain harvest moves along, some farmers will plant cover crops into those fields to do things such as improve soil condition, control weeds or provide fall grazing for livestock and wildlife. Before planting the cover crop seeds, South Dakota Department of Agriculture Plant Industry Program Manager Brenda Sievers reminds farmers to check the source of the seeds and to be sure a lab analysis has been done on them.

With small grain harvest coming, it’s a good time to make a cover crop plan and get your ducks in a row for making it happen. The best time to seed a cover crop after small grain harvest is to chase the combine with the drill. Read more in this article from AgWeek.

When you plant cover crops, of course, you want to maximize their benefits as much as possible while minimizing the costs, says Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff. (Courtesy of Cover Crop Innovators)

In this podcast, Groff explains the benefits of adding small grains to crop rotations, such as building soil biology, adding diversity, increasing organic matter and more. (Courtesy of Cover Crop Innovators)

“The Pluses and Minuses of Today’s Most Popular Cover Crops” eGuide reveals how you can pick and utilize the cover crop species that are perfect for your farm, and it’s FREE!