Covering Cover Crops

Cover Crops Part of Horizon Organic’s Carbon Positive Goal

By Sarah Hill posted on March 31, 2020

If you have looked in the dairy case at all in your local grocery store, you can’t miss Horizon Organic, with its bright red cartons and cartoon cow. The world’s largest certified organic dairy brand is now looking to use cover crops, crop rotation and reduced tillage to offset more carbon than is produced by its organic dairy farmer members.

Cover Crops, Other Soil Health Practices Can Help You Be Ready for Change

By Sarah Hill posted on March 17, 2020

Would you like to be less stressed? Have more fun? No, the answer is not buying a cheap plane ticket to a tropical destination. But a recent survey of South Dakota farmers and ranchers found that growers who use practices that improve soil health experienced less stress, were more satisfied with farming and are more optimistic about the future.

States Should Incentivize Growing Cover Crops

By Sarah Hill posted on March 4, 2020

As we head into the 2020 growing season, many growers have probably put some thought to whether or not they will grow cover crops, and the reasons as to why or why not they will do so. Additional cost is one of the reasons why some growers have yet to fully embrace cover crops.

Talk to Your Landlord About Cover Crops

By Sarah Hill posted on February 18, 2020

How often do you communicate with the landlord about the farm ground you rent? If you’re farming rented ground, it can make a big difference in how you approach decisions, such as cover cropping. For most growers, the question is whether you be profitable while growing cover crops on rented land?

Mung Beans Help Diversify Cover Crop Mixes, Stretch Feed Supplies

By Sarah Hill posted on February 11, 2020

You have probably seen mung beans before but didn’t know what they were. This warm-season legume used by many as a cover crop is best suited to certain regions and soil types. Mung beans can be an additional cover crop species to add diversity to cover crop mixes.

Cover Crops: What’s Old is New Again

By Sarah Hill posted on February 4, 2020

There is a saying that everything that is old becomes new again. Many things come and go in a cycle. I saw evidence of how cover crops were once utilized by farmers on a Facebook page I follow that talks about covers. Someone posted an excerpt from the book Agriculture for Southern Schools by John Frederick Duggar, which was published in 1910, that discussed cover crops at length.

State Looks to Remove Barrier to Growing Cover Crops

By Sarah Hill posted on January 27, 2020

Maryland growers may see a change in the laws around cover crops. Frederick County Delegate Ken Kerr (D) plans to re-introduce a bill that would allow farmers growing cover crops to harvest them. Currently, the state of Maryland pays growers $75 per acre to grow covers, but if they take the money, they aren’t allowed to harvest the crop.

Choose Your Cover Crop Species with Care

By Sarah Hill posted on January 20, 2020

Each crop year is different, and there will be various reasons influencing the decision of what cover crops to use — the amount of biomass you want produced, your preferred method of cover crop termination, weed control, and more. You have to choose cover crops that are best for your operation, the weather, soil conditions and cash crops.

Find Your Cover Crop ‘Coach’

By Sarah Hill posted on January 16, 2020

Farming is no different than sports, especially when implementing a new practice like cover planting crops. Out of the many growers I’ve talked to, those who have achieved success have a mentor, or multiple mentors to show them the ropes and get them moving in the right direction.