Soil Health

Water infiltration

Cover Crops Improve Water Infiltration in Soil

Nebraska’s Andrea Basche and a colleague have found that planting perennials and cover crops may substantially improve the ability of soils to soak up heavy rainfall, potentially alleviating the most severe effects of flooding and drought. A synthesis of 89 studies across six continents has helped clarify which agricultural practices hold water when it comes to helping soils soak up precipitation — a factor critical to mitigating floods, outlasting drought and stabilizing crop yields. Read more in this story from The Fence Post.
Read More
worm in soil

To Till or Not to Till

The wet harvest last fall and continued saturated soil conditions this past spring in many parts of the country created a scenario that left many farmers scratching their heads: “To till or not to till…that is the question.”
Read More
Leininger

No-Till, Cover Crops Key to Building Healthy Soil

On a windy autumn day, Dan Leininger, a water conservationist with the Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District, stands in a field of ripe soybeans on the northeast side of York, Neb. While the beans are impressive, Leininger gets down on one knee to show what he’s most proud of. Find out more in this article from the York News-Times.
Read More

Soil, Cover Crops Key to Saving Family Farms

Would it sound too good to be true if I was to say that there was a simple, profitable and underused agricultural method to help feed everybody, cool the planet, and revitalize rural America? I used to think so, until I started visiting farmers who are restoring fertility to their land, stashing a lot of carbon in their soil, and returning healthy profitability to family farms. Read more in this article from Yes magazine.
Read More

Planting Cover Crops After Small Grain Harvest

Typically, double cropping done after small grains is planting soybeans in wheat stubble, but not always, says Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff. Some growers plant a crop after barley, oats or other small grain crops, and cover crops are a viable choice for planting in late summer. The amount of precipitation is also a factor in deciding whether to plant cover crops after small grains. The type of cover crop planted can also play a role in helping increase yields the following growing year.




Read More
From the Web

Soil Sense Podcast Talks About Farmers Building Soil Health

This 15-episode podcast series weaves together the stories of how farmers are utilizing soil health building practices on their farms in conjunction with help from their trusted advisers and using partnerships with researchers and Extension specialists to better understand their systems. This series touches on the soil health movement in North Dakota with ideas on both successes and failures.
Read More

[Podcast] Using Soil Health Tests

Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff says that in the past 5-10 years, soil health testing has grown in popularity, but they aren’t a silver bullet for detecting all soil health problems. (Courtesy of Cover Crop Innovators)
Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff says that in the past 5-10 years, soil health testing has grown in popularity, but they aren’t a silver bullet for detecting all soil health problems. (Courtesy of Cover Crop Innovators)
Read More

[Video] Combining No-Till, Cover Crops & Manure

Dan DeSutter farms 4,500 acres in west central Indiana with his wife and three sons. Formerly a financial analyst and commodity broker, Dan uses no-till, cover crops and manure to improve soil quality while maintaining high levels of crop production. In 2013, he was selected National No-Till Innovator of the Year.
Read More

Using Soil Health Tests

Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff says that in the past 5-10 years, soil health testing has grown in popularity, but they aren’t a silver bullet for detecting all soil health problems. In this podcast, learn about the different types of soil tests available, what they can measure and why each one is important.
Read More
NNTC_Logo_2026_4c_Outlined.png

The National No-Tillage Conference returns January 12-15, 2027! Build and refine your no-till system with dozens of new ideas and connections at the 35th Annual National No-Tillage Conference in Indianapolis, Jan. 12-15, 2027. 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.

Learn More

Top Articles

Must Read Free Eguides

Download these helpful knowledge building tools

View More

Get all things Cover Crop all the time!

Start Your Membership
Top Directory Listings