Earthworms - Articles

Cover Crops Bring Soil Back to Life in Dry Country

By Noah Newman posted on May 30, 2026 | Posted in Economics, Soil Health

“For the first shovel out of the ground to find an earthworm, that’s just unheard of in Arizona,” Robert Boyle says. Editor Noah Newman shares more observations from his visit with the Strip-Till Innovator in Coolidge, Ariz.

Are Cover Crops a Good Fit for Vineyards?

By Mackane Vogel posted on September 4, 2025 | Posted in Soil Health

What I’ve noticed in the last calendar year is that viticulture and conservation agriculture seem to be finding their way to each other more often than before.

International No-Till, Strip-Till and Cover Crops Research Journal – September 2024

Each month, the conservation ag group at Cornell University offers an analysis of the latest scientific papers dealing with conservation agriculture research from around the world. For this on-going web series, our editors will be selecting several research papers from the Cornell list that will be of special interest to North American no-tillers, strip-tillers and cover croppers.

By Frank Lessiter posted on September 11, 2024 | Posted in Soil Health

In this edition:

Earthworms as Soil Health Indicators in No-Tillage Agroecosystems
No-Till Farming and Climate Change Mitigation: Lessons Learnt from Long-Term No-Till Experiments and Future Perspectives (Chapter 2)
The Impact of ‘T’-shaped Furrow Opener of No-Tillage Seeder on Straw and Soil Based on Discrete Element Method
Characterization of Soil Pores in Strip-Tilled and Conventionally-Tilled Soil Using X-ray Computed Tomography
Critical Review of the Impact of Cover Crops on Soil Properties
Understanding Farmers’ Adoption of Conservation Tillage in South Dakota: A Modified Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior

Cover Crops Help Soil Profitability

Finding right varieties and proper seeding practices is key to maximizing benefits and generating carbon.

By Raylene Nickel posted on May 14, 2024 | Posted in Seeding Practices, Soil Health

Source: Successful Farming

Stopping soil erosion was the driving force behind the Sylling family’s decision to switch to no-till more than two decades ago. At the time, brothers Myron and Mikal farmed in partnership with their father, Karl, on a corn-and-soybean farm in the hilly country of southeastern Minnesota, near Spring Grove.

Earthworms Play Vital Role for Growers Using Cover Crops

By Clay Pope posted on November 6, 2023 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Southern Plains Perspective

As we have said so often—production agriculture and environmental protection really can go hand in hand. If we take care of the worms, (and with them the rest of the microbial community) they really can help save the day.

Farmer's Earthworm Handbook Shares 19 Tips for Building Up Soils with Earthworms

Your subterranean friends can improve soil fertility, health and tilth so roots grow deeper, and plants are productive — no matter what your tillage system.

September 12, 2023

Learn How Earthworms Can Save You Money, Time, And Your Fields For Just $15.95! If crop residues are removed too quickly in the fall or spring, worms may not have the opportunity to eat and breed. Learn to leverage earthworms for better crop production & improved profitability. Everything you always wanted to know about improving soil fertility and managing earthworms can be found in the 112 pages of our best-seller, The Farmer's Earthworm Handbook.

Soil Health & Earthworms

April 28, 2021 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Capital Journal (Pierre, SD)

According to a 2001 paper (Land degradation: an overview), it is estimated that the total annual cost of erosion from agriculture in the USA is about $44 billion per year, i.e. about $100 per acre of cropland and pasture. On a global scale, the annual loss of 75 billion tons of soil costs the world about $400 billion per year, or approximately $70 per person per year (Eswaran, H., et. al. 2001). Read more in this article from the Capital Journal (Pierre, SD).

[Podcast] Earthworms: Unsung Heroes of the Soil

Seeing earthworms is one of the hallmarks of healthy soil, but Paul Reed Hepperly says that their role is much broader than previously thought.

March 24, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Seeing earthworms is one of the hallmarks of healthy soil, but Paul Reed Hepperly says that their role is much broader than previously thought.

Are You Feeding Your ‘Livestock’?

By Sarah Hill posted on August 12, 2019

Earthworms — they are the unsung heroes and unpaid employees on your farm. According to Frank Gibbs, one of the featured speakers at the National Strip-Tillage Conference held earlier this month in Peoria, Ill., worms are always working to enrich your soil.

Not Afraid to Experiment with Cover Crops

Deciding on a suitable soil regeneration or maintenance strategy — especially in the summer rainfall regions of Africa — needs a great deal of thought and planning. No-Tiller J.P. Van Reenen tells about his experiences.

March 21, 2019 | Posted in Seeding Practices, Soil Health

Source: Future Farming

Deciding on a suitable soil regeneration or maintenance strategy — especially in the summer rainfall regions of Africa — needs a great deal of thought and planning. No-Tiller J.P. Van Reenen tells about his experiences.