Most information on cover crops in books and even from some farmer speakers indicates low carbon-to-nitrogen ratios mean nitrogen will be released to the cover crop. But some research North Dakota State University Extension is finding otherwise.

Swallowtail Farm, started in 2009 by Noah Shitama, markets a diverse range of produce largely through a 220-member CSA and restaurant sales.

The Soil Health Institute released its comprehensive strategy for enhancing soil health at the 4th annual meeting of the Soil Health Institute in Sacramento, Calif.

Data pulled from new sensor technology shows soil health practices in Iowa, Illinois and Indiana moving in the right direction, says the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC). Other states will come online soon.

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.

While there was no time to build an ark to prepare for the most recent “Bomb Cyclone” that hit Nebraska and other areas of the Midwest, Noah Seim, who farms near Worms, Neb., said one of their fields successfully braved the storm because they had established a healthy stand of rye.

According to the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, there has been a large increase in the number of farmers using cover crops in Indiana. Known for their environmental benefits, Indiana farmers have planted more than one million acres of cover crops in Indiana in 2018, covering 32,000 more acres than the previous year, the state agricultural department said in an article from the Goshen News.

A USDA press release shares how practices associated with soil health—including the use of cover crops and rotational grazing—are more widely used in organic farming systems than in conventional systems.

More growers are increasingly becoming interested in raising organic crops. While food-grade organic crops merit a larger return on investment, they also require a high level of quality and present unique challenges in marketing those crops. (Courtesy of Cover Crop Innovators)