soil structure

Research Shows Benefits of Healthy Soil Biology

October 20, 2023 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: South Dakota Soil Health Coalition

Agricultural producers often base their land management decisions on the living things they can see above the ground – crops, livestock, forage, weeds, insects, wildlife, etc. However, new research is showing they should also consider life found in the soil.

[Video] Planting High-Carbon Cover Crops

September 1, 2021 | Posted in Soil Health

Dan Forgey, Cronin Farms, Gettysburg, SD, discusses why high- carbon cover crops create soil armor and increase soil structure.

Soil Structure Improves Water Infiltration, Permeability

July 30, 2021 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Crescent-News

Why do fields have standing water? The answer lies in poor soil structure due to excess tillage, a lack of active carbon, reduced soil microbial life (beneficial mycorrhizal fungi), and a lack of live roots year-round. Read more in this article from the Crescent-News.

[Video] Building Strong Soil for Healthy Crops

April 9, 2021 | Posted in Soil Health

In this video from University of Minnesota Extension, Soil Health Specialist Anna Cates discusses how soil texture determines soil structure, how farming practices change soil structure, why soil aggregates are important, and more.

[Video] Carbon Sequestration 101

March 23, 2021 | Posted in Soil Health

Organic matter gives soil structure, allowing it to better drain and hold nutrients. Carbon left in the soil becomes a permanent part of the soil, which is released from the soil upon cultivation. Find out how to build soil organic matter and how to sequester more carbon in the soil in this video from Utah State University.

Peek Into Life Beneath the Soil

October 2, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Lincoln Journal Star

What would producers gain by visually examining the living soil that lies underneath their crops and grasslands? There could be problems with soil structure like erosion or root structures that grow horizontally rather than vertically due to compaction. Read more in this article from the Lincoln Journal Star.

Poor Soil Health Causes Compaction, Poor Soil Structure

March 16, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Ohio's Country Journal

Engineers insist that soil compaction is caused by wheel traffic (true) but it also comes from excessive tillage, rain (think hard driving rains) and gravity (to a lesser degree). Soil compaction is poor soil structure due to a lack of roots and active carbon (soil organic matter, SOM) from root exudates. Read more in this article from Ohio's Country Journal.

[Video] Cover Crops After Corn Silage

December 10, 2019 | Posted in Soil Health

In this video, find out what to look for when conducting evaluations in the field to compare soil that has a cover crop to soil without covers, including soil architecture and earthworm populations. Also, learn how to conduct a simple soil "pop" test.

[Video] Cover Crops After Corn Silage, Fall Cover Crop Growth

November 12, 2019 | Posted in Soil Health

Take a look at how a cover crop grows in the fall, both above and below ground. Plant root depth and soil benefits are shown and discussed. Compare 'no cover' to 'rye cover' crop soil structure.

[Video] Using Cover Crops for Diverse Benefits

August 13, 2019 | Posted in Soil Health

John Burk and his father farm 2,500 acres of corn, soybeans, sugar beets and wheat in Bay City, Mich. They pair different cover crops with a variety of cash crops to achieve soil benefits, including red clover, oilseed radish, oats and rye.