Cover Crop Strategies editors encounter a variety of articles, social media posts, podcasts and videos that offer a unique look at various aspects of our great agricultural industry. Here is our favorite content from the past week. The Best of the Web This Week series is brought to you by Salford Group.
In this video, hear from three coastal plain cotton producers as they share their stories and experiences to improve the health and productivity of their farms. Adding cover crops to a cropping system can increase organic matter, control problem weeds, and help reduce moisture evaporation. But how do you get started?
There has been a lot of buzz concerning the carbon credit market. While carbon is essential for all life, there is a balance between where the carbon is located and stored within the earth, oceans, and atmosphere. Read more in this article from The Hays Daily News (Hays, KS).
Longevity is a hallmark with an asparagus crop, and once the plants are in the soil they can keep producing for 20 years or more. Preparing for the perennial crop to remain productive for such a long stretch is imperative, and it all begins with increasing the organic matter in soil before the asparagus roots take hold. Read more in this article from Lancaster Farming.
There has been a lot of buzz concerning the carbon credit market. This article from University of Minnesota Extension discusses the importance of carbon and carbon markets, what they can offer producers in the Upper Midwest and what questions you should consider when investigating carbon credits.
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.
Soil health is a term that everyone seems to be confused about or have their own opinion. Soil health is about three things: soil organic matter (SOM), soil microbes and organisms, and plants. Read more in this article from Ohio's Country Journal.
While it’s not a new concept, an increasingly popular practice is to plant cash crops directly into living cover crops. The science behind it is sound – allowing producers to push the benefits of their cover crops to the max and take advantage of things like added organic matter and nutrient release.
By definition, anything that was or is alive is considered organic matter because it contains carbon-based compounds. This article covers some of the considerations around using organic soil amendments. The most common types of soil organic amendments are manure, compost, and crop residue (including cover crops). Read more in this article from Organic Farmer.
The National Strip-Tillage Conference returns August 8-9, 2024!Build and refine your strip-till system with dozens of new ideas and connections at the 11th Annual National Strip-Tillage Conference in Madison, Wis. Aug. 8-9, 2024. Experience an energizing 2-day agenda featuring inspiring general session speakers, expert-led Strip-Till Classrooms and collaborative Strip-Till Roundtables. Plus, Certified Crop Adviser credits will be offered.
This week we are in beautiful Galena, Ill., and we got a choice to check out the first ever Soul of the Soil Conference. This is put on by the Fields of Sinsinawa who'll talk a little bit about what’s going on in the world of cover crops at the first annual soul of the Soil Conference.