Carbon is the foundation upon which Hank McGowan is building a farm he believes will be increasingly resilient, low-input, high-production, and financially and environmentally beneficial.

As farmers and ranchers alike navigate the world of regenerative agriculture and cover crops, the humble cereal rye plant (Secale cereale) has been making a name for itself as the undisputed King of Cover Crops! This title has been earned for multiple good reasons and we will highlight a few of them here.

Now is the time to plant cereal rye as a winter cover crop.

An idea that started with the curiosity of an enterprising south-central Kentucky farmer is showing promise as another crop for Kentucky small grain producers, as well as a reliable source of Kentucky-grown cereal rye for bourbon distillers, bakers and millers. In a state long recognized for its progressive farmers, the Halcomb family of Walnut Grove Farms in Logan County are known as some of the most innovative. Read more in this article from the Sentinel-Echo (London, KY).

Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) officials each year report an increased adoption of conservation practices, such as cover crops. However, there is still room for growth. Today we focus on growth, which is dependent on one’s comfort level. Read more in this article from KIWA Radio (Sheldon, IA).

Mitchell Hora walks to a field on his family’s southeast Iowa farm, where 5-inch-high soybeans grow in alternating rows with 4-foot-tall cereal rye. The 25-year-old admits that combining the two crops would make most farmers freak out. Read more in this article from The Hawk Eye (Burlington, IA).

Alison Robertson, Professor and Extension Field Crops Pathologist with Iowa State University discusses why cereal rye is a vector for diseases in corn, why timing of planting corn after cereal rye is very important, how pythium impacts corn yields, and more.

As a cover crop, cereal rye brings a lot to the table. It improves soil structure, builds organic matter, and protects against water and wind erosion. It’s also relatively inexpensive, can be seeded late, enhances weed control and is easy to kill.

Can you name 10 species of cover crops? No, this isn’t a riddle — it’s actually easier than you think. An easy place to start: cereal rye.