Management strategies

Cover Crops & Crop Insurance

May 13, 2020 | Posted in Seeding Practices, Soil Health

In this week’s podcast, crop insurance expert and Wisconsin farmer Ryan Stockwell with the National Wildlife Federation discusses why crop insurance regulations are outdated, why crop insurance eligibility rules are unfavorable to cover crops, how crop insurance will be evolving, and more.

Consider Black Oats as a Cover Crop

May 4, 2020 | Posted in Seeding Practices, Soil Health

Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff says black oats have impressed him the past few years as a cover crop. The winter hardy Cosaque variety of black oats seems to be most popular and can even be used as a forage.

Improving Soil Health in Vegetable Production with Cover Crops

April 29, 2020 | Posted in Seeding Practices, Soil Health

Using cover crops is a way to protect the soil and mitigate soil loss, says Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff, and that includes in vegetable production. Groff also explains how vegetable production can be done with no-till, how bare soil can lead to soil-borne disease in vegetable crops, how soil health and plant health are linked, and more.

Using Cover Crops to Repair Ruts, Damaged Soils

April 15, 2020 | Posted in Seeding Practices, Soil Health

Fall 2019 was extremely wet during harvest, leaving many fields with ruts. In this week’s podcast, Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff explains how growers can use cover crops, no-till and improving soil health to overcome extreme wet conditions at harvest time.

Cover Crops Around the Globe

March 11, 2020 | Posted in Seeding Practices, Soil Health

Farmers around the world face different challenges, but North American growers can learn a lot from how farmers in other countries solve problems. Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff shares insights on how growers use cover crops to retain moisture in the soil in Australia, managing soil erosion in Tasmania, observations on soil types and structure in France, and more.

Cash Crops and Cover Crops: Making It Work

March 6, 2020 | Posted in Seeding Practices, Soil Health

Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff explains why growing two different species of crops—one cash crop and one cover crop--can be beneficial to your bottom line. Often, planting multiple crop species together can cause both species to grow better, especially if the cover crop is a legume. Find out more about this uncommon practice in this week’s podcast.

Cover Crops Can Work Anywhere

February 27, 2020 | Posted in Seeding Practices, Soil Health

Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff explains how to discuss with skeptical growers on why they should use covers, how to manage a controversial discussion, how economics fit into the conversation and more.

Tips for Making Cover Crops Work in Northern Climates

February 14, 2020 | Posted in Seeding Practices, Soil Health

If you have always wanted to try cover crops, but live in an area with a short growing season, this podcast is for you! There are many variables involved when planting cover crops in a short growing season, according to Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff.

Cover Crops and Forage: A Win-Win

February 4, 2020 | Posted in Seeding Practices, Soil Health

Using cover crops as forage for livestock is a profitable and effective way to make cover crops a win-win situation. Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff welcomes guest speaker Monte Bottens, a California crop consultant, in this week’s podcast to discuss how to choose the best cover crop mixes for grazing, how to scale regenerative agriculture, how cash cropping can mesh with grazing livestock, and more.

Having the Hard Conversations About Cover Crops

January 30, 2020 | Posted in Seeding Practices, Soil Health

Although cover crops are becoming more mainstream, there are still those growers out there who are resistant to the idea, according to Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff. This podcast shares tips on how to have conversations with your neighbors and other farmers about using cover crops.