Most of us don’t spend much time (or any time) thinking about the ground under our feet. But soil is one of a landowner’s most valuable assets and one most of us take for granted. Read more in this article from the Delaware Gazette (Delaware, OH).

Soil compaction is a common and constant problem on most farms that till the soil. Heavy farm machinery can create persistent subsoil compaction. Scientists have found that compacted soils (a) physically restricted root growth; (b) decrease root zone aeration; and (c) reduces drainage, (d) increased losses of nitrogen from denitrification, (e) increases soil erosion. Read more in this article from Ohio's Country Journal.

There is not a one-size-fits-all answer, and that’s good! There is a wealth of diversity in crop production, soil types, cultural practices, crop inputs and many other factors. Read more in this article from AgWeek.

This week’s podcast, sponsored by Yetter Equipment, features Mike Hamilton, Extension Irrigation Instructor with University of Arkansas Extension. Hamilton discusses how cover crops minimize evapotranspiration, the balance between cover crops taking water and retaining moisture, improving water infiltration, and more.

Did your soybeans or alfalfa not yield what you were expecting this year? Well fall is the perfect time to pull soil samples and see what’s going on under ground. Read more in this article from the Norfolk Daily News (Norfolk, NE).

Hear from a group of South Dakota growers and how they manage the challenges with hitting a spraying window, timing of applying weed control chemicals when soils are saturated, if weeds should be considered as a cover crop in some situations, and more.

I’ve heard many farmers express frustration with late-summer or fall planted cover crops that didn’t take off as expected. Of course, the main reason we witnessed slow fall growth in much of the state was lack of moisture, a stark comparison from many areas last year! Read more in this article from the Brookings Register (Brookings, SD).

How do I know if my soil is healthy and what are indicators of soil health? Plants thrive in healthy soils and are not overtaken by pests (weeds, insects, diseases). Read more in this article from Ohio's Country Journal.

Producers, researchers and cover crop experts from GO SEED share the cover crop gifts they are most thankful for.

Researchers in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences have developed an important component of a new system that corn growers can use to adjust nitrogen fertilizer applications based on site-specific measurements of cover crops and soil organic matter. The development is notable because while the wide use of cover crops in rotations with corn in the last decade has resulted in reductions in nutrient pollution and sedimentation, the introduction of cover crops has muddled growers' decision-making regarding how much nitrogen fertilizer to apply to meet their cash crop demands. Read more in this press release from Penn State University.