Sarah Hill

Let Cover Crops Do the Work to Keep Weeds Away

By Sarah Hill posted on August 20, 2019

We all know that one of the potential benefits of using cover crops is weed suppression, but do you know how cover crops actually provide weed suppression? There are a couple of ways: through blocking sunlight from reaching weed seeds, and also allelopathy, as the cover crop plants produce a chemical that reduces weed seed germination.

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.

When it Comes to Planting Covers, Your Opinion is the Only One That Matters

By Sarah Hill posted on July 24, 2019

Last week, I attended the Southern Cover Crops Conference in Alabama. Besides being my first trip to the Heart of Dixie, it was a truly enjoyable opportunity to learn about growing cotton and peanuts, how Southern farmers utilize cover crops to protect their soil and retain moisture, and the challenges that the agriculture industry faces in the region.

Cover Crops Are a Good Fit for Seed Corn

By Sarah Hill posted on July 16, 2019 | Posted in Soil Health

No one does anything in a vacuum. No matter what type of project you undertake, someone has to create the raw materials you have to work with — whether it’s loggers harvesting trees for lumber made into woodworking projects, cotton farmers harvesting bolls made into cloth, or a goldsmith melting down gold to make jewelry.

Planting Cover Crops Makes Growers Soil Health Superheroes

By Sarah Hill posted on July 2, 2019 | Posted in Soil Health

When it comes to superheroes in the agriculture industry, for the 2019 crop year, growers who plant cover crops are the true heroes.

Cover Crops: ROI That Keeps on Giving

By Sarah Hill posted on June 25, 2019 | Posted in Economics, Seeding Practices, Soil Health

No matter why you got into farming, profitability is still the end goal. Every farming practice undergone on your operation must be worth the return on investment. But what if we looked at cover crops in a different way — that covers themselves are the investment?

4 Questions to Consider for Prevent Planting Cover Crops

NRCS conservation agronomist shares important points on deciding when to seed cover crops and which species to choose.

By Sarah Hill posted on June 21, 2019 | Posted in Economics, Grazing, Seeding Practices, Soil Health, Termination

When it comes to seeding cover crops on prevented-planting acres, there are lots of details for growers to consider — including what to plant and how long to let it grow.

Suppress Weeds in Vegetable Crops with Covers

Weeds are behind a $32 billion annual crop loss due to taking necessary nutrients from the soil.

By Sarah Hill posted on June 18, 2019 | Posted in Seeding Practices, Soil Health, Termination

Now that planting season is nearly wrapped up, it’s time to start thinking about protecting plants from their age-old nemesis: weeds.

Multi-Species Cover Crops: The Answer to Livestock Forage Shortages?

By Sarah Hill posted on June 11, 2019 | Posted in Grazing

With so many acres under water and unplantable this year, livestock producers are starting to become concerned about forage options later in the fall and winter.

Multi-Species Cover Crops: A Solution for Livestock Forage Gaps

By Sarah Hill posted on June 11, 2019 | Posted in Grazing

With so many acres under water and unplantable this year, livestock producers are starting to become concerned about forage options later in the fall and winter.